COLUMBUS, Ohio — As COVID-19 cases continue to spiral out of control within the state, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine made a plea for school masking and the mobilization of additional National Guard personnel.
Governor Mike DeWine announced Wednesday that an additional 1,250 members of the Ohio National Guard will be mobilized to support hospitals suffering from staffing issues. The mobilization comes on the same day that the state records an all-time high in total COVID-19 hospitalizations. “This is not something we take lightly. We are asking them to leave their families, their jobs, and homes,” Governor Dewine said. Hospitals across Ohio are dealing with an unprecedented level of COVID-19 infections.
According to Ohio Department of Health data, one in every three patients in the greater Cleveland area has the disease.
Governor DeWine has deployed the National Guard to support local hospitals as a result of the crisis. According to state officials, since June 1, 2021, there have been 35,962 admissions, and 92.5% of those have been among people who are not fully vaccinated.
More than 6.9 million Ohioans have received at least their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. That’s 63% of those Ohioans eligible (ages 5 and older). More than 2.6 million have received an additional dose, known as a booster dose.
A letter, according to Governor DeWine, was sent to Ohio school superintendents, administrators, and school board members encouraging them to implement a masking requirement when students return from the holiday break.
