DeWine reduces vaccine eligibility age to 50, opens eligibility for additional medical conditions

COLUMBUS, Ohio – At a news conference Monday, Gov. Mike DeWine announced that the state will extend COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to include additional health conditions as part of the launch of Phase 1D – as well as lower age eligibility as part of Phase 2B launch.

Starting Thursday, March 11, people with type 2 diabetes and end-stage kidney disease will be able to schedule appointments for vaccinations.

DeWine previously included type 1 diabetes as an eligible medical condition in the state’s Phase 1C launch on March 4th.

In addition to launching Phase 1D, DeWine also announced Phase 2B, which reduces the age of eligibility for the vaccine to 50 years and over.

Phase 2B also begins on March 11.

The governor said about 1.2 million people in Ohio fall into the category included in Phase 2B, which adds Ohioans between the ages of 50 and 59.

DeWine estimates that the number of people under the age of 50 with end-stage renal disease in Ohio is about 25,000, and those under the age of 50 with type 2 diabetes are about 172,000.

Ohioers who want to schedule immunization appointments will be able to use a central scheduling tool on the Ohio Department of Health website, from a computer, smartphone, or tablet. To learn more about the tool, click here.