COLUMBUS — Ohioans ages 16 and older can get vaccinated against COVID-19 where vaccines are available, and nursing homes will have new visitation opportunities — but the state is not out of the woods yet.

Gov. Mike DeWine covered these and other COVID-19 announcements during his Monday press conference. This marks the first full week Ohioans 40 and older will be eligible for the vaccine, along with those who have a wider range of ailments, such as cancer, renal failure and obesity.

After talking to health departments and providers, DeWine said while there are many instances where there is more demand than shots available, there are some places in the state with excess doses.

“If a provider — we now have over 1,300 providers in the state, our pharmacies and our health departments, our hospitals — if any of them are not filling slots this week, and they feel it’s necessary in order to fill slots to open up to everyone, they certainly have our permission to do that. We certainly don’t want any slots not filled. We don’t want any of the vaccine sitting there,” DeWine said while speaking over the Ohio Channel.

Locally, Belmont County Deputy Health Director Robert Sproul said his office probably won’t be able to expand vaccination eligibility.

“The only way we could do under 18 (years old) is if we have Pfizer. We are presently getting only Moderna, so it is 18 and over,” Sproul said in a text message. “We are getting 1,000 Moderna first doses this week.”

Statewide, DeWine said, the federal and state mass-vaccination sites are going well, with the Wolstein Center in Cleveland administering 31,000 Pfizer vaccines to the community. Director of Health Stephanie McCloud praised the ‘herculean effort’ and commended local volunteers, hospitals and agencies as well as the Ohio National Guard and 101st Airborne.

More information and online registration can be found at gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov. Those Ohioans unable to access or navigate the internet can call their local health department or the state hotline at 833-427-5634. The Belmont County Health Department can be reached at 740-695-1202.

DeWine also expounded on visitation regulations for nursing homes and assisted living facilities, adding that nursing homes must follow state and federal regulations.

“We’ve worked hard to align the Ohio orders with the federal guidance,” DeWine said, adding that visitors will be screened for symptoms and logged in for later contact if necessary. Visits must be scheduled in advance and are now permitted in private rooms. Nursing homes and assisted living centers are required to have visitation whenever safety criteria is met.

Vaccinated staff must be tested once a week, and unvaccinated staff twice a week.

While the spread has been decreasing, DeWine also pointed at data saying Ohio has experienced more than 1 million cases, with 1,001,194 as of Monday and 1,444 new cases in the past 24 hours.

Bruce Vanderhoff, chief medical officer with the Ohio Department of Health, said he thought it unlikely that many are re-infections.

“We crossed a milestone with 1 million cases,” DeWine said. “What we’re seeing now is what I’d describe as a plateau of cases. They were going down for a while, and it looks like they’ve leveled out.”

DeWine added that Michigan and West Virginia, which both border Ohio, are experiencing increases in cases. He said concern about more infectious variants persists.

The governor has said Ohio will lift all restrictions if the state reaches an average of 50 cases per 100,000 people and maintains this for two weeks. Vanderhoff pointed out that Ohio has had 173 variant cases of the virus.

DeWine also reiterated his opposition to Ohio Senate Bill 22, passed by the legislature and awaiting his signature or veto, which would give the legislature power to change or revoke health orders and state of emergency declarations. DeWine said it was his intent to veto the bill today.

He said the legislation would restrict a governor’s ability to take action during an emergency and said he is willing to compromise with lawmakers.

Other issues include the warming weather and the coming spring break, with the possibility that traveling students may be careless and bring the virus back home with them. DeWine urged young people to get vaccinated, pointing out that even if the virus is less lethal to them, they can still spread the infection to others.

Sproul said Belmont County has confirmed 5,508 cases among residents since the start of the pandemic, with 179 people at home in isolation with active cases, 5,155 recoveries, 69 people hospitalized and a total of 105 people who have died after being exposed to the virus. The most recent fatality was a man in his 80s.