For Ohio's unvaccinated, is DeWine's price right?

May 16—COLUMBUS — Vaccinated Ohioans, come on down! It's time for you to play Ohio Vax-a-Million!

At 7:29 p.m. on the night of May 26, the first adult $1 million winner will be announced live during the Ohio Lottery's televised broadcast.

The name will be picked earlier in the day from the voter-registration rolls, so, based on Ohio's vaccination rate so far, more than half of those on that list are statistically likely not to have been vaccinated.

But the governor's office said Friday that, by the time of the winner's live announcement, that person's vaccination status already will have been confirmed — and an alternate chosen if necessary.

But how will that be determined? Will it come down to that card the vaccine provider handed you that you absentmindedly slipped into your wallet?

"That is still being finalized, along with other terms and conditions that will be announced at a Monday press conference," said Dan Tierney, spokesman for Gov. Mike DeWine.

"The drawing will include a number of alternates," he said. "If a person is not eligible, they'll move to the next person. That will all occur before the announcement."

Governor DeWine has also encouraged businesses to offer their own incentives to people who roll up their sleeves — like that free Krispy Kreme doughnut or discounted Cincinnati Reds ticket that comes with a flash of the vaccination card.

Is Ohio getting close to that vaccine "passport" that some Republicans in the General Assembly are intent on banning?

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has revised its recommendations to indicate that vaccinated people shouldn't generally have to wear masks or engage in social distancing anymore, because evidence shows their risk of getting and spreading coronavirus is so small.

Mr. DeWine adjusted his administration's health orders on Friday to match, but it won't make any difference in Ohio come June 2 because mask, distancing, mass gathering, and nearly all other health orders are scheduled to be lifted that day.

There is no central database through which Ohio tracks who has or has not received a vaccine. There is no official state vaccination card, and Mr. DeWine has expressed no interest in going that route.

Varying bills have been introduced in Ohio to prohibit government and businesses from requiring proof of vaccinations. Vaccination status, except for medical purposes, would remain confidential. No technology company with such information could sell it.

The bills were proposed before Mr. DeWine grabbed headlines with the biggest government gambit to date to try to tip the scales for people still on the fence about getting the vaccine. Ohio will use federal coronavirus relief dollars to award a total of $5 million, or $1 million a week — although winners' net will be what's left after federal and state income taxes are withheld.

The drawings, overseen by the lottery commission, will be held on five consecutive Wednesdays and will be announced later those days as part of the lottery's regular evening broadcast.

Mr. DeWine is also offering a lottery to award five four-year, full-ride scholarships to state universities for those between the ages of 12 and 17 who roll up their sleeves. This all occurs as Ohio has seen a big decline in the number of people showing up for vaccines now that the early rush has eased.

"I did not go into this and make this decision thinking that everyone was going to say that it was a wonderful idea," Mr. DeWine told reporters Thursday. "But I have an obligation, and that is to do everything I can to save lives, everything I can to keep Ohio moving forward. This is one tool that we have not used."

Web pages will be set up for vaccinated youths to put their names into contention and for vaccinated adults not already on the voter rolls to participate.

Ohio reported 919 new coronavirus cases Saturday, below the 21-day average of 1,278.

The state has reached a total of 1,090,276 cases, according to the Ohio Department of Health. An updated death toll was not available Saturday.

In Lucas County, the case total rose to 42,500, while the death toll was at 839.

The statewide rate of vaccination starts has climbed to a total of 4,963,118 people started on the two-shot vaccine, or 42.46 percent of the state. The percent vaccinated locally was 41.65 percent in Lucas County and 47.55 percent in Wood County.

First Published May 15, 2021, 3:49pm