EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Salvation Army of East Cleveland had a special visitor during a COVID-19 vaccination clinic Friday morning. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine visited the location around 10:15 a.m. as vaccinations were being administered to more than 300 pre-registered East Clevelanders.
We are streaming Gov. DeWine's visit live in the player at the top of this story.
“We’re getting back to where we need to go, but we have to continue to stay focused," Gov. DeWine said. "As this goes on, we have to continue to wear the masks. We have to make sure that everyone who wants it has the opportunity to get the vaccine."
He also addressed the latest situation involving the Cleveland Teachers Union and their vote to continue remote learning despite the district's plan to return to the classroom starting March 8.
“I’m kind of the eternal optimist," Gov. DeWine said. "I think this thing is going to get worked out. I think the Cleveland schools have done a very good job preparing to have a safe environment for teachers and for students. I think Eric [Gordon, district CEO] has done just a phenomenal job and his team, so I’m optimistic that this will get worked out. It’s so very important for the young people who are students in Cleveland to be able to go back into class. It’s been a year since they’ve been in class and it’s time. We know a lot more today than we knew at the beginning of this pandemic. One of the things that we know is that as long as we are wearing masks, and students are wearing masks and teachers are, that they can be safe in a classroom."
His visit to Northeast Ohio comes just one day after announcing the state’s next steps in battling the COVID-19 pandemic. His goal? Gov. DeWine said all health orders will be lifted once Ohio’s cases remain at 50 per 100,000 people for two weeks.
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The vaccination event is being done in partnership with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health and the city of East Cleveland.
Cleveland’s Affinity Missionary Baptist Church will also host a COVID-19 vaccine clinic in partnership with Medworks from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday. Officials said Thursday that 200 people had already registered for a vaccine with another 100 on a waitlist.
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