Updated: 1:49 PM EDT May 18, 2021
Hide Transcript
Show Transcript
Good afternoon everyone today. I'm wearing a Middletown miti's mask given to me today in Middletown, my Superintendent marlin Styles and Principal Beth Hendrix uh Lieutenant governor and I were there at Amanda Elementary School Where I signed House Bill two, House Bill two creates the higher residential broadband expansion grant program and the broadband expansion program authority. This will enable us to award grants to internet providers to fund construction of broadband projects in underserved areas of the state and unserved areas of the state. So we're very excited about this. And this was really a big, big kickoff to this big, big program and our goal is for every single Ohio and to have access to high speed internet. And that's our goal. And we're working on it with the FDA approving the Pfizer vaccine for 12 to 15 year olds. We want to hear from some doctors who also happen to be mothers and we want them. We asked them about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine and we recorded new radio PSAs featuring several of these doctors and some of their Children and talking about why their Children got vaccinated. So let's listen to what they have to say. People have. I'm doctor already and I'm I'm not well. Mhm five organising and after sometimes side effect that we'll see later with kids. It's just like right was vaccinated. Jason was just vaccinated. Do you remember how you told me to encourage you? Just like it was the protection of our entire I can't do this matter of feet, fully oxygenated. Valerie confessed that. But I'm here that I'm going to take them soon myself as a mother and a position of trust doing exactly to my family decides behind these vaccines is not people in front for years. I know these vaccines are safe. In fact, a lot of my daughter and my family and I love you so much. Oh talks about how you want. Well we got one and I think there's another one. But uh we'll go we'll go with that one. We want to thank the mothers, doctors uh and and their Children who are on that P. S. A. We appreciate that very much. This weekend friend I visited Young's Jersey dairy to see the Clark County health department doing some vaccinations and they were doing a great job. Young's was giving away ice cream ice cream cone for anybody who got the vaccination and it's always a very very friendly place and Clark County does a really really nice job. Also two of our grandchildren, josie and Rebecca got vaccinated there as well. So it's a good good day on friday announced, Ohio will be amending our remaining health orders to conform to the new CDC guidance, which says that those who have been vaccinated no longer need to wear a mask. While those who have not been vaccinated should still wear a mask and socially distance. And I think to understand the C. D. C. S. What they have said uh it's just that fundamental distinction now between those who have been vaccinated and those who have not been vaccinated and you know what each group really safely should be able to do. Uh C. D. C. Still recommends everyone wear a mask when they're in a healthcare setting. Everyone should do that also when they're traveling on public transportation and that would include airplanes and when they are in a business or employer that chooses to require mass. So everyone should wear masks. Then our order will be amended to reflect these recommendations as well. That order will be issued later this afternoon. If it's not already been put out, our order will continue to require masking in. Congregate settings such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities and settings with large numbers of unvaccinated individuals and that would include schools and daycare centers. Again, this is in line with the new CDC recommendations. The CDC recommendations made it clear that businesses will be able to choose for themselves whether they continue to require masks in their premises. We understand the business uh certainly has no way to check vaccination status if a business chooses to require masking for the employees and customers, that is permitted under the CDC guidance and it is permitted under our order. If a business chooses not to require masks and leave that choice to customers and to employees. That is also in line with the CDC guidance and also in line with our health order, All individuals who are not vaccinated again, according to CDC are strongly encouraged to get the vaccine to continue wearing a mask until they do under the CDC guidance. A couple other points just to emphasize. Again, I got text from a school superintendent this weekend will be very clear. So we're asking the schools to continue to mask, um, continued as they have been doing. They've done a phenomenal job. Students have done a great job. We've kept spreading the classroom to virtually nothing and that's a tribute to the administrators, teachers and to the students. We want that to continue on. Also, all health orders as we have previously announced, we'll come off on June 2nd. Um, so that is, people get up June two and these health orders are in fact off. So at that point, if there's some schools still in session, then that will be up to that local school what they do in regard to masking. But most schools are finishing up. But if a school would decide to change their policy On June two, they could do that. Now that 12 year olds and up can be vaccinated. We know that parents and guardians and young people may have questions about COVID 19. The Ohio Department of Health has prepared an additional set of frequently asked questions and answers For their website that addresses some common questions for those under the age of 18. The document shares information about parental consent by accompanying a child to their appointment and where Children