Toledo, Ohio – Ohio Governor Mike DeWine sent a message to residents to speak with their doctors if they have any questions or concerns about obtaining the COVID-19 vaccine, directing the unvaccinated toward sources they can rely on.
Governor DeWine hopes that students will return to school wearing masks as classes resume, which may be a few days later than anticipated in some schools. However, Gov. DeWine is just asking students to wear face coverings and is not mandating it.
“The best way to ensure that we’re going to be able to keep kids in school and not have to close down because we don’t have enough bus drivers or we don’t have enough teachers is, at least in January is for everyone to wear a mask. We found out last year that that does work,” DeWine said.
National Guard soldiers are already being sent by the state to assist hospitals, including several in our region. The state has assisted in the establishment of mass testing sites, some of which are now operational.
DeWine said he questions himself what more the state might do to help the people of Ohio. Perhaps the best solution is to direct people to reliable information sources.
“If you’re having questions about if you should be vaccinated, should your child be vaccinated, talk to your doctor. Talk to that person you trust. You don’t have to listen to me. You don’t have to listen to the health director. Just listen to your own doctor,” said DeWine.
Governor DeWine said the unvaccinated are contributing to the recent surge of COVID-19 cases. According to state statistics, over 70% of Ohioans are vaccinated, and most of the hospitalized people are unvaccinated.
“I think that just breaks your heart is that we have people today who are unvaccinated who are dying every day. We’re losing 70, 80, 90 people a day in Ohio who are dying of COVID and they’re unnecessary deaths. These people do not have to die,” said DeWine.
One year ago, the concern was that there would be too little vaccine; today, the concern is that there will be few individuals who get it. On the other hand, DeWine claims that 6,000–8,000 Ohioans get their first dosage on a daily basis. Fortunately, things are starting to change.
“I think we’re at a different point. People are just really tired of not only the COVID, they’re tired of all the protocols and things, but we just ask people to make individual choices. We ask schools to make individuals choices and follow what we learned,” said DeWine.
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