Ohio's COVID-19 Vaccination Program Update
Phases 1A and 1B: Because the availability of the vaccine remains limited in Ohio and across the country, Ohio is taking a phased approach that prioritizes the most vulnerable citizens, those in the healthcare field, and school staff members.
It is anticipated that vaccine distribution in Phase 1B will begin as Phase 1A begins to wind down.
Phase 1B focuses largely on those who are 65 and older. Those in this age group are most vulnerable to COVID-19 and make up more than 87 percent of Ohioans who have died from the virus. Phase 1B also includes school teachers and other school staff who will be offered the vaccine in an effort to get Ohio's children back to school as soon as possible. In total, Phase 1B includes an estimated 2.2 million people. |
Plain Language to Help Talk About the COVID-19 Vaccine
Use this plain language guide to talk to people with developmental disabilities about vaccines and the COVID-19 vaccination program. |
January 13 Waiver Billing Deadline for Additional Relief Funds |
The Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) and the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD), with financial support from the Ohio County Boards of Developmental Disabilities, have requested federal approval for an additional relief payment to eligible DODD waiver providers.
The amount of each eligible provider’s payment will be calculated as a percentage of the total amount of claims for the list of services (below) that have been received by DODD by noon on Wednesday 1/13/2021 for dates of service from 8/1/2020 through 10/31/2020.
Services to be included in the payment calculation are:
- Homemaker/Personal Care (HPC), including On-Site/On-Call and HPC Daily Billing Unit,
- Participant-Directed HPC, including Participant-Directed On-Site/On-Call
- Shared Living,
- Adult Day Support,
- Vocational Habilitation,
- Employment services, including Career Planning services, and
- Non-Medical Transportation.
A projected date for these payments is not yet known, as the request has not yet been formally approved by the Federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Additional information regarding the status of this request will be shared as it becomes available.
Please contact [email protected] with questions. |
Myths vs. Facts about the COVID-19 Vaccine:
Myth: Once I get the vaccine, I can stop wearing a mask and social distancing.
Fact: You should continue to wear a mask and practice social distancing after being vaccinated. The vaccine will protect you from getting ill from COVID-19, however, not enough is known about whether or not you can still carry the virus and spread it to others. At this time, those who get the vaccine should continue to wear masks and practice social distancing.
Myth: My children will be forced to get a vaccine.
Fact: Children are not yet eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines. Ohio is not mandating COVID-19 vaccines, and at this time, the COVID-19 vaccines that have received emergency use authorization (EUA) are not recommended for children under age 16. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is recommended for people ages 16 and older, and the Moderna vaccine is recommended for people ages 18 and older. While additional clinical trial data is being gathered, children, like adults, should wear a mask, watch their distance, wash their hands, and avoid congregating in groups in order to protect themselves from COVID-19.
Myth: COVID-19 vaccines will implant tracking microchips in people.
Fact: No vaccine injections or nasal sprays – including the shots for COVID-19 – contain microchips, nanochips, RFID trackers, or devices that would track or control your body in any way. Much like the way any shipment or delivery is tracked, shipments of vaccine doses will be monitored as they are shipped and administered across the country. However, the notion that these shots will contain tracking devices implanted into Ohioans is false.
Visit the Ohio Department of Health's Website for more Myths vs. Facts. |
COVID Information and Resources
Pop-Up Testing Locations
Mental Health Resources
COVID CareLine: Call 1-800-720-9616 to connect with a behavioral health professional from 8 AM to 8 PM, seven days per week. After 8 PM, the CareLine will forward to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
What COVID-19 Means for Families
DODD support teams are available to help county boards and providers.
DODD has a dedicated web page for department communications and links to helpful resources.
For specific questions about COVID-19, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov, call your local health department, or call the Ohio Department of Health's COVID-19 hotline at 1-833-427-5634. |
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