COVID-19 cases in Ohio are continuing to trend up but Gov. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) says it's up to local communities how they want to address the spread of the virus.
Since January, 18,662 people have been hospitalized with COVID-19. More than 98% of those people (18,367) were not vaccinated. Ohio began vaccinating older adults and high-risk people in mid-January and broadened eligibility to anyone 16 and older on March 29.
"We truly have two Ohio's now -- one group of people who are safe, one who are not," says DeWine.
The governor says getting people vaccinated will determine if Ohio can see its way out of the COVID-19 pandemic. But the state will not issue any policy requiring vaccination.
He says vaccine incentives and mandates on masks are left to local leaders and businesses.
"But this is where the game is. This is where the game is going to be won or lost. This is where lives are going to be saved. And that's from the vaccine," DeWine says.
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