COLUMBUS – The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed Red, White & BOOM! for a second consecutive year.
Organizers announced on the event’s website that they were not granted a permit for the fireworks display for July 2 but they hoped to reschedule it for a date later in the summer of early in the fall.
After months of working with city leaders through the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic we have received word that this year’s event will not receive permitting by the city of Columbus for the originally scheduled date of Friday, July 2nd. While disappointed Central Ohioans will not be able to attend the largest fireworks show in the Midwest on its original date, the Board of Trustees for RW&B! has committed to continue working with Mayor Ginther’s office to find an appropriate alternative date, either in late summer or early fall. –Red, White & BOOM! Board of Trustees
Franklin County is still experiencing a high incidence of COVID-19 with only 40 percent of its residents fully vaccinated against the disease, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said.
“This is the best decision based on the information that we have at this time, but I am as committed as ever to bring back Boom the best it has ever been in 2022,” Ginther told WBNS 10-TV.
The event, which had been held for 39 years, is billed as the largest fireworks display in the Midwest and regularly attracts 500,00 people to downtown Columbus during the Independence Day holiday.
The state’s Vax-a-Million campaign has helped drive an increase in vaccination rates among Ohioans 16 and older.
The state says rates in that age group have up by more than 28 percent since the announcement of the lottery back on May 13.
Ohioans 18 and older who have received a received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine can enter to win one of five $1 million prizes in a weekly drawing and those ages 12 to 17 can enter to win one of five four-year, full-ride scholarships, including room and board, tuition, and books, to any Ohio state college or university.
Delaware County leads the state with over 50% of its population fully vaccinated.
The state dropped below 100 cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population over the two weeks that ended May 19. The state Department of Health reported 97.1 cases per 100,000 residents, down from 119.9 cases the week before.
A total of 1,094,742 Ohioans have been infected with COVID-19 during the pandemic and 19,628 have died. The state reported 1,208 new cases on Thursday with 125 new hospital admissions. A total of 58,396 patients have been treated for COVID in Ohio hospitals and 825 were being treated on Thursday.
The state reported 5.075 million people, or 43.45% of the state’s total population have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 4.456 million — 38.13% of the total population – have been fully vaccinated.
There are 23,568 active cases in the state and the seven-day positivity rate is 3.3%.