AKRON, Ohio — With growing concerns amid rising COVID cases throughout the state, leaders in Akron will provide an update on the situation during a 2 p.m. press conference today.
We will stream the press conference live inside this story. You can also watch on our YouTube page.
“The officials will discuss the current state of COVID-19 in Summit County and precautions residents should take to protect themselves and the community,” according to a press release.
We've also learned that Summa Akron City Hospital and Cleveland Clinic Akron General Medical Center are both among the first seven hospitals receiving help in the first deployment wave from the National Guard.
Those expect to speak during the press briefing include:
- Summit County Public Health Commissioner Donna Skoda
- County Executive Ilene Shapiro
- Akron Mayor Daniel Horrigan
- Cleveland Clinic Akron General President Dr. Brian Harte
- Summa Health President and CEO Dr. Cliff Deveny
Their press conference comes just three hours after Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff offered a statewide pandemic update.
Meanwhile, multiple hospital systems within Northeast Ohio – including the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals and Summa Health – all joined together with a call for help with a full page in the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
“We need you to care as much as we do,” their message pleaded while asking everybody to do their part and get vaccinated.
On Tuesday, health officials from the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals held a joint press conference to address their concerns with overcrowded emergency rooms as the omicron and delta variants continue spreading.
“We need your help now more than ever,” Dr. Daniel Simon of University Hospitals said during the press conference. “There is nothing more important to us than the safe care of our community. What you do now with us will impact how we make it through this pandemic together.”