COLUMBUS, Ohio — Gov. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, is easing COVID-19 testing requirements for workers at nursing homes and assisted living facilities. There is also a new playbook for getting the vaccine to those who are homebound.
What You Need To Know
- Nursing home and assisted living staff who are fully vaccinated are included in being waived from routine testing for COVID-19
- Those not vaccinated are tested twice per week
- A homebound vaccination playbook is being developed to help vaccinate those who want to receive the vaccine
- The commemoration also features a virtual video tribute focusing on the wounded students and nine new markers installed at the location each student was wounded by gunfire on May 4
Last week, DeWine said any Ohioan who was fully vaccinated did not have to quarantine if they were exposed to the coronavirus. It was meant mainly for kids or adults who did not work in nursing homes or assisted care facilities.
On Monday, the governor expanded that guideline to specifically target those left out.
"This new order is consistent with federal government regulations [and] what the CDC has put out," DeWine said.
DeWine said fully vaccinated staff in nursing homes and assisted living facilities will no longer be required to be routinely tested for COVID-19, however, employees who are not fully vaccinated must be tested twice a week. A person is not considered fully vaccinated until two weeks after getting the shot or shots pending which vaccines are received.
"We hope that this change will give encouragement to those who work in nursing homes who have not been vaccinated yet to take advantage of the opportunity to be vaccinated," said DeWine.
Also, the governor said the Ohio Department of Aging and Ohio Department of Health developed a homebound vaccination playbook for organizations working to ensure anyone who physically cannot leave their homes has access to the vaccine.
DeWine said by utilizing existing rapid response teams, the vaccine can be delivered to wherever it is needed.
"If you are a homebound individual or if you know of a homebound individual, if you have a family member who is homebound and they have not yet been vaccinated, you can call your local area agency on aging. That is 1-866-243-5678," DeWine shared.
The governor was also asked about the New York Times report which said herd immunity may not be obtainable in the U.S.
"The more people that get vaccinated, the harder it is for this virus to spread,” DeWine said. “If you have not been vaccinated, it is a high risk gamble."