More Ohioans getting a COVID-19 booster

A growing number of Ohioans are getting their COVID-19 booster shots after the Omicron variant's arrival in the U.S. and holiday travel approaching.

Why it matters: Research suggests that vaccinations tend to lose effectiveness over time, making boosters a critical part of mitigating the virus' health risks.

State of play: Nearly one-third of Ohio residents have received a booster shot as of Dec. 6.

• Just 53.5% of the state population is fully vaccinated, per Ohio Department of Health data, which ranks 35th among all states.

Where to get boosted: Doses are available at walk-in vaccine clinics held by Columbus Public Health throughout the city.

The big picture: No Omicron variant cases have been reported yet in Ohio.

• CDC data shows vaccination rates across the country have ticked higher since the variant's discovery, Axios' Tina Reed writes.
• The seven-day average for vaccinations in the U.S. reached about 1.8 million on Monday, up from an average of about 1.3 million a month ago.

💭 Tyler's thought bubble: I got my booster at a crowded walk-in OhioHealth clinic last week.

• Most were also there for boosters, though the man in front of me was there for his first shot.
• Ohio is seeing slow progress at vaccinating our entire population, but we're making headway one person at a time.