Health commissioner: “the Delta variant is the ‘hot’ variant right now
Health officials say getting vaccinated is the only way to end this pandemic.
TOLEDO, Ohio — This afternoon, the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department provided an update regarding COVID-19 in the community, including vaccination rates and the Delta variant.
Lucas County Health Commissioner Eric Zgodzinski says that so far, the July vaccination numbers are the lowest in the 20–29 age group, while 60–69 year-olds lead in vaccinations. Zgodzinski emphasizes: the majority of those 60+ in Lucas County have been vaccinated.
“Please remember to that those age groups, we do have close to 70 or over 70% of those age groups, in those age groups, have been vaccinated,” he said.
Zgodzinski tells me he hasn’t been in contact with Governor Mike DeWine regarding the 2nd vaccine incentive program, although he and other health officials meet with the governor consistently.
“We don’t know any details, but I will let the community know that we do speak with the governor’s office as health commissioners every week. I think I’ve mentioned that before, but that is just something that I think it’s good to know, that the communication’s wide open,” he added.
During the briefing, Zgodzinski noted that the Delta variant hasn’t impacted Lucas County as bad as other counties, but it’s important to be alert and still take precautions when out in public.
“Please remember: the Delta variant is the “hot” variant right now, where they’re looking at it being much more infectious than the variants we’ve had before,” Zgodzinski said.
The state, and the rest of the country, has seen a significant increase in COVID-19 cases, despite the widespread availability of a COVID vaccine. Health officials stress the goal of the vaccine isn’t to prevent you from contracting the virus, rather it’s to lessen its effect on the body and potentially prevent death. For updates regarding vaccinations and COVID-19 numbers here in Lucas County, visit lucascountyhealth.com.
