An outbreak of COVID-19 (caused by the coronavirus) that started in China has spread worldwide. Scientists believe the outbreak started in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. It quickly spread to the rest of the globe. By September 2020, one million people from around the world had died from COVID-19. That number continues to rise. View the current situation summary from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

COVID-19 is a respiratory illness that spreads when an infected person breathes out droplets and very small particles that contain the virus. These droplets and particles can be breathed in by other people or land on their eyes, noses, or mouth. In some circumstances, they may contaminate surfaces they touch. People who are closer than 6 feet from the infected person are most likely to get infected. People who are infected but do not show symptoms can also spread the virus to others. To learn more about how COVID-19 is transmitted, visit the CDC website.

The CDC is actively working to learn more about reinfection to inform public health action. Based on what is known from similar viruses, some reinfections are expected. For the most up-to-date information, visit the CDC website.

For Ohio-specific COVID-19 details and information, please visit the Ohio Department of Health’s COVID-19 webpage or contact the ODH call center by dialing 1.833.4.ASK.ODH (1.833.427.5634).

Advocacy

• Anti-Vaccine Bill Scheduled for Hearings in Senate; Dr. Nate Overmire Provides Testimony on behalf of OAFP (Weekly Family Medicine Update, December 7, 2021)
• Contact Your State Senator Today – Help Stop Dangerous Anti-Vaccine Legislation (Weekly Family Medicine Update, December 7, 2021)
• House Leadership Says No Consensus on HB 435 (Weekly Family Medicine Update, October 19, 2021)
• Vaccine Coalition Submits Testimony Opposing HB 435 (Weekly Family Medicine Update, October 12, 2021)
• New COVID Vaccine Mandate Exemption Bill Emerges (Weekly Family Medicine Update, October 5, 2021)
• Call to Action Opposing HB 435 (Weekly Family Medicine Update, October 5, 2021)
• Urge Your Legislators to Oppose Anti-Vaccine Bill (Weekly Family Medicine Update, September 7, 2021)
• OAFP Joins Over 100 Other Organizations Opposing HB 248 (Weekly Family Medicine Update, August 31, 2021)
• Template letter to Contact Local School Board Members about Universal Indoor Masking for K-12 Schools
• Urge Your Legislators to Oppose HB 248

• Ohio Sues Biden Administration over Vaccine Mandates for Workers (Weekly Family Medicine Update, November 9, 2021)

COVID-19 Vaccines: News & Information

• COVID-19 Vaccine Providers Must Use Digital Data Loggers (Weekly Family Medicine Update, June 28, 2022)
• CDC Recommends Moderna COVID-19 Vaccines for Ages 6-17 Years Old, Orders Now Open (Weekly Family Medicine Update, June 28, 2022)
• Reimbursement for Providers for COVID-19 Vaccine Administration to Uninsured Individuals (Weekly Family Medicine Update, June 28, 2022)
• Ohio Begins Ordering COVID Vaccines for Young Children (Weekly Family Medicine Update, June 21, 2022)
• COVID-19 Vaccines Recommended for Infants and Young Children (Weekly Family Medicine Update, June 21, 2022)
• Pre-Orders Open for COVID-19 Vaccine for Children Younger Than 5 Years (Weekly Family Medicine Update, June 7, 2022)
• Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine Authorized Uses (Weekly Family Medicine Update, May 10, 2022)
• One-Fourth of U.S. COVID Deaths Preventable by Vaccines (Weekly Family Medicine Update, May 6, 2022)
• Shelf Life Extension for Pfizer Vaccines (Weekly Family Medicine Update, April 26, 2022)
• Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine Shelf Life Extension (Weekly Family Medicine Update, April 19, 2022)
• Adult COVID-19 Vaccine Ancillary Kit Changes (Weekly Family Medicine Update, April 12, 2022)
• Good Friday/Easter COVID-19 Vaccine Deliveries (Weekly Family Medicine Update, April 12, 2022)
• ODH Provides COVID Vaccine Incentives for Medicaid Members (Weekly Family Medicine Update, April 12, 2022)
• Racial Disparities in COVID Vaccinations Narrow, but Persist (Weekly Family Medicine Update, April 5, 2022)
• Second COVID-19 Booster Dose Authorized for People at Higher Risk for Severe Illness and Death (Weekly Family Medicine Update, April 5, 2022)
• ODH Releases COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters Toolkit (Weekly Family Medicine Update, March 29, 2022)
• Important Reminders, Best Practices, and Resources for COVID-19 Vaccine Inventory Management (Weekly Family Medicine Update, March 15, 2022)
• Family Physicians Urge All Eligible Children and Adults to Get Vaccinated Against COVID-19 (Weekly Family Medicine Update, March 15, 2022)
• Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine Shelf Life Extended (Weekly Family Medicine Update, March 15, 2022)
• Orders Postponed for Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for Ages 6 Months to 4 Years (Weekly Family Medicine Update, February 22, 2022)
• FDA Grants Full Approval of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine (Weekly Family Medicine Update, February 8, 2022)
• AMA Issues Statement on Supreme Court Opinions on Vaccination and Testing Requirements (Weekly Family Medicine Update, January 18, 2022)
• AAFP Issues Statement on SCOTUS Ruling on Vaccine Mandates (Weekly Family Medicine Update, January 18, 2022)
• CDC Endorses ACIP’s Updated COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations (Weekly Family Medicine Update, January 4, 2022)
• COVID-19 Vaccine Reporting Requirements (Weekly Family Medicine Update, January 4, 2022)

COVID-19 Treatments

• Monoclonal Therapeutics (Weekly Family Medicine Update, May 3, 2022)
• FDA OKs COVID-19 Drug Veklury for Young Children (Weekly Family Medicine Update, May 3, 2022)
• Using Therapeutics to Prevent and Treat COVID-19 (Weekly Family Medicine Update, January 4, 2022)
• Emergency Use Authorization for Two COVID-19 Oral Therapeutics (Weekly Family Medicine Update, January 4, 2022)
• Monoclonal Antibody Availability and Access for Treatment of Mild to Moderate COVID-19 (Weekly Family Medicine Update, December 7, 2021)
• Pfizer Reports COVID-19 Pill Cuts Hospitalizations, Deaths by 90% (Weekly Family Medicine Update, November 9, 2021)