On November 5, 2020, Governor Mike DeWine announced a new administrative structure at the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) which includes Ohio Academy of Family Physicians member Bruce Vanderhoff, MD, as chief medical officer.
Dr. Vanderhoff previously served for more than a decade as senior vice president and chief medical officer at OhioHealth. He has years of experience leading large teams in successfully dealing with important healthcare issues in Ohio and prepared OhioHealth to deal with the threat of Ebola and the H1N1 flu pandemic.
ODH Director Stephanie McCloud
McCloud previously served as Gov. DeWine’s administrator of the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, managing an agency of 1,800 colleagues and over $28 billion in assets. She has considerable experience in the area of mental health and addiction treatment which is a priority in Ohio’s health improvement plan.
ODH Senior Deputy Lance Himes
Himes previously served as the interim director of ODH where he played an integral role in running and managing many aspects of the pandemic response operation. He will lead the coordination of the state’s vaccine distribution plan and will continue to work directly with Ohio’s local health commissioners.
Chief of Staff Kathleen Madden
Madden previously served as assistant director at the Ohio Office of Budget and Management and will now play a key role in keeping ODH’s pandemic and non-pandemic programs and operations on track. She will work to prioritize and resolve critical issues, provide oversight and guidance to ODH staff, and ensure that ODH funds are spent responsibly and strategically.
Dear Dr. Vanderhoff , My name is Kathy Turner and I live in Cincinnati OH with my husband and family. I have emailed Gov DeWine several times and Ltd Gov Husted. I thank them for their keeping everyone updated with the covid situation. My family and I have been wearing masks when this first started way back, my sister in the east coast works in a hospital and sent out masks for us to wear and we wear them when we go out of the house, at work in my husbands office, Kroger’s and our wonderful doctors office when a medical need comes up. I have “Added” to my mask a Face shield, I wear “both”now. I also wear gloves out all the time. I want to protect my family and all people. I encourage you, your medical community to urge the Governor to please pause bars and restaurants. When I hear from medical experts like yourself and other doctors, the reminder to please do not “eat or drink” with “people outside of your household”, it needs to be a guideline that also applies in bars and restaurants. People in one of the local bars a town over from where we live, you can see from your car passing by, in this brewery that has very large windows, people, crowded, shoulder to shoulder, no masks on and a crowd much much larger than 10. If you want help with bringing numbers down, we need to do more. Covid does not follow the “exception” guideline of no masks while eating or drinking in public. Covid rages through and does not exclude individuals drinking, perhaps laughing in coverstation, or a cough, droplets come out. Then, these individuals go home after drinking with friends or extended family and have perhaps masks off in their homes, and might bring covid into their loved ones homes because they were around many, many people in these public places. Again, covid does not follow Ohio guidelines of masks off exception while eating or drinking. The guidelines need to be the “Same” everywhere. Restaurants could maybe do delivery or take out. Bars, on pause. I respect your rules, but to protect incredibly hard working caring medical staff in hospitals and every single team person in hospitals then I feel pausing bars and pausing restaurantsis Nod of Respect to hospital teams and says, we respect you, this is the right next step to do. My family and I are listening and doing our part but just as a parent has safety boundaries in their homes for their children, Ohio needs more safety boundaries and saying no to public dining, no to bars, pausing bars, if the this continues eating and drinking in public which is what each of the doctors have expressed about eating only in home bubble , public dining and drinking will not help bring the numbers down. People like myself and others are following medical guidelines, we need those who are in bars and restaurants to pause and not be in an environment where masks are off. I am not an expert, but it would be interesting to see if numbers go down when making the right decision to pause. Covid does not pause, but people joining together with new guidelines can make it difficult for covid to visit these public places because, there will not be people in these establishments for it to contact. I thank you for listening. Best, Kathy Turner kturner1@cinci.rr.com
Dr VanderHoff,
I write regarding the decision to eliminate quarantine for children exposed to Covid in the classroom.
The research that is the basis for this decision was done before the more virulent strain was in the USA. Given how little we test for it, there is no way to be sure it is not here in Ohio.
I would like to see that decision reversed until the teachers are vaccinated.
I have two daughters who teach, and the fear is great that they will catch it and transmit it. And given the slow vaccine rollout, the concern is even greater.
Dr. Joanne Hilden
My son-in-law has Multiple Myeloma and recently had a stem cell transplant. He has no immunities at all, except for a recent flu shot. He has to receive his childhood vaccinations again. He is at a very high risk of dying should he get Covid. He is 42 years old and has 2 young children in daycare who could transmit it to him. Shouldn’t he be able to get the covid vaccine soon? If so, how?
I know for a fact that 2 large institutions in Toledo, University of Toledo and Promedica, have allowed employees who are NOT front line, eligible by age, or immune compromised to get vaccinated. Is anyone keeping track of that?? It does not seem fair.
Dr. Vanderhoff,
Child care workers have provided care to essential workers since the start of the pandemic. When schools are closed, turn to online learning or curfews are set in place, child care workers continue to care for the children.
When will the state of Ohio offer vaccinations to those workers? It seems an imperative step in keeping students safe and keeping the economy running.
Cara Rigsbee
Dr. Vanderhoff, thank you for all that you do. Currently, Ohio allows early, non-age related vaccination for people qualifying based on many medical conditions, as well as, initially, preventable conditions such as smoking and obesity. However, I have a family member with vascular disease (Raynaud’s phenomenon) that is not included on the list. Covid causes blood vessel constriction resulting in issues such as “Covid toes.” Vascular disease, also, causes blood vessel constriction due to decreased blood flow to an individual’s toes and fingers (digits) or other extremities (Raynaud’s phenomenon), as well as, to the heart (Cardiovascular disease). Thus, Covid increases the likelihood that someone with an existing blood vessel constricting vascular disease will suffer a much worse outcome including the risk of losing their toes or fingers or heart conditions. I urge you to add vascular disease, including Raynaud’s phenomenon, to the list of medical conditions allowed for early vaccination. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Hi Dr. Vanderhoff,
It’s been wonderful seeing your involvement with Ohio’s COVID-19 program. I remember you well from my internship at David Lutheran Church. Do you know if clergy will be included soon in Ohio’s vaccination program? As a pastor, I have been involved with funerals for two COVID patients, have had several members with COVID to whom I have provided pastoral care, and go to nursing and funeral homes. It would be nice to see clergy considered as essential persons and provided with an opportunity to receive the COVID vaccination. Thank you for all the work you do!
Dear Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff,
I appreciate the information you share during the weekly Covid-19 updates with Governor DeWine. The current Phase 1b lists Type 1 Diabetics that have been hospitalized only. I feel this is rewarding bad behavior. If my diabetic daughter stopped taking her insulin she would be admitted to the hospital then she would be able to get the vaccine. Please include ALL Type Diabetics. It is the right thing to do. She could also drive 6 hours to any neighboring state and get a vaccine. That is wrong. Thank you