could be vaccinated. It's all their Children under 18 who are not emancipated, must have parental or legal Guardian consent for any vaccine. Also, the document discusses the safety and the effectiveness of the vaccine for Children. It's available at coronavirus dot Ohio gov. That's coronavirus dot Ohio Gov. Um, Just like adults, youth can be vaccinated at many different locations across the state. We would just remind you that Pfizer is The vaccine that is available for Children 12 and above. Uh, you can find that many, many, many places we have over 1900 locations. Many of them have Pfizer. It's available at our children's hospitals. It's available in a number of our uh, regular hospital general hospitals. It's available many health departments, uh, many retail pharmacies, community health centers. And let me also comment about primary care physicians. Uh, we know that some people have told us that they, I used to go into their primary care physician, used to going to the pediatrician's office. And so let me talk a little bit about that. Now. We are making this available to any pediatrician's office that wants the vaccine. So we would encourage them to contact us. Um, again, it's available other places, but if you want to go to your pediatrician, call your pediatrician first to see whether or not they do. In fact have it again, we will make that available. We've done it too. Pediatrician's offices who want it if more want it. We're happy to make that available to them. And we will In fact do that. We encourage pediatrician's offices to sign up to be a COVID-19 vaccine provider, vaccine manufacturers and health authorities have relaxed some of the guidelines from the initial approvals, making it easier to store the vaccine in the office. As many of us will recall originally fires are needed ultra cold storage. Now it does not pediatricians and other potential vaccine providers can find more information at a o D H dot Ohio dot gov. That's o D H dot Ohio dot com. Also again, say Children's hospitals or another place where you can get the vaccine Today. We're reporting 729 new cases. We're happy to see the number that low we are continuing to closely monitor or two week number of cases per 100,000 today. That number as of today has dropped to one oh 6.9 at 106.9. That is a drop of 13 points since last thursday. So we've been running 2 to 3 point drop. We've been dropping 15 to 20 points every week since mid april, which means that we are on track to hit our goal of 50 cases per 100,000. We would think during the coming month if this continues. So we don't know if it'll continue, but we'd like to certainly like what we're seeing in the numbers and numbers coming down. Of course that has caused buy more and moral highlands getting vaccinated and more and more Ohioans. Then over the next few weeks after that first shot getting that immunity earlier today, the Ohio Department of Health director, Stephanie MacLeod and the director of the Ohio lottery, Pat Macdonald held a press conference to discuss the specific rules, terms, conditions of our new vaccine. Million drawings. Just to recap very quickly. Beginning May 26, we will announce five weekly winners of a drawing for $1 million. All Ohioans 18 years of age and older are eligible. They have to have been vaccinated. Those who have been vaccinated are eligible. Also beginning May 26 will announce five weekly winners of a separate drawing for a four year full ride scholarship at one of our state universities that includes room board tuition books. Uh, that is for those between the age of 12 and 17. Now we announced at 11 o'clock today. One notable change the design of the vaccine. Million drawing announced Wednesday Ohio vaccine. Million will now be an opt in. You have to opt in. So starting tomorrow 8:00 PMclock I believe it's the time Ohioans will be asked if you have been vaccinated. Be asked to register for the drawings by visiting Ohio vaccine Million dot com. That's Ohio vaccine million dot com. Or you can call the highway Department of Health call center. And that number is 18334 ask oh th that's 18334 ask O. D. H. Registration uh, will take place. So again, two things that you need to do want to get vaccinated. The other is to go online and register or you can do that by telephone either way and get registered and get into the system once you're in you're in. So you do not have to reregister every week. Again the way to registers visiting Ohio maximilian dot com or by calling the Ohio Department of Health call center 18334 Ask O. D. H. Mhm. Since the We had two big announcements last week of course one was moving to the 12-15 year olds and adding them to the people who could be vaccinated were very happy about that. We also announced our vaccine million initiative and we're getting anecdotal reports back from health departments that we're seeing an increase. Uh You know we have been seeing a downturn that continued uh fewer and fewer people getting vaccinated. It would appear at least that we have we have bought them out on that and there's some indication that we're certainly seeing an increase. Just as an example last Friday May 14 was the highest day of shots administered in the last three weeks. Um, That would be since April 23, so from April 23, if you take today or take Friday the 14th and that's the day that we have all the most of the vaccination is actually filled in. It takes several days to fill in. Um, so May 14 highest state of shots administered in the last three weeks. During the three week time period I just outlined, Ohioans aged 30-74 were experiencing a 24 decrease week over week For those prior to Friday's. So we were going down last week, that age group saw a six increase. So we, we, We think this is good news, good news, not only for our 12-15 year olds, but good news in regard to our older Ohioans as