COLUMBUS, Ohio — Gov. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, said the number of Ohioans getting vaccinated has gone up significantly since the Ohio Vax-A-Million lottery drawing was announced.
DeWine was in an upbeat mood Monday touting the success the Ohio Vax-A-Million program has seen when it comes to incentivizing Ohioans to get their COVID-19 vaccine shots.
"The vaccinations that we've received after we announced Vax-A-Million have exceeded my wildest expectations," DeWine said.
The governor said nearly three million Ohioans have registered for the five $1 million drawings and more than 100,000 kids have registered for the scholarship drawings since the big announcement.
"I can't tell you how happy I am about it and it's been a marked change, a noticeable change," said DeWine.
Two lucky Ohioans will also see a noticeable change in their bank accounts soon after the first winners are announced this Wednesday night at 7:29 p.m.
DeWine also shifting the focus on the conversation Monday to school districts still dealing with the pandemic. He said beginning June 2, when the state's health orders are lifted, districts will have the choice whether to continue to have kids wear masks and be socially distant.
"Our schools have been phenomenally successful in keeping down spread in the classroom,” he said. “They have done this by wearing masks. The other thing that we should keep in mind that, as of today, a child 11 years of age and younger cannot, cannot, be vaccinated. So I would hope that schools, superintendents, school boards will take that into consideration.”
At the same time, going along with CDC guidelines, if a child has not been vaccinated, they should isolate if they test positive for COVID-19. While vaccinated children do not have to quarantine or be tested if they are exposed.
DeWine said, while this announcement about schools is not a state health order, it is a standard infection control practice.