CoronavirusVaccinating Ohio

Actions

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
and last updated

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.

Additional Coronavirus information and resources:

Download the News 5 app for free to easily access local coronavirus coverage, and to receive timely and limited news alerts on major COVID-19 developments. Download now on your Apple device here, and your Android device here.

See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.

Vaccinating Ohio - Find the latest news on the COVID-19 vaccines, Ohio's phased vaccination process, a map of vaccination clinics around the state, and links to sign up for a vaccination appointment through Ohio's online portal.

See data visualizations showing the impact of coronavirus in Ohio, including county-by-county maps, charts showing the spread of the disease, and more.

Rebound Northeast Ohio News 5's initiative to help people through the financial impact of the coronavirus by offering one place to go for information on everything available to help and how to access it. We're providing resources on:

Getting Back to Work - Learn about the latest job openings, how to file for benefits and succeed in the job market.

Making Ends Meet - Find help on topics from rent to food to new belt-tightening techniques.

Managing the Stress - Feeling isolated or frustrated? Learn ways to connect with people virtually, get counseling or manage your stress.

Doing What's Right - Keep track of the way people are spending your tax dollars and treating your community.

We're Open! Northeast Ohio is place created by News 5 to open us up to new ways of thinking, new ways of gathering and new ways of supporting each other.

View a map of COVID-19 testing locations here.

Visit Ohio's Coronavirus website for the latest updates from the Ohio Department of Health.

View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.