The Thursday media conference with Ohio Governor Mike DeWine was delivered from the mass vaccination center at Xavier College in Cincinnati.

The governor discussed the opening of eligibility of those 40 years old and above starting Friday, and those with chronic health issues, including cancer, liver disease, heart disease, COPD, or obesity are also able to get the vaccine.

The state will open to those 16 years old and older beginning March 29, with the expanding availability of vaccines that will be coming. 

The governor discussed the highest occurrence numbers are declining across the state, with 143.8 cases per 100,000, and the governor reminding that once the number reaches 50 per 100,000 cases, all restrictions will be removed.

10 counties dropped on the public advisory system, with the Valley all still currently remaining in the red. 

70 new cases were reported in nursing homes in the last weeks, down significantly from the highest numbers in November.

However, the were 2,900 news cases reported Thursday, which was an increase from recent new case numbers.

Ohio has two new PSAs for Ohio, with the first showing Ohioans that received the vaccine and how it is changing their lives for the better. 

The second spot features former Cincinnati Bengals player Anthony Munoz, who is Hispanic, asking everyone to get the shot. He will be releasing a version of the spot in Spanish as well. 

DeWine discussed how the Cincinnati-based Kroger grocery store chain was instrumental in getting the teachers around the state vaccinated, and noted each store that has a pharmacy is also a location to receive the COVID vaccine.

He touted the job that the Hamilton County Board of Health has done in getting the vaccine in the arms of the citizens of the county. 

With Marsha Fudge recently resigning her Congressional seat to serve as the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for the Biden Administration, DeWine announced a date for an election date to replace the 11th Congressional Seat, with a special election primary on August 3, and the special election set for Nov. 2, along the with General Election on that date.