ASHLAND COUNTY — Teachers and staff at Ashland County schools will be eligible to receive the first dose of their COVID-19 vaccine in mid-February.
The Ohio Department of Health announced the statewide vaccination schedule for school personnel on Friday, releasing lists of eligible schools for each week in February.
All K-12 schools Ashland County — including public, private and career-tech schools — are slated for Week 3 of distribution, which begins Feb. 15.
All K-12 schools in Richland County were also included in Week 3.
School personnel have been included in Phase 1B of the state’s vaccine rollout as part of Gov. Mike DeWine’s goal to make in-person schooling available throughout the state by March 1.
“This rollout schedule is a heavy logistical lift that aims to ensure the maximum number of people can be vaccinated in the shortest amount of time,” DeWine said in a press release.
Each school district will be paired with a distribution partner and an educational service center, which will help coordinate the process.
At a school board meeting Monday, Ashland City School District’s Assistant Superintendent Dr. Tammy Stevens said less than 35 percent of eligible staff in the Ashland City School District have signed up to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
She anticipated Ashland City School District would partner with Drug Mart in Ashland to complete its staff’s vaccinations. The vaccination clinic may be held on district property, if possible, Stevens said.
Ohio has prioritized getting K-12 students back in schools by March 1 because many adolescents’ social-emotional and mental well-being has been impacted by the pandemic, a Thursday press release from DeWine’s office said.
“We know some of our students have not been in the classroom in months — it’s taking its toll,” said Governor DeWine. “For some, remote learning works, for others, it doesn’t. We are in danger of too many kids struggling for too long if they don’t get back to school in person.”
“School is community for our youth,” said Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Director Lori Criss. “It benefits kids so much more than academic content. It’s the social and emotional connections that kids feel with friends, classmates, extra-curriculars, teachers, and more.”
According to the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, the change of routine and the constant uncertainty of the pandemic produces anxiety, and the disconnection from learning, emotional, and social supports can lead to depression. In addition, missed significant life events like graduations, proms, art performances, science competitions, sports, and more can result in grief.
Families and friends should reach out for help if a young person is:
- talking about feeling hopeless;
- worrying about being a burden;
- feeling like there’s no reason to live;
- using drugs, alcohol or engaging in other risky behaviors;
- struggling with school;
- disconnecting from family and friends.
Trained counselors with Ohio’s CareLine are available 24/7 at 1-800-720-9616. They can help with a crisis, provide guidance, and connect callers to help in the community.
