The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Monday that the Ohio National Guard received a waiver that will allow them to help administer the COVID-19 vaccine.

The waiver gives the Ohio National Guard the flexibility to fully utilize National Guard medical personnel trained in administering the vaccine.

The Ohio National Guard has approximately 600 members who are medical personnel, including physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and medics.

Ohio is working to determine how it will best utilize Guard medical personnel without adversely affecting Ohio health care systems' critical medical resources by removing Guard members from their civilian medical positions.