ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Hundreds of Belmont County residents age 75 and older received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine Thursday.

Meanwhile, the statewide curfew now has a later start time — it was moved from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. and is in effect until 5 a.m. daily. The state’s schools are also expected to be informed today about when their staff members will be able to receive their vaccinations.

The Belmont County Senior Services Department hosted the shot clinic.

“It was a real efficient operation,” Senior Services Director Dwayne Pielech said. “I don’t think anybody ever waited more from start to finish, about a half hour.”

Belmont County Deputy Health Commissioner Robert Sproul said 400 doses were available to Belmont County seniors who participated in a drive-through clinic similar to one held last week, when only Ohioans 80 and older were eligible.

Next week, Ohioans 70 and older will be able to be vaccinated. Belmont County seniors are asked to register at belmontcountyhealth.com. There will be 300 doses available next week.

Those who receive a shot must have a second in about 29 days.

Also Thursday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced the curfew change, since fewer than 3,500 Ohioans have been hospitalized with the virus for seven consecutive days. If the trend continues, DeWine looks forward to moving the curfew to midnight until 5 a.m. If the number of hospitalized drops below 2,500, he said the curfew will be lifted. DeWine said the strain on hospitals and health care workers has been his primary focus when considering curfews, lockdowns and restrictions.

School personnel also will be able to receive vaccinations beginning next week. The first group of counties eligible includes Allen, Athens, Butler, Columbiana, Delaware, Franklin, Hamilton, Mahoning, Medina, Montgomery and Summit counties.

In most of those counties, several public school districts are included, along with dozens of private academies and parochial schools. Specific information can be found at coronavirus.ohio.gov.

The overall goal is to have at least the first shots available and administered to all school staff in February and to have Ohio’s students back in class five days a week by March 1. DeWine noted that statewide, 46 percent of students have resumed in-person classes full time. Locally, several Belmont County school districts have been able to do likewise.

“I know everyone wants to start next Monday, next week, we simply do not have the supplies to do that. We have to spread this out,” DeWine said of vaccinating school staff.

According to Belmont County Deputy Health Commissioner Robert Sproul, there have been 4,884 cases of COVID-19 in Belmont County since the onset of the virus, and there are 807 people isolated at home with active cases and 48 hospitalized. There have been 3,939 recoveries, and 90 county residents have died after contracting the virus.