CHARLESTON, W.Va. — At least 75% of eligible Kanawha Countians have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department announced on Monday.
“This is a significant milestone for our residents that we should all be proud of,” said Dr. Sherri Young, Kanawha-Charleston Health Department Interim Health Officer and Executive Director. “Our Unified Health Command has worked tirelessly for 602 days, and this milestone is a testament to their hard work. I applaud all of our healthcare workers who have been working diligently to vaccinate our residents and those who have been working so hard in our hospitals.”
“This statistic means that 75% of the residents of Kanawha County, age 12 and over, have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.”
The state Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) confirmed the 75% figure in its latest report Monday, listing the total number of residents 12 years of age and older with a dose at 116,236 out of over 154,000.
The next closest county to Kanawha is Ohio with 71.2% of residents with a vaccine in that age range. The state overall has 64% of residents with at least one dose. Young said ‘herd immunity’ could be seen with a vaccination rate of around 80% of those eligible.
Young said there is still plenty of work to do, as the county has reported an uptick of cases for those 20 to 40 years old with most being unvaccinated.
“We want to get those second doses in arms so we can get at least 75% fully vaccinated and keep going. We want to keep going until this pandemic is done,” Young said.
The DHHR confirmed 7,867 active cases Monday which dropped below the 8,000 mark for the first time since Aug. 17.
Young said the state is on the other side of a predictive peak. There were more than 29,000 active cases in mid-September.
Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper released a statement Monday saying, “This credit goes to the people in Kanawha County, our first responders, and indeed the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department under the leadership of Dr. Sherri Young.”
Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin said “The City of Charleston is delighted that we have reached another important milestone in our fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. ”
“While it is my hope the vaccination rate will continue to grow, it’s important that we not let our guards down as we continue to vaccinate against both COVID-19 and the flu.”
COVID-19 testing and vaccinations continue to be held Monday through Friday, 8 am to 3:30 pm at the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department, 108 Lee Street East, Charleston, WV. Seasonal flu vaccines are also available. No appointment is necessary for testing or vaccinations.
For more information on testing, vaccines, and all other public health services please visit www.kchdwv.org or call the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department at (304) 348- 8080.