Tuesday, December 22nd, 2020
COVID vaccine is here
First shots administered Monday in Mercer Co.
By Leslie Gartrell
CELINA - Briarwood Village in Coldwater and Celina Manor officials were among the first in the area on Monday to begin COVID-19 vaccinations for residents and staff.
Briarwood Village Administrator Eric Ireland on Friday said the facility should receive about 300 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, which is enough for all residents and staff. The vaccination clinic began on Monday and is not mandatory.
"I'm looking forward to it," Ireland said on Friday.
Mercer County Health District Administrator Jason Menchhofer on Wednesday said the county's six long-term care facilities and one assisted living-only facility would receive vaccinations through CVS under the Partnership for Long-Term Care Program. Officials noted long-term care facilities and nursing homes would receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.
Ireland said Briarwood's vaccine shipment would arrive from a CVS near Shawnee. The facility will offer another round of vaccinations in three weeks so residents and staff can get their second dose.
Celina Manor administrator Peggy Stewart said the nursing home performed its vaccine clinic on Monday as well. Calls for details about the clinic were not returned.
Local health officials on Monday also reported 34 new COVID-19 cases in Mercer County and 50 new confirmed cases in Auglaize County, raising their totals to 3,190 and 2,601, respectively.
Mercer County Health District officials in a news release also reported 566 probable cases, 2,933 people who have recovered, 28 pending test results, 59 deaths and 17 probable deaths from COVID-19. Of the 3,190 confirmed cases, 181 are active.
Officials also included information on the most recent death in the county. The 59th death, which was reported on Friday, involved a 76-year-old St. Henry man, according to the release.
An Auglaize County Health Department news release on Monday reported 710 probable cases, 139 total hospitalizations and 2,672 people who are presumed to be recovered.
The breakdown of total cases by community is Wapakoneta, 1,163; St. Marys, 981; Minster, 383; New Bremen, 323; Cridersville, 171; Waynesfield, 121; New Knoxville, 91; Spencerville, 22; the Lima area, 12; Uniopolis, 10; Buckland, 10; St. Johns, six; New Hampshire, six; the Botkins area, six; the Lakeview area, four; and the Mendon area, two.
As of Monday night, the Ohio Department of Health had reported 629,354 confirmed and probable cases in the state, 35,048 hospitalizations and 8,122 confirmed and probable deaths from COVID-19.