well. Well, stay tuned, But this is the way we get out of this pandemic. More and more Ohioans becoming vaccinated. Our cases are going down and that is in inverse relationship to how many people were getting vaccinated. So that is very very very good. Good news. Lieutenant governor will turn it over to you. Thank you governor. I just have one quick update and uh as you, as uh our attendees will recall as a result of the wide availability of both jobs and vaccines. Last week we announced that the year is going to be a reinstatement of the work search requirements Under the unemployment compensation program. And that will be effective on May the 23rd. And we received some calls from employers who I want to know how they do that. How do they report somebody that won't return to work? Many of them found it difficult in the past and really hard to find. And so we pride ourselves on improving our technology and our access and our customer service. And so what you will see, and I think we'll go to these slides that there are a number of ways in which employers can report non compliance with. The new rule at jFS dot Ohio dot gov unemployment dot Ohio gov in Ohio means jobs dot com. When you click any of these, you will be directed to the eligibility notice, refusal to work form. This is compliant with Ohio law under Ohio law, um which is the standard that we're reverting back to. Uh if you do not have access uh to these to these resources through a computer, you can also call 18776446562. But we recommend that you use the tabs on these websites, we've made it easy to use so that people have the ability to comply with the rules as it relates to unemployment compensation. The it's just worth noting that right now we're creating jobs faster than we can, employers are finding people to fill them. Uh The unemployment rate has returned essentially to pre pandemic levels, but there are also a number. We want to emphasize this, the number of education and training programs that can help prepare individuals for the jobs that are being created out there. Individuals can visit Ohio means jobs dot com or contact their local Ohio means job center to find and apply for job openings. Ohio means Ohio means jobs dot com currently lists more than 100 80,000 job openings and nearly 95,000 of those Pay $50,000 a year or more, which is and an all around an all time high for that number of jobs that pay those wages. And we have a variety of resources for you to get trained if you're trying to do a career switch because remember education and job training qualifies as a work search requirements so you can get yourself prepared for a new career, uh, and still meet that work search requirements to find more contact information to help helpful resources. Go to the Ohio means job center near you or Ohio means jobs dot com and select find a job center as a resource to have a physical location in your area. Or you can call The number at the bottom of that page, which is 888 29675 for one. So what we're, what we're doing, so we're giving you an easy to use tool as an employer to report somebody we've offered a job to or will not return to work as part of that requirement. And we're also making it easy for the person who's out of work to become that potential employee to get the job training and the resources they need, uh, to move back into work. So it's just more uh, as we hear governor from people who are trying to navigate the system, we're trying to knock down those barriers and make it easier for them to do it. And uh, we hope as more and more people are stepping up getting vaccinated and employers are creating jobs will get this economy moving even faster than it is already, and and continue to grow opportunities for people across the state. Thanks governor. We're ready for questions Governor. First question is from jess Harden and Mahoning matters dot com. Just, Hey governor, thanks for taking our questions today. Um, I was speaking with some local school administrators last week about low vaccination turnout, at school clinics. Um, and the administrator said that they weren't really encouraging students to take the vaccine because they didn't want to uh, make a political statement or kind of weight into that argument. Are you encouraging school administrators to uh, you know, do a better job of of messaging um, vaccination opportunities for students? Well, I don't think it's political. You know, this is not a political issue, but I think ultimately that decision is a decision for the parents and and for that child. Um, so, you know, I think schools, uh, we appreciate when they make it available, but also believe that decision rests with the parents and with the child. Next question is from brian summer Villa wBNS in columbus. Hey, governor, thank you so much for taking the time. A couple really quick ones. First of all, I want to make sure I heard you clearly that it is only a recommendation from the state for districts to continue to wear masks while in school. Just want to make sure I heard that right. And then second of all, as these orders are lifted, you said earlier that it may be difficult to really prove who is vaccinated and who is not? Well, I think you talked about this earlier. We are truly on the honor system here. Does that give you any pause for concern as we move forward with with going about life again? Unmasked? Yeah, yeah. If I said that about schools, um, you know, I'm just spoke Schools, health order extends to June two and so we want the schools to finish out the school year just like they started. Um, and that is to have everyone have a mask on. It has worked exceedingly well. It's been one of the most successful things that has happened. We've been able to keep spread out of the classroom. Now, we've had, you know, kids bringing in from outside, but you know, when kids are in a