COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said the COVID-19 situation is dramatically changing during the upcoming school year and a perfect storm is hitting the state.

"That goal of having our children in school and in person is now being threatened even as school is just now starting. That goal is now clearly at risk," DeWine said.

DeWine encouraged that all eligible teachers and students get vaccinated and strongly encouraged those who are ineligible for the vaccine to continue to wear a mask in school. 

"I believe we have a moral obligation to lay out to the people of Ohio, to those the parents, those school officials the facts. I think it would be wrong, it would be irresponsible of us to not give parents and school officials the information we have to help them make informed decisions," DeWine said.

DeWine addressed Brevard Public Schools and Hillsborough County Public Schools in Florida who have not implemented a mask mandate and noted that there are hundreds of faculty and staff in quarantine after being exposed to COVID-19.

The governor also advised that parents of children attending schools that do not require masks still have the right to tell their kids to wear masks at school.

DeWine says that keeping unvaccinated students masked will keep students in the classroom and prevent schools from needing to go fully virtual again.

"Our children simply cannot afford another disrupted school year. We need them in the classroom," DeWine said.

DeWine assured Ohioans that more and more Ohioans are deciding to get vaccinated daily and he hopes to see that number increase.