When, When, and How to get your COVID-19 vaccine in Ohio

In the United States, nearly 12% of the population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, as of February 17. Ohio comes in at almost 11.5% of residents vaccinated. Vaccine distribution is still limited by age, occupation, and health conditions, but even when you qualify, it can be hard to get an appointment.

Read below for details about the COVID-19 vaccine phases in Ohio, where/how to get a vaccine appointment when it’s your time, and more details.

Current Vaccine Phase Schedule

Phase 1A
Healthcare workers who are exposed to COVID-19 patients, EMS responders, in-patient residents and long-term patients as well as staff in various facilities

Phase 1B
Jan. 19: Ohioans 80 years of age and older.
Jan. 25: Ohioans 75 years of age and older; those with severe congenital or developmental disorders.
Feb. 1: Ohioans 70 years of age and older; employees of K-12 schools that wish to remain or return to in-person or hybrid models.
Feb. 8: Ohioans 65 years of age and older.
Feb. 15: Ohioans born with or who have select early childhood conditions that are carried into adulthood, which put them at a higher risk for adverse outcomes due to COVID-19. Ohioans with one of the above qualifying medical conditions may choose to receive the vaccine at the provider of their choice, but will be asked by their vaccine provider to verify that they are, in fact, eligible at this time.

While details haven’t been released for Ohio, the CDC recommends that Phase 1C includes:

People aged 16—64 years with underlying medical conditions which increase the risk of serious, life-threatening complications from COVID-19.
Other essential workers, such as people who work in transportation and logistics, food service, housing construction and finance, information technology, communications, energy, law, media, public safety, and public health.

Each state makes its own guidelines, so next stage details tba for Ohio.

Where to get a COVID-19 vaccine in Ohio

If you qualify for your vaccine based on employment (school, healthcare facility, etc), your employer should make arrangements for your vaccines. If you qualify due to medical conditions, you may need to make arrangements through your medical provider, or be able to show eligibility at the time of your vaccine at retail locations. Groups defined by age will receive the vaccine from local health departments, hospitals, federally-qualified health centers, as well as some retail pharmacies.

Check the website of your local county health department to learn more about vaccinations in you community. You can also sign up to receive updates from the local health department. The Ohio Vaccine Provider Locations search is available at vaccine.coronavirus.ohio.gov. You can search by county and ZIP code to find a provider in your area to administer the vaccine.

Each provider manages its own schedules and appointments. There’s no real trick to getting an appointment – most people we’ve talked to have had to call over and over, or check the online scheduler regularly, while others are able to snag an appointment right away. Keep trying!

You do NOT have to get your vaccine within your city or county. All Ohioans are eligible to receive a vaccine anywhere in Ohio, so if you can’t find any appointments in your nearby area, you can schedule for anywhere you are willing to drive. Check surrounding counties for more options.

Which vaccine should you take?

Vaccine recipients must be age 16 or older to be eligible for the Pfizer vaccine, and age 18 or older to be eligible for the Moderna vaccine.

Currently, two vaccines are authorized and recommended to prevent COVID-19. Click the links to see more details about each, or see information about vaccines, trials, and more here.

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine
Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine

The following vaccines are currently in Phase 3 Clinical Trials.

AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine
Janssen’s COVID-19 vaccine
Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine

Still unsure about taking a COVID-19 vaccine? Read this article from Mayo Clicic “COVID-19 vaccine myths debunked”

Ohio COVID-19 Vaccine Town Hall

Have more questions? Save the date for Ohio’s COVID-19 Vaccine Town Halls, where your vaccine questions will be answered. Hear from medical experts, community leaders, public health professionals, frontline workers, and people who have been vaccinated. More details for how to watch livestreams for the following audiences will be shared in the near future; check link for details.

Monday, February 22, 6:30 p.m. – African American Ohioans
Tuesday, Feb. 23, 6:30 p.m. – Hispanic/Latino Ohioans
Monday, March 1, 6:30 p.m. – Asian American and Pacific Islander Ohioans
Tuesday, March 2, 6:30 p.m. – Rural Ohioans

Watch live or on-demand after the event:
• Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/OHdeptofhealth/
• YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/OhioDepartmentofHealth1
• Online – https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/townhall
Watch later on the Ohio Channel. Find your local channel and the date and time it will air by
checking with your PBS station or television provider.

Looking for more COVID-19 Vaccine information?

Find more details, FAQs, and resources at Ohio Department of Health COVID-19 Vaccination Program or one of the local or county vaccine program websites. See below for quick links for several Central Ohio county health departments vaccine pages. Some offer call-back lists and waiting lists for when appointments become available.