classroom, they just don't, they just don't spread it. So we would like for them to finish up. But June two is the day when you get up, the health orders are off. And so if a school wants to make a decision, you know, that late in the year to switch over and and not have mandatory mask, they can do that. But up until then, schools need to, health order says that they will have to continue to mask. Um, 2nd question, I'm sorry, does go ahead. I was just, I was wondering as these orders are lifted, does that give you any pause for concern knowing that some people may try to use this as a time even unvaccinated to take the mask down in public. Yeah, I mean, I think that, you know, we really do have to groups of people and the people who have been vaccinated can feel safe. Uh, you know, they might want to find circumstances where they feel more comfortable wearing a mask and we should respect that. We should respect it if they don't want to wear it. As far as those individuals who are not vaccinated. You know, they're taking a very significant risk. But ultimately, you know, 14 months into this. This has to come down to individual choice. And, you know, that's why we made the decision to take the, the health orders off on on june 2nd. And, you know, people can protect themselves now and have that have the vaccine and have the ability to have the ability to do it. What I said was, you know, no one can really tell simply what I simply meant is that, um, you know, as far as a business, you know, they really have to decide if they're going to continue to follow a protocol that they have every right to set. And that is, if you come into my business, your mask or they can make a decision not, not to be masked. I think it's tough for them. Uh, they can do whatever they want, But I think it's tough for them to, you know, to enforce a rule that said vaccinated people, uh, don't have to wear a mask when they come in my store, but unvaccinated. Do I just think that's mechanically difficult? Just, I mean, it's practically difficult for them for them to do. Next question is from Courtney wheaton at the U K. E. F. In Dayton. Hi, Governor. I was just wondering what those people that aren't wearing the mask and just um new variants and the future. If we saw those numbers rise again, could we ever have restrictions again or you kind of just moving in a different direction at this point? Well, that would be something that we would have a discussion with the General Assembly about. As you know, they passed a bill in regard to health orders. So if you look to the future, you know, that would that would be uh pursuant to the law is written in that in that bill, which takes Place and comes into effect, I think June 23. So I think that, you know, what we hope and what we see is that the vaccines are just amazingly work well amazingly work well and they just are very, very effective and that if you've been vaccinated and you've that time has elapsed that two weeks after your last shot has elapsed two weeks or so. You know you are very, very safe as you as you go about. And I think people should have confidence in that. Uh what will happen with the very end? I mean I described it from this podium uh you know a few weeks ago as a race and it's a race between the new variant uh and how many people can get vaccinated. Now we are starting to win that race because we're seeing cases go down and they're going down because of the number of us that are getting vaccinated. But you know, we just need all of us to continue to encourage everyone to get vaccinated because that is how we make sure that we don't have to address those tough issues again, variant rears its ugly head up and then we have to make very very tough, difficult decisions. No one wants to see us go back. Um I was down at friend, I want to see the new soccer stadium in Cincinnati, a phenomenal place. But you just walked around there and you talk to people and they were just so happy you know to be vaccinated. They would tell you that I? M vaccinated. I feel good. I'm getting out. I can come here today. I can do different things. So the whole game today is now on vaccination. That's what we have to focus on and that's why we're doing absolutely everything we can, everything we can think of to encourage more people with to become vaccinated while respecting their right not to be vaccinated. Next question is from Jim Attia Ceo in Dayton gender on behalf of the schools in the Miami Valley. I wanted to ask and get some clarity here. If they have a program that extends well past june 2nd, is this like a light switch in terms of your health order is a, like a light switch and uh june 1st they maybe they are going to be required to wear a mask in their classroom if they have summer school or extended learning Starting the morning of June two, that school district could in fact elect to have a mask off. Is that correct? And what would you tell them? Do you have a lingering recommendation for them? Beyond the health order? What Jim on June two schools if they're still in session will have the option not to require mask. My recommendation would be that they continue that policy of masking until school was out. It has worked exceedingly well. We've seen, you know, precious little spread in the classroom and the reason is because kids have done a great job, administrators, teachers, everyone has done a great job. So look, I would recommend they finish out the school year with mask on and I think that's that's the right thing to do. But if that's a decision that the school will make And so that school can make a different decision if they want. Beginning on June two, they will have the ability to say you don't have to wear mask anymore. Or there will have the ability to say, we're gonna just continue on the policy throughout the remainder of this, of this school