Four Wood County residents among latest COVID casualties
(Graphic Illustration/MetroCreative)
CHARLESTON — Four Wood County residents and a Jackson County woman are among 15 COVID-19 deaths in West Virginia reported over the last week. Meanwhile, updated vaccines targeting the most prevalent variant of the virus are expected to soon be available. According to the weekly update from the state Department of Health and Human Resources, the deaths of women age 70, 81 and 90 from Wood County, a 52-year-old Wood County man and an 89-year-old Jackson County woman were confirmed by the agency. Deaths attributed to the virus also included three Kanawha County residents and people from Brooke, Lewis, McDowell, Mingo, Raleigh, Taylor and Upshur counties ranging from 69 to 88 years old. That brings the total COVID-19 deaths in the state to 8,203 since the start of the pandemic in 2020. The Jackson County death was the sixth there in the last six weeks. Representatives of the Mid-Ohio Valley and Jackson County Health Departments had no additional information about the recent deaths. Local departments are no longer notified of deaths by the state, they said. According to a health advisory issued last week by Dr. Matthew Christiansen, West Virginia’s state health officer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved emergency use authorizations for updated vaccines designed to more closely target the most commonly circulating variant of the virus. “We anticipate that the composition of the COVID-19 vaccine may need to be updated annually, as is done with the seasonal influenza vaccine,” the advisory says. The CDC has recommended that everyone 6 months and older get an updated COVID-19 shot to protect against potentially serious outcomes of the virus, including hospitalization and death, this fall and winter. The Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department planned to post a form on its website Wednesday to gauge interest among residents in receiving the vaccine, Public Information Officer Amy Phelps said. They will notify the public when doses are received. Most people can still get a vaccine for free, with many health insurance plans covering them, state and local officials said. Those without insurance or whose plans do not cover the vaccine can receive a free vaccine through the CDC’s Bridge Access Program, with more information available online at https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/bridge/index.html. Eligible children may also receive the vaccine through the CDC’s Vaccine for Children program, with more information available at https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/vfc/index.html. People can also visit www.vaccines.gov/search/ to find local COVID vaccine locations. Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.Local News
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