Last year on St. Patrick's Day we were just beginning to learn how the coronavirus was going to impact our daily lives.

Here we are now. Vaccines for COVID-19 have been developed, and the rollout for those shots is accelerating. The virtual line for the vaccines will expand again this week.

Governor DeWine says those 40 and older and those with health issues such as heart disease, COPD, and obesity will be eligible beginning Friday. On March 29, Ohio will open eligibility for everyone aged 16 and older.

To get shots out to people faster, the state will be employing a number of mass vaccination sites. The first of those sites to open is the one at the Wolstein Center at Cleveland State University.

The arena provided a soft-opening yesterday and will begin vaccinating members of the public that pre-registered for vaccine slots today.

We discuss the mass vaccination clinic and the latest on the distribution of the shots with our Ideastream health reporters.

Later, every year the Cleveland Humanities Festival explores a singular topic. The Baker-Nord Center for the Humanities of Case Western Reserve University coordinates the event. The festival also partners and collaborates with the region's museums, arts, and educational organizations.

Last year's events had to be canceled or postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. But, the festival is back in 2021-but like so many other events, in a virtual form. The festival events will take place throughout March and April.

This year's festival will center on identity and how that concept may have shifted over the last year due to the pandemic and the social isolation and economic turmoil created by it. Next week, a multi-part series of conversations will focus on children with special needs and disabilities and celebrate their individualism and identity beyond the boundaries of their specific diagnoses.

The two-day series of conversations Celebrating Identity Beyond Diagnosis: Recognition + Representation of Children on Rare Medical Journeys begins next Thursday.

For a second year, there will be no parade on St. Patrick's Day in Cleveland.

For the Kilroys of Cleveland's near west side, this family of traditional Irish musicians found themselves forced to cancel dozens of shows. But, four of the Brothers Kilroy recently joined Ideastream's David C. Barnett for a special St. Patrick's Day edition of Applause Performances.

Guests:
Anna Huntsman, health reporter/producer, Ideastream
Lisa Ryan, health reporter/producer, Ideastream
Lisa Kollins, administrator, Schubert Center for Child Studies, Case Western Reserve University; executive director, Superhero Project
Nikki Montgomery, executive director, Madvocator Educational and Healthcare Training; co-author, "We Dare Be Brave"
Dominic Kilroy, Fiddle
Marty Kilroy, Accordion
Steve Kilroy, Bouzouki
Joe Kilroy, Mandolin