CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WV News) — Local health departments are continuing to try to boost COVID-19 vaccination rates in North Central West Virginia as infection rates in some counties remain high and outbreaks again begin to pop up in various settings.
In Taylor County, at least six people have tested positive in what the state has determined to be an outbreak at a church, according to Shawn Thorn, threat preparedness coordinator and public information officer for the Grafton-Taylor County Health Department.
People from other counties may be affected by that outbreak, as well. The outbreak is linked to a revival event hosted by the Taylor County church in partnership with a church in Harrison County, he said.
Last week, a nursing home in Harrison County reported an outbreak, with 30 people testing positive for COVID-19. “A substantial number” of the facility’s residents and staff are vaccinated. Officials have not disclosed how many of those who tested positive in the outbreak were vaccinated, nor the severity of symptoms.
Positive test samples from the facility have been sent for genetic sequencing to determine if a variant virus is involved in the outbreak, officials said.
Infection rates remain elevated in many counties. Statewide, five counties had infection rates in the red as of Friday’s DHHR report, including Randolph. Another 13 counties had infection rates in the orange, including Harrison, Barbour and Lewis.
Vaccination rates need to increase, said Harrison-Clarksburg Health Department Administrator Chad Bundy. He urged residents to take advantage of health department clinics or local pharmacies to access the vaccine.
Vaccination clinics are held at the Harrison-Clarksburg Health Department annex each Wednesday; times can be scheduled at vaccine.wvumedicine.org or by calling the health department directly at 304-623-9308.
Additional clinics are in the works, Bundy said.
A vaccination clinic will be set up at Watters Smith Memorial State Park from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 28 for park employees and their families, as well as park guests.
The health department and Harrison County Schools will hold a vaccination clinic primarily targeting children ages 12 to 15 from 3-6 p.m. June 2 at Robert C. Byrd High School, Bundy said.
“They conducted a survey, and we have about 145 students and family members that we expect to vaccinate at that clinic,” he said.
On June 16, the department will be providing a clinic for a Harrison County labor union from 3-6 p.m.
Department staff are also working to vaccinate homebound residents.
“We did a large number of homebound people (Friday) and throughout the week. We get those lists from the state, or sometimes people call here. We do homebound (visits) daily,” Bundy said.
Those who are unable to leave their homes or reach a vaccination clinic can call the health department directly or call the state vaccine hotline at 1-833-734-0965 to make arrangements.
Bundy encouraged any organization that would like to host a vaccination clinic to reach out to the health department, as well.
The department and its community partners have provided around 27,000 shots of COVID-19 vaccine, Bundy said. That number does not include federal vaccination programs through pharmacies and other entities.
In Taylor County, boost clinics in remote areas will be held. First doses will be provided at the boost clinics for people who would like to be vaccinated, but those individuals will likely need to get their second dose at the health department. The department plans to discontinue mobile clinics once the boost doses are complete for those who have already received first doses at the mobile clinics, according to Thorn.
The health department is accepting walk-ins for vaccinations during regular business hours and until 8 p.m. each Friday, he said.
In Doddridge County, which is one of the leaders in the state for vaccinations among residents 65 and older and is beating the state’s average for overall vaccinations, the health department and its community partners found success in offering drive-through vaccinations near the high school in weeks past.
Department Administrator Debbie Davis said she believes the county’s overall vaccination rate is now 45% to 46%, not including pharmacy vaccinations.
Now, the Doddridge Health Department is used for clinics, although if a larger group were to need vaccinated, the drive-through site could be used again. Department officials are also looking for additional opportunities to show up with vaccines in places with a lot of people, Davis said.
These include the Doddridge County Fair, the county-wide yard sale and the Ephraim Bee Festival, she said.
Staff Writer JoAnn Snoderly can be reached at 304-626-1445, by email at [email protected] or on Twitter at @JoAnnSnoderly.
