CINCINNATI - Ohioans age 40 and older now can receive a COVID-19 vaccination, and health leaders say anyone who's eligible should not delay.

Dr. O'dell Moreno Owens, president and chief executive of Interact for Health, a Cincinnati-based foundation focused on improving health, said he's heard a lot of speculation comparing the safety and effectiveness of the three available vaccines - from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. Owens said he thinks Ohioans should take whichever one is offered, because delaying leaves people at risk of illness or death.

"When I got my first shot, I had a sense of relief. The second shot was a sense of freedom," he said. "I know that I'm not going to be hospitalized with COVID and that I may die of many things, but I'm not going to die of COVID."

More than a half-million Americans, including nearly 18,000 Ohioans, have died of coronavirus complications. Owens suggested discussing the benefits and risks of the vaccine with a trusted medical professional.

On Tuesday, Gov. Mike DeWine expanded vaccine eligibility to include people with cancer, chronic kidney disease, heart disease and obesity. Nearly one-fifth of all Ohioans have received at least one dose of a vaccine, and the state soon will ramp up availability with mass vaccination sites. Owens said these efforts are crucial since the virus is still out there.

"COVID is not going to go away; it may turn out to have more of a seasonal approach for a while," he said. "The faster we can get the population vaccinated, we'll slow the spread -- and when you slow the spread, you slow the mutations."

Owens said all brands of the COVID vaccine have been through rigorous safety studies. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines use breakthrough technology of "messenger RNA," which he said creates immunity essentially by giving the body's cells instructions, like a computer code. He predicted it will change science forever.

"This ability to create a structure of DNA to control the cells - wow, what hope does that have for cancer? What hope does that have for other diseases? It's going to open a whole new door in how we approach diseases and other medical conditions," he said.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine differs, using a modified version of a different virus to carry immunity instructions into the body.

New Mexico saw record enrollment numbers for the Affordable Care Act this year and is now setting its sights on lowering out-of-pocket costs - those not reimbursed by insurance. More than 56,000 New Mexicans are enrolled in a medical health insurance plan on the state exchange - an increase of 12,000 people overall.

Colin Baillio, deputy superintendent with the state's Office of Insurance, said the state has boosted its outreach and made efforts to improve the overall consumer experience.

"We saw a 40% year-over-year increase, and New Mexico saw the biggest percentage increase during the open-enrollment period among all of the state-based marketplaces," he explained

Part of the enrollment increase is due to what's called the "unwinding" - a federal directive that required all states to redetermine Medicaid eligibility following a three-year pause on checks during the COVID pandemic. He said by using expanded tools made available by the federal and state government, 8% of New Mexico's population is now uninsured - down from 23% in 2010.

Following approval by lawmakers in the 2024 legislative session, the New Mexico governor signed seven health care-related bills into law - one of which requires annual reporting of prescription drug pricing. Baililo said the Affordable Care Act built the foundation that has allowed the state to pursue additional affordability initiatives.

"I'm really glad to see that there's so much interest in the next step of health reform, really leaning into these out-of-pocket cost issues and making it easier for people to afford to stay covered and see their doctors," he continued.

Two years ago, the state also passed a one-of-a-kind law that did away with behavioral health co-pays for people in certain insurance plans.

New York's medical aid-in-dying bill is gaining further support. The Medical Society of the State of New York is supporting the bill. New York's bill allows terminally ill people with only six months to live to use this option, with safeguards requiring two physicians' approval.

The bill's Assembly sponsor Amy Paulin, D-Westchester, said despite the growing support, other hurdles lie ahead.

"Now we have what I believe, if it came to the floor, a majority. There's still a hesitation on the part of leadership. You know, we need members to assure leadership that they no longer have reservations," she said.

Other newly resolved concerns center on making sure insurance companies and doctors who don't support this aren't held liable. She's optimistic the bill will pass after nine years in the Legislature. New York would be the 11th state along with Washington, D.C. to have medical aid in dying legislation.

Corinne Carey, senior New York campaign director with Compassion and Choices finds the pandemic drew a vivid picture of a person's end-of-life experience. There were images of people dying on ventilators, apart from loved ones, and unable to communicate. She said people began thinking about a "good death."

"And, what is a good death is being surrounded by loved ones, having some measure of control, experiencing the touch of your loved ones, and being the one in the driver's seat," she explained.

Now people have different options for end-of-life care, each of which presents various challenges. Polls show medical aid in dying has garnered considerable support since being introduced in 2015. A 2022 Compassion and Choices poll finds 57% of nurses support medical aid in dying professionally, although fewer support it personally.

The California State Assembly is considering a bill to require schools to have a cardiac arrest response plan. Assembly Bill 2887 would make sure schools update their safety plans to include CPR training and an automatic external defibrillator or AED onsite.

Dr. Stephen Sanko, a professor of clinical emergency medicine at USC, and a founding member of the Cardiac Arrest Survivor Alliance, is a volunteer expert for the American Heart Association. He said having a plan in place is critical.

"The American Heart Association is promoting that schools have a cardiac arrest response plan. A written protocol for what to do in order to decrease the likelihood that if somebody collapses, that they die," he said.

Two years ago, 15-year-old Cash Hennessy collapsed on the football field due to a previously unknown heart defect. Two off-duty medics in the stands gave him CPR. The school brought out its AED - but it was useless, because the batteries were dead.

Hennessy said the experience was traumatic.

"I feel blessed that I had people there for me, that could give me C-P-R. But I think about if those people weren't there and that was another kid, who knows what would have happened? Because there wouldn't have been an AED to save them," he explained.

An AED walks people through the steps to deliver a life-saving shock to a person's heart until an ambulance arrives. Studies show that 70% of kids who suffer sudden cardiac arrest at school recover if an AED is deployed correctly - whereas the survival rate for kids and adults not in the hospital is less than 12%.