As Ohio continues with the first phase of its vaccination plan, recent data analysis from the suggests may have a bigger impact in lowering the state鈥檚 death toll.
The research center estimates the vaccine will have saved around 330 lives in Ohio by next March but much broader mask-wearing could potentially save even more lives鈥攎ore than 1,200 in the same period.
Michael Anguillano III of the Kent City Health Department said this is, in part, due to the limited supply of vaccines that will be available to the public over the next several months.
鈥淭he next round of vaccines, you know, is not going to drop until April. By March we will still be wearing masks. There will still be a limit on gatherings," Anguillano said. "It's not going to be till May, June when a lot of the vaccine gets rolled out鈥攖here is more people taking the vaccine, there is more people who are distributing it. We need to continue to buckle down and adhere to these public health guidelines.鈥�
Anguillano said another difficulty surrounding the vaccination process is people鈥檚 hesitancy to take it.
A recent USA Today finds that 20% of respondents are against getting the vaccine, while an additional 32% are hesitant.