year wearing masks. Next question is from Danielle Bridget Hannah news Service. Oh, come here. Yeah. So my question. So our, our schools and universities and businesses able to require the vaccine for employees or for students? Or does the FDA needs to fully authorized at first. Can you just talk about that a little bit and how that process uh, work here in the coming months? Yeah, I'm not, I'm not their lawyer and I'm not trying to be uh, you know, cute here, but you know, they need to talk to their lawyer about that. My understanding is that they have the right to do that. You're seeing some of the national chains for example, that are requiring anybody who works there and anybody that comes into their retail establishment to wear mask. It is my understanding that they have the legal right to do that. Next question is from Jim province at the Toledo Blade. Hey jim governor, um, you walked in today wearing a mask. Is there anything that you have changed in your personal practices involving face masks and social distancing since you changed the orders for the vaccinated? And um, is there any chance that we're going to be returning to in person press conferences before too long? Uh, yeah, I think we will be returning to in person press conferences at some point. There is one advantage of this, uh, doing it the way we're doing it now and that is that we have people who are all over the state who have the ability to get on there. But I see no reason that we will not go to in person press conferences. As you know, we've done some version of that as we've traveled, were at the center to center, we did that, we were at the Woolston center in Cleveland. We had pressed their, you know, today in Middletown, the press conference that john I did, which is actually bill signing. We had press there as well. So sure there's certainly, certainly at some point we'll go back to to in person, but I think, you know, having people's ability to call in is also probably helpful as well. As far as you know what I do Fran, I do uh you know, I don't know that we have changed dramatically. This is kind of a transition period of time, I think for people as they try to figure out, okay, what how do I want to do things? Um you know, when we were yesterday, for example, when we were around Children who had not been vaccinated, uh you know, they had masks on, uh some parents asked me to have a picture taken with them and I kept my mask on and they had their mask on, so I kept my mask on. I just think you have to take a case by case. Uh, you know, I feel, I feel very confident in having the vaccine Fran, feels confident in having the vaccine. Uh, you know, we have been, once we got vaccinated, we've been able to, you know, hold our grandchildren, uh, Couple six now, 6, six month old babies down the road from us. And so yeah, you know, we have changed in what we do. But going in and out. For example, the stadium yesterday, you know, I wore a mask going in. I wore a mask going out and uh, you know, for part of the time watching the match, I had had a mask on. Part of the time. I didn't. Next question is from Jackie Borchard at the Cincinnati Enquirer afternoon Governor. I want to ask a question about the incidence rate. Um, 50 per 1 50 new cases per 100,000 residents. Um You and Dr Vanderhof would put a lot of stock into that metric as as a really strong um guide for lifting the health orders. So I'm wondering why, why did you stop using it to determine when we would lift the orders? And was it not the right metric? Well, I I think it's a good metric. And the interesting thing is, Jackie, I can't predict the future, but I can do the math. And if we stay at, you know, 33 going down three points a day, we're going to hit that number about the time that the orders come off on june 2nd. I don't know that's going to happen or not. But we're on track, we're on track to do that. I have always felt, you know, when we talked about, should you have uh, case metric or should you have a number of vaccination metric? I've always felt that they were directly related to each other And we felt confident. Uh, Dr Vanderhall felt confident that 50 was a good number. Uh, and, you know, we checked with some other epidemiologists and they agreed as well. But we always felt that if we hit the 50, it also meant that our vaccinations, we're going to continue to have going up. So, no, I don't I don't think those are wrong. We we decide it made a decision frankly to give a date certain to the people of Ohio. Because after 14 months, uh, it's time to transfer that responsibility over to individuals and let them make their own decisions. We now have the we now have the uh much vaccine, you know, as we need, Anybody can get the vaccine that once it unless they have some medical reason, they can't get it. So the vast, vast majority of Ohioans could get. It's a free choice. They make that decision. We set the date further enough in advance to give people warning. Hey, this is gonna, these are going to come off on June two and you'll have the opportunity between now and then. If you have not been vaccinated, go out, you still have the opportunity to get vaccinated. So that's how, that's how we did it. I don't know whether Dr Vanderhof is on here or not. We can go to Dr Van Hoff and see if he has anything to add to that because uh, you know, he worked on that worked on that 50 number. Thank you governor. You summarized it. I think incredibly well as we were looking at what would be a threshold a number that would indicate that not only were we beating the virus, but we were doing so in a sustained way. That would avoid, Uh, a rebound. That would avoid a situation where there was a high likelihood of seeing things go in the wrong direction and particularly challenging of course is the impact of the variance and the fact that they changed the game