CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WV News) — The winter weather didn't keep Harrison County school employees from receiving their COVID-19 booster vaccine Thursday evening, as more than 300 showed up for their second dose.
Harrison Schools Health Services Coordinator Jody Sperry said 308 second-dose vaccines were given Thursday, which included everyone except six employees who couldn't make it due to road conditions.
With the remaining doses, the school system was able to provide second doses to employees who were unable to receive doses last week due to quarantining, Sperry said.
Additionally, the school system was able to provide three first doses to employees on its list, she said.
Next week, there will be no second doses because of a break the state took in vaccine allocations last month.
Sperry said the next clinic will take place in the evening on Feb. 25, when the school system will vaccinate the remaining employees who received their first dose on Jan. 27.
During a state Board of Education meeting Wednesday, state Deputy Superintendent Michele Blatt said West Virginia has vaccinated more than 21,000 K-12 staff and is completing the second week of booster clinics.
"This is the second time we are receiving second doses in the field, in all 55 counties," Blatt said. "We will not have booster vaccines next week because of the week that we weren't able to hold clinics a month ago. We will then hold our final booster clinic the week of Feb. 22 for all of the remaining teachers who received their first doses."
According to Blatt, the state is collecting names of school employees who missed their booster doses due to sickness, quarantine or other reasons.
By direction of the governor and others, the state is not wasting any doses, she added.
"If we end up with some extra doses during these booster clinics, we are able to give first doses to some school staff," she said. "We are keeping track of those individuals to make sure that they won't miss their second doses and can coordinate with their local community clinics."
If there are school employees who have not received their first dose, they are asked to enter their information into the statewide registration system, which allows the task force to prioritize by age and then pull out individuals who are health-care professionals and educators, Blatt said.
On Thursday, after working with local health department officials, Harrison County Schools and Taylor County Schools announced COVID-19 cases among students.
In Harrison County, one student at Washington Irving Middle School was identified.
In Taylor County, one student at Taylor County Middle School was identified as testing positive. Additionally, one student at Grafton High School and two students at Taylor County Middle School are quarantining.
According to Taylor Superintendent Christy Miller, the cases are not due to in-school transmission.
February 12, 2021 at 08:00AM
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Harrison County (West Virginia) school employees receive COVID-19 booster dose Thursday - WV News
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