CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Kanawha County Commission has decided to allocate up to $65,000 more to the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department in next year’s budget.
In a Tuesday morning meeting, the commission granted a $40,000 request made by KCHD Director Dr. Sherri Young and then added an additional $25,000 through the Public Safety grant program.
“We are very proud of the work you have done. You have saved lives. You have saved countless lives,” Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper told Young.
Carper said the commission has supported the KCHD throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, totