Gov. DeWine: COVID-19 “Has a mind of its own”

ATHENS COUNTY, Ohio (WTAP) - Gov. Mike DeWine says, with a new COVID-19 variant of concern to everyone, Ohio needs to stay the course on its response.

While in Athens County Monday, the governor was asked about the state’s response to word over the holiday weekend of the Omicron variant.

DeWine says state health experts are awaiting word from federal and world health officials of the best way to respond.

”I think the one thing we’ve learned is this pandemic has a mind of its own, and no one knows exactly what is coming next,” the governor responded. “The basic things we know work we should continue to keep pushing in Ohio, and that’s what we intend to do.”

In DeWine’s words, that means taking the now familiar precautions, and, in particular, getting vaccinated. He did not discuss lockdowns issued during the early months of the pandemic.

The governor says booster shots are going into the arms of Ohioans at the rate of 30,000 a day. He also said counties with high vaccination rates are showing the lowest number of cases.