Local vaccine clinic impresses DeWine
Governor has been visiting such sites across the state over last couple of months.
Gov. Mike DeWine visited Clark County’s COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Upper Valley Mall on Thursday and called the operation “very impressive.”
The governor has been visiting vaccination clinics across the state over the course of the last couple of months. He called the clinic “very impressive” and said operations were “absolutely amazing.”
“I looked up the statistics. I knew Clark County was doing well, but so far, Clark County has given close to 27,000 first doses. That puts them out of 88 counties, 10th in the state,” DeWine said. “That’s absolutely amazing.”
He was welcomed Thursday by Clark County Combined Health District Commissioner Charles Patterson, Clark County Commissioner Richard Lohnes, City of Springfield Commissioner David Estrop and others.
DeWine said he talks on the phone with Patter
son, who runs the clinic, every Monday in order “get some data from him and find out what kind of challenges the county is experiencing and what we can do to help.”
“I just want to congratulate the Clark County Health Department for the job that they are doing here. It’s absolutely phenomenal,” DeWine said.
Patterson told DeWine the clinic plans to give 8,000 vaccinations this week, over half of which will be second doses for K-12 school district employees.
“We appreciate the support that the governor has given us with the amount of vaccine. This is three weeks in a row that we have gotten 3,500 first doses. We got notice that we are going to receive 3,500 additional first doses for next week so we can keep this moving,” Patterson said.
The clinic has the ability to vaccinate up to 10,000 people in a single week, Patterson said.
“It all goes back to the amount of vaccine we get and the support of the governor,” Patterson said.
Mic Digionia, owner of Crown Market in Springfield, said he spoke with the governor after he received his shot.
“I’m just so proud of the governor and I’m especially proud of our community and what we have done here,” Digionia said. “This is really something to be proud of.”
Vaccine eligibility opened Thursday to Ohioans ages 50 and older as well as people with type 2 diabetes and endstage renal disease.
Those also eligible include childcare and funeral services, law enforcement and correction officers, pregnant people, bone marrow transplant recipients and people with ALS or type 1 diabetes who were made eligible for the vaccine March 4.
Residents eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine can schedule an appointment by calling the health district at 937717-2439 or can schedule online at ccchd.com.
Clark County had 12,465 cases of the coronavirus as of Thursday afternoon, according to data from the Ohio Department of Health. The county also had 319 deaths and 16 probable deaths as of Friday, according to data from the CCCHD. Deaths are updated once a week.
Contact this reporter at 937-610-7447 or email Riley. Newton@coxinc.com.
‘I just want to congratulate the Clark County Health Department for the job that they are doing here.’
Mike DeWine Ohio governor