in terms of infectiousness. But 50 really seemed to be that number. And as the governor said, Um, you know, it's really rather remarkable. We are tracking to be right on target to be very close to be certainly in the neighborhood of 50 around the time that it just feels like the most appropriate thing to do to transition um, to our reliance and our focus on these wonderful vaccines. Next question is from Andy chow at Ohio public radio and television, the governor. And it, I was wondering from what I can tell this new health order when it comes to following CDC guidance on people who are vaccinated in mass. It seems like this might be one of the first health orders to sort of uh, make the difference between people who are vaccinated compared to people are not vaccinated. How will the state order sort of handle enforcing how the mask order can be enforced when you don't really know who is and is not vaccinated when they go in somewhere. That's a good question. Andy, you know, we were faced with the reality that we don't want to be confusing to the people of the state. So when the CDC's came up with what they said, you know, there was a lot of confusion out there. So, Annie, what we've tried to do is conform our orders and understanding that our orders are only going to be in effect until, Uh, the end of June one, June two Beginning no orders. We wanted to conform them as, as closely as we could so that people would have one guidance to follow. It's not fair to the people of Ohio have to guidances to follow. So we are in this transition period, not, not much longer until June 2nd. And for example, it answer to your question. We're not going to Enforce these rules as far as masking, uh, in a retail establishment. You know, up until now, one of the things that we've done is, we've had inspectors go out and they've done a good job and the people have done a phenomenal job. I think the last, I looked weird about 89 compliance in retail. But once this CDC new guidance came all out, you know, the signal to everybody was, you know you can take your mask off and so we don't wanna be in a position where we're telling people the state of Ohio. One thing they're hearing something else from the federal government. We're trying to align those two and that's what we're doing now. I just will take this opportunity to add. I think you know, one of the challenges of there order or their clarification when the CDC came out as I think some people are interpreting it hey, you know, there's no medical reason, no health reason for me to wear a mask. I'm on vaccine and there's no medical reason. That is just the opposite of what the C. D. C. Is actually saying. So if you look at, if you drill down at the science behind what they are saying, you know, we have all indication that they're spot on that they are making a very distinction between the vaccine vaccinated and the unvaccinated about what's safe for one and what's, what's safe, what is safe for the other. Uh, we were just trying to clarify this and just just a quick follow up. Are you saying that the BWC is not doing that mass compliance investigation anymore there? Okay, That's correct. Between now. Between now and you know, the end of the health orders on the night of June one, we see no reason to have, uh, this group out because it's going to be impossible. It's gonna be impossible for them to determine who is vaccinated and who is not vaccinated. And that's the problem that businesses face Now, businesses though can make a decision without any health order. They can make a decision to require everybody to be masked. And some have done that and you'll see other ones walmart, for example, made the decision. No, we're not gonna, you know, you don't have to be mask anymore. So you're gonna see businesses make those decisions. Uh you know, we're requiring schools to continue to be masked through through June June one, I suspect that all health institutions are going to continue to require masks. Um So you know, that's kind of the way this thing is playing out. But again, fundamental difference what the CDC says while the whether guidance has caused some confusion, the underlying underlying medical advice that they're giving makes eminent sense from everything that we can read and see. And that is there's a fundamental difference between your safety level. If your unvaccinated and your safety level. If you're vaccinated, vaccinated, you're safe. If your unvaccinated, you're generally not safe unless you're, you know, certainly wearing a mask and being very careful. Next question. Hancock at Cleveland dot com Governor. I'm asking about the cancelling the pandemic unemployment benefits. Do you have any data showing that people are choosing to stay home because they can earn more on unemployment versus working? Do you know how many Ohioans can't work because as soon as their child shows the slightest sign of illness they get sent home from work or daycare also. Um What about this larger argument that jobs have substandard pay despite these increases we've seen in worker productivity and corporate profits. Okay I'm sorry or I completely missed your last question. I just couldn't understand that. I'm sorry. And what about this argument that we're seeing that um jobs are paying substandard. You know we've seen increases in worker productivity, we've seen increases in corporate profits, real wages especially on the lower end have an increased and so maybe that's why they collect, you know that's why they're staying home to get their unemployment. Yeah Laura We've been in this pandemic uh you know for 14 months our unemployment now is down to what it was before we started the pandemic. We're moving forward as a state, we still have unemployment, We still we're still paying unemployment, we're just not paying the just in another 30 or so days we're still