Ohio COVID-19 vaccine Town Halls to begin Feb. 22 – Richland Source

ONTARIO The Ohio District 5 Area Agency on Aging has announced the Ohio Department of Health and the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services have put together a series of COVID-19 vaccine town halls.

The program will include medical experts, community leaders, and public health professionals to address common concerns and questions from specific communities.

Ohio wants to ensure that communities have the information they need to make informed decisions about COVID-19 vaccines.

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. There have been no shortcuts in the vaccine development process. The development process for COVID-19 vaccines involved several steps comparable with those used to develop other vaccines such as the flu or chickenpox vaccine, which have successfully protected millions of Ohioans for years.

Your questions will be answered at Ohio's COVID-19 Vaccine Town Halls. Hear from medical experts, community leaders, and public health professionals.

Certain groups of Ohioans, with limited access to healthcare, may be more hesitant to get COVID-19 vaccines, wanting to wait and see how it goes for others who are receiving their vaccines.

Ohio wants to ensure that all communities have the information they need to make informed decisions about COVID-19 vaccines.

Some communities have had negative experiences with the healthcare system due to lack of access, discrimination, and language barriers. Ohio is making an effort to bridge the gap and address health inequities that lead to disparities in health outcomes.

Watch livestreams on Facebook, YouTube, and at coronavirus.ohio.gov/townhall at the following dates and times:

o Monday, Feb. 22, 6:30 p.m. African American Ohioans.

o Tuesday, Feb. 23, 6:30 p.m. Hispanic/Latino Ohioans.

o Monday, March 1, 6:30 p.m. Asian American and Pacific Islander Ohioans.

o Tuesday, March 2, 6:30 p.m. Rural Ohioans.

How to watch: Watch live or on-demand after the event:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/OHdeptofhealth/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/OhioDepartmentofHealth1

Online - https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/townhall

Watch later on TV: Watch later on the Ohio Channel. Find your local channel by checking with your PBS station or television provider.

The Ohio District 5 Area Agency on Aging is located at 2131 Park Avenue West in Ontario, provides leadership, collaboration, coordination and services to older adults, people with disabilities, their caregivers & resource networks that support individual choice, independence and dignity.

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Ohio COVID-19 vaccine Town Halls to begin Feb. 22 - Richland Source