AP Photo Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, left, and wife Fran walk into their residence. On Thursday, he condemned Wednesday’s pro-Donald Trump riot in Washington, D.C., and outlined COVID-19 vaccination plans for senior citizens and school personnel.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Thursday condemned rioting that occurred Wednesday in Washington D.C., where supporters of President Donald Trump overran the Capitol building.

DeWine then outlined the next phases of a vaccination program aimed at halting the COVID-19 pandemic. He said priority will be given to senior citizens.

The governor referred to the storming of the Capitol building and occupation of the Senate chamber as a “dark day” and a “direct attack on the Constitution, on everything we hold dear.” The protestors’ apparent goal was preventing the certification of the electoral votes.

DeWine quoted constitutional scholar Jonathan Turley, calling the situation a “chilling crisis of faith.”

“The people who scaled the walls have lost their faith, and the question for our country is: How much of America is now faithless?”

He referred to prior controversial presidential races when opposing vice presidents certified a winner, and he commended Vice President Mike Pence for resuming the process. Democrat Joe Biden was certified as president-elect along with vice president-elect Kamala Harris early Thursday morning.

“When thugs stormed our Capitol building, desecrating and defiling not only the structure itself but the ideals that bind us together as Americans, (Pence and lawmakers) made it work. They did their job,” DeWine said. He also commended House Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, then condemned Trump’s “incendiary speech” prior to the mob rush, adding that Trump has claimed the election was stolen without presenting sufficient evidence.

“Yesterday’s acts were shameful and all Americans must denounce them, even those Americans who feel — incorrectly — that Donald Trump won.”

DeWine’s talk then turned the “common enemy” of the coronavirus pandemic. He pointed out statewide increases in cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

Among the data points DeWine shared, Monroe County now has the greatest high-incidence level with 1,020 cases reported by the Ohio Department of Health — 11 times the high incidence level for the county’s population of about 13,790.

He said portions of Phase 1A of the vaccine rollout, primarily provided to health care workers and others who may be in close contact with COVID patients, are complete while some in that group still must be given their second injection.

The high demand for COVID-19 vaccinations among Ohio seniors age 65 and older who are not residents of nursing homes has caused a delay in Phase 1B availability. DeWine said they will be vaccinated by age group.

On Jan. 19, vaccinations will be available to people 80 and older, more than 400,000 Ohioans. Every following week, the state will expand vaccine recipients by five years, with people 75 years old and older eligible Jan. 25, followed by people 70 years old and older, with people 65 years old and older hopefully able to receive vaccines by Feb. 8.

“We will start with our most vulnerable, who have seen the most tragedy, the people in this state who are at the most risk of death,” he said.

Statewide, there are about 2.2 million Ohioans in group 1B.

The vaccinations are expected to continue in overlapping stages, since Ohio receives only about 100,000 doses per week. More information about who will administer the vaccine will be released next week at coronavirus.ohio.gov.

The week of Jan. 25, vaccinations will be available to people with severe ailments. More details of distribution will be released in the coming weeks.

During the week of Feb. 1, the state will begin vaccinations of school personnel. DeWine said word is going out to district superintendents. DeWine hopes it is possible for Ohio’s schools to resume full-time in-person learning March 1.

Locally, Belmont County Deputy Health Commissioner Robert Sproul gave his latest updates, saying the county has had a total of 4,058 positive cases since the pandemic’s onset, with 975 people now isolated with active cases. There have been 2,974 recoveries, and 30 people are hospitalized, and 79 people have died after becoming infected, with several reported this week and the latest, a man in his 80s, reported Thursday.

The Ohio National Guard will conduct free testing from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in the Ohio University Eastern parking lot. Sproul said MAKO, the company conducting the tests, is allowing people to pre-register through their smartphone or computer. It is not required and people can fill out their information on-site Saturday if desired.

The link is: https://mako.exchange/covid19-ereq/?account_number=15896&account_name=ODH-OHIO-UNIVERSITY-EASTERN-CAMPUS&provider_fname=George&provider_lname=Cholak&provider_npi=1740292580