paying it now but another 30 or so days we will no longer pay the extra federal. That is that is coming into the state but will continue to play unemployment. And the thing I would emphasize is if you look at how we do unemployment, you know we're very focused on getting that person back to work and giving them the skill sets, giving them whatever they need so that they have the ability to do that you know that is really the most, the most important thing. But it's time to get back to where we were before and we hear it as far as data. No, I don't have any empirical study that has been done on it. But if we if you look around the state of Ohio, you know, you're going to see a lot of businesses that only have drive throughs now. You try to go in the door and you can't get in there and then you talk to the manager and you see what's going on. I can't staff it. So these are all business decisions that are being made. And it's one thing if that's taking place in a normal market. But when you when you have the federal government and the state government bypassing the money on distorting the market, it's not the best way that we're going to move forward as a state lieutenant governor. Yeah. Thanks governor. Um Laura to this point, you know, we have been Talking about for the past 14 months literally from the beginning of the pandemic about all of the resources we have available to help people get trained for the jobs that are out there that are high paying jobs. Um This administration has made job training for everyone. Whether you're in high school, whether you're whether you're in the workplace, whether you're out of work a priority from the programs that we created called tech Cred and the imap program. Those are available for anyone in Ohio to earn an industry credential. And essentially uh we'll pay for it courtesy of the taxpayers of the state of Ohio. Working with jobs. Ohio. There's a great program in Cleveland called Cleveland to work. It's Philly with Ohio to work where we're helping people overcome uh the issues of transitioning from the jobs that maybe existed pre pandemic to the jobs that exist now that's working very well and helping people overcome not just the job training issues but things like child care, transportation and the like, But all this is, is reverting back to the traditional rules under which unemployment operated. It's perfectly appropriate given that the unemployment rate is essentially back to where it was pre pandemic, emphasizing again, nearly 95,000 jobs That pay over $50,000 a year alone are available at Ohio means jobs dot com. Uh We are seeing wage rates increase even at the low end of the economic scale. Um and so we're working very hard to build that partnership between removing the disincentives to work, getting incentives to work and then helping people have access to knock down any barrier or get access to the job training they need because this is going to recruit. I'm emphasizes, employers are expanding their making capital investments. They're picking the states in the communities that they want to invest. And if we have a, a robust ability to provide a talented workforce, this is going to accrue for a long period of time for the state of Ohio and its people. And uh, we are beginning that recovery. We're in the midst of that recovery and getting more people back to work will only hasten and enhance that growth that benefits everyone. Next question is from Jeff Reddick at W. S. Y. X. In columbus afternoon Governor. I'm sure you've heard a lot of the arguments, um, against the vaccine million program. I wondered if you would address the argument from the standpoint of 88 title to the requirement for state and local government to give equal opportunity for those with disabilities to benefit from all their programs, services and activities? Do you have a reason why maximilian is compliant even though it requires vaccination and some people cannot get that? Well, I'm not I'm not going to be the lawyer. Have not done the research. We believe it. It is. But let me let me just you know, cut to the quick on this. We are doing. We start with this belief and it's not just a belief. We believe it. We start with this fact. We come out of this. We come out of this pandemic by getting more and more people vaccinated. That is our ticket out. It's our ticket to save lives. It's our ticket to keep people out of the hospital. It's our ticket to grow our economy. It's our ticket to get people jobs. There is nothing more important that we can do at this point than to get people vaccinated. We're doing everything that we can from PSAs on radio, on T. V. Local health departments, local mayors, local county commissioners, all working every single day to make the vaccine available. And what we have done is not perfect. But we started with 650 locations were up to 1900. Now we're literally seeing in some communities. Health Department's going out and knocking on doors were taking it to everybody that we can. So when I look kept asking myself, what else can I do? What else can we do as a state? Because it is so essential to our future. It's so essential to what happens in the next month, two months, three months, four months. How do we get more people? I felt that having spending this money and setting this system up where we will say that we're going to have a drawing and bring some excitement about getting vaccinated. That if we could increase our vaccinations um that it would be worth doing that. We would save lives. We would help Ohio move forward And every single Ohio one, every single Ohio and has a stake in getting more people vaccinated because the more people we have vaccinated, the less this virus can spread and that is in the best interests of every, every single Ohio. And so that's why that's why we're doing it. It's one more thing that we think, you know very well could make, we believe it will make a difference and not to do it. After having looked at it and analyzing it and thinking, hey, it's going to make a difference I think, you know, that would not be good. We should, we should do everything that we can while respecting people's right not to be vaccinated. But we also know that our future and our immediate future depends on how many people get vaccinated. Next question is from Joshua burgin spectrum news. Good afternoon Governor. It was mentioned earlier that you, you have moved off that 50 per 100,000 metric. And I know that you've said that the vaccine and the pandemic is not necessarily a political issue, but it's certainly been politicized across the state, across the country, across the world. Um, you have received some pretty harsh criticism from folks in your own party and across the aisle when it comes to the lottery, when it comes to your health orders ending. Are you afraid that any of this and you're handling the pandemic is going to cost you down the road as far as reelection is concerned? Look, I can't worry about that. If I worried about, you know, politics reelection during this pandemic, that would be the wrong thing. Um My job is to do my job the best that I can, you know, every every single day and to focus on what I think will make a difference. So did I expect there to be criticism of of this drawing that we're doing sure it's not been done before. It's unusual. But these are unusual times. These are unusual times. And I think we have to be bold and I think we have to do everything within our power, uh, to get rid of this pandemic, drive it to the ground and getting more people vaccinated will do that, We know that. And so for me to look around say, Hey, there's a tool out there. I might be able to use this. We think this will make a difference and then to turn away from it and say Oh no you can't do that because you know, there'll be people criticize you. I've had people criticize me for 14 months. It's okay. Next question is from Adrian Robbins at WCMH in columbus governor. My question is for you or Dr Vanderhof, if he's still on the call um on june 2nd when the mask order does go away, the C. D. C. S recommendations will still be that those who are unvaccinated um where a mask, especially indoors, what is the level of mask wearing that you expect or hope to see here in Ohio when it is left to personal choice and responsibility and not necessarily a statewide order. I don't know. I don't think anybody knows. You know, it does come back to the individual and you know, I don't want to presume to guess what number of people will will do that. I do know that some people who have been against mask wearing are also, you know, people who are not going to get vaccinated, but that's not always true. We have people who, you know, on one side and they, they, they have, uh, you know, not worn a mask, but they've been very, you know, excited about getting vaccinated. So the answer is, I don't know, I don't think anybody really can predict what will happen. It just, you know, with this vaccine being available for some time and now available for virtually everybody in the state to get it. Uh, it's just time, it's just time people need to make up their own, their own minds and their own decisions. Governor. Next question is the last question today. And it belongs to jOHn London of WLWT in Cincinnati. John Hi governor. I'm always interested in the genesis of an idea. You've talked a little bit about it. But what other things were you considering with regard to vaccine million? What was it that finally you finally landed on that as the solution? And will there be a penalty involved? Is someone unvaccinated claims to be vaccinated and wins since we're talking about a chance at big money? Yeah. I don't think there'll be any penalty, john, we're not interested in penalties. Were interested in incentivizing people. Give them a kind of one more fun reason to, to be, to be vaccinated. Uh, look, I thought of, I think try to think of things every day. I mean, I was on the phone this morning with, with uh, 7 38 o'clock with all the health commissioners around the state of Ohio. And I always ask them, what else can we do now? What are the things that we can do? I just felt that this was one thing that had not been tried. One thing that, you know, there is certainly evidence that it motivates people. If you want to think about it, think about the pictures, what occurs when you have the, you know, the multi state drawings and when the numbers keep going up and up and up and up and what they're worth. And then you see on tv you got you all report uh, you know, lines of people lined up to buy it to buy a ticket. So I I'm not saying we're going to see people lined up to get a vaccine, but it does show that the opportunity to do something like this and to be a part of it and have a chance, have a chance, uh, possibly winning is something that appeals to people. It's human nature, We have evidence that it does. And so it seemed to me that it would be something that we should try. Um, and that it would in fact increase the number of people who are in fact getting it. So, thank you very much. We'll close out this past month. 15 months, 14, 15 months have certainly been challenging uh Kent State University, part of a project called the Global vaccine poem project. It's helping Ohioans Netherlands others across the world expressed feelings about what the vaccine represents to them. So far, more than 1600 people have contributed to the poem, either in person or online, representing every state in the United States and 89 countries around the world. And while thoughts and words, each person contributes are certainly unique and different. It is a project that is uniting people healing and is spreading hope. Let's take a look. Mhm