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FEMA helping people sign up for vaccination appointments at Cuyahoga County Public Library branches

FEMA helping people sign up for vaccination appointments at Cuyahoga Co. Public Library branches
Posted at 7:04 PM, Mar 20, 2021
and last updated 2021-03-20 19:04:59-04

WARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS, Ohio — COVID-19 vaccine eligibility in Ohio is opening up further as the weeks go on with mass vaccination sites like the Wolstein Center popping up. But still, many are finding it difficult to make appointments online.

On Saturday, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials helped people lock down appointments to get the shot at two Cuyahoga County Public Library branches.

“I've been online for the last couple of hours trying a few different ways and everywhere says there's no availability anywhere," said Sean McGuire, who came to the Warrensville Height branch to get help.

Many people are running into the same issues as McGuire. They want to get the COVID-19 vaccine, but can’t nail one down through online scheduling systems.

FEMA teamed up with the Cuyahoga County Public Library to help more people take the first step towards getting vaccinated. Officials spent much of the day at the library’s Warrensville Heights branch helping people sign up for appointments at the mass vaccination clinic at the Wolstein Center.

Library officials said many people are having trouble making appointments not just because of the demand, but because they don’t have a reliable internet connection or a computer at home.

So the library wanted to help out by providing those resources.

“We know nearly a quarter of the population doesn't have a high speed broadband internet connection at home, which if you're anybody that's been online, refreshing your browser to get one of those slots as soon as they open up -- it's impossible if you don't have a computer,” said Hallie Rich, the communications and external relations director at the library. “So we've got the folks here, we've got the equipment and we want to make sure that anyone who needs to find a vaccine appointment is able to make one.”

FEMA officials were also helping people register at the library’s South-Euclid Lyndhurst branch Saturday.

There are plans to host more sign up events at more library branches over the next couple of weeks. When those dates are announced, more information can be found on the library’s website.

The library is also providing RTA bus passes for anyone who needs a ride to a vaccination site.

RELATED: RTA providing free rides to Wolstein Center and other vaccination sites throughout county

Jade Jarvis is a reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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