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Coronavirus and Vaccine Information

Transportation assistance for COVID-19 vaccine appointments
Screening for homebound vaccination
COVID-19 vaccine information
COVID-19 vaccine boosters
Where to get vaccinated
County health departments
Vaccine safety
Vaccine side effects
COVID-19 and older adults

Council on Aging is working with partners in our community to help older adults get vaccinated against COVID-19. Individuals who need assistance navigating online registration systems or finding vaccine providers in their community may contact us for assistance. We are doing our best to connect older adults to the latest information and resources regarding vaccine availability in their community. On this page, we have compiled relevant information and resources to provide the latest factual information about the vaccine and Ohio’s vaccination program. 

Transportation assistance for COVID-19 vaccine appointments

Older adults who need assistance getting to their vaccine appointment can contact Council on Aging for assistance. Using COA’s network of transportation providers, we can coordinate and provide appropriate transportation for older adults age 60 and older who are unable to get to a vaccination site. 

  • Vaccine providers that need to schedule transportation for patients – click here for more information
  • Older adults who need transportation assistance to a scheduled vaccination appointment, call (855) 546-6352. If you are a Council on Aging client and need transportation assistance, please contact your care manager. 
  • 48-72 hours notice is required to schedule transportation. Same day appointments cannot be accomodated at this time. 

Homebound? Get screened to have the vaccine administered at home

Individuals who feel they need to be vaccinated in their homes can contact COA at (513) 721-1025 to be screened for eligibility. Specific eligibility guidelines and details are here.

COVID-19 vaccine information

We are all concerned about the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The Coronavirus that is spreading now is considered “novel,” which means this type of virus has never before been identified. Since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, the world’s health community has learned much about how the virus affects those who are infected and how it spreads. Scientists all over the world worked together to develop a vaccine to stop the spread of COVID-19. 

Public health experts agree: COVID-19 vaccination will play a critical role in stopping the pandemic and allowing society to return to normal. 

COVID-19 vaccine boosters

Updated 4/6/2022

According the the CDC, three COVID-19 vaccines are currently authorized or approved for use in the United States to prevent COVID-19. Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna (COVID-19 mRNA vaccines) are preferred. You may get Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine in some situations.

For full, current CDC guidance on boosters, visit the agency’s website.

There are many opportunities in Ohio to be vaccinated and boosted, including walk-in and scheduled appointments statewide at pharmacies, federally qualified health centers, doctor’s offices, community vaccination sites, and local health departments. Check gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov or call 1-833-427-5634 for the latest eligibility information and to find a vaccine provider near you.

Information about where and when you can get vaccinated

Ohio is distributing safe, effective COVID-19 vaccines statewide. This effort is being led by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH). Vaccines are readily available throughout the area and many locations even offer walk-up vaccinations. Visit here for locations in the greater Cincinnati area.

Eligibile individuals can get vaccinated through a variety of local providers, including public health departments, hospital systems, your health care provider, pharmacies and federally-qualified health centers. Some health departments have created vaccine registration or interest forms on their websites. Links to these forms are provided below and will be updated regularly. After you complete the form for your health department, and when vaccine is available, you will be contacted by the health department to schedule your vaccine. It is important to note that health departments are just one example of where people can get vaccinated. You must live within the health department’s jurisdiction in order to receive a vaccine from them. For other providers, each vaccine provider will have their own vaccine appointment scheduling process. Click here to search a statewide database of vaccine providers. 

Ohio has created two online tools to help Ohioans find vaccine providers and available appointments. 

  1. Click here to search a database of vaccine providers in Ohio. You can search by county. This list is updated frequently.  You cannot schedule an appointment directly from this database. 
  2. Click here to search for available appointments for a COVID-19 vaccine. This database attempts to find available appointments at providers across the state. Only people who are currently eligible to be vaccinated can access this system. In some cases, you can schedule an appointment directly from this website. 

County Health Departments

Butler County:

Clermont County:

Clinton County: 

Hamilton County:

Warren County:

Questions about Ohio’s COVID-19 Vaccination Program should be directed to the Ohio Department of Health’s COVID-19 call center:  9 am-8 pm, 7 days a week at 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634). 

Vaccine safety

Roughly 390 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been given in the United States from December 14, 2020, through September 27, 2021.

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. COVID-19 vaccines were evaluated in tens of thousands of participants in clinical trials. The vaccines met the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) rigorous scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality needed to support approval or authorization of a vaccine. Get more information here.

Ohio Department of Health: COVID-19 Myth vs. Fact

Vaccine side effects

The most common side effects are very similar to the side effects seen with most vaccines, such as sore arms, fevers, and tiredness within 72 hours after the vaccine. These side effects usually mean that the vaccine is working to generate an immune response, indicating that the vaccine is working.

The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), is a national program managed by the CDC and FDA to monitor the safety of all vaccines licensed in the United States. VAERS collects and reviews reports of adverse events that occur after vaccination. An “adverse event” is any health problem or “side effect” that happens after a vaccination. VAERS cannot determine if a vaccine caused an adverse event, but can determine if further investigation is needed. This same system is being used to monitor side effects from all COVID-19 vaccines. Click here for more information about VAERS.

COVID-19 and older adults

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified older adults and people who have severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung, or kidney disease at higher risk for more serious COVID-19 illness. Age increases the risk that the respiratory system or lungs will shut down when an older person has COVID-19 disease.

According to the Ohio Department of Health, 93% of COVID-19 related deaths in Ohio are among people age 60+.

Click here to read about CDC recommendations and extra precautions for older adults.

Click here to view a checklist for older Ohioans and people with chronic health conditions

Recommendations for older adults and others at higher risk

According to the CDC, older adults are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19. Getting very sick means that older adults with COVID-19 might need hospitalization, intensive care, or a ventilator to help them breathe, or they might even die. The risk increases for people in their 50s and increases in 60s, 70s, and 80s. People 85 and older are the most likely to get very sick.

Other factors can also make you more likely to get severely ill with COVID-19, such as having certain underlying medical conditions.

Visit the CDC website for details about how to protect yourself if you are at higher risk for getting sick from COVID-19.

Have questions about COVID-19 or Ohio’s vaccination program?

The Ohio Department of Health has a call center for the public to ask questions about COVID-19. It’s available seven days a week, 9 am-8 pm at 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634).

(513) 721-1025