CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Kanawha-Charleston Health Department is urging eligible West Virginians to get vaccinated for the coronavirus following a significant increase in cases.
Officials have identified 75 cases since Thursday. According to Dr. Sherri Young, the health department’s chief health officer and executive director, health officials were reporting less than five cases a day in early July.
“Indicators show that COVID is back and on the rise,” Young said in a statement. “The Delta variant is the predominant strain across the United States and I am concerned that with the growing number of cases in our County that we will see more cases of the Delta Variant here.”
Young added it is of the utmost importance that the public follows coronavirus guidelines and gets vaccinated.
West Virginians 12 and older are eligible to receive vaccine doses.
The health department offers vaccine doses from Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. The health department is also encouraging coronavirus testing.
Officials will operate an offsite community testing and vaccine clinic at the Schoenbaum Center on Thursday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Additional clinics will take place Aug. 7, Aug. 14 and Aug. 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.