The number of new COVID-19 cases reported in Ohio has now dropped below 1,000, but Gov. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) says he's concerned about the "dramatic" decline in vaccinations.
Health experts have voiced concerns that the U.S. might not be able to reach herd immunity and eradicate COVID-19. DeWine says, with those reports, it looks like the state will have to "live with" the virus at a much lower rate.
DeWine says future health orders will likely benefit people who are vaccinated, reflecting what he calls a "medical reality."
"And the medical reality is you're fully vaccinated for you. The situation is much, certainly much, much better. And it's very different. It's life changing," DeWine said.
Just more than 40% of Ohio's total population has received at least the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
DeWine announced Monday that employees of nursing homes and long-term care facilities will no longer be required to take part in the twice-a-week COVID-19 testing regimen if they've been vaccinated.
"What we will continue to try to do is not have health orders that are holding people back from things that medically they ought to be able to do and healthwise ought to be able to do because they've been vaccinated," DeWine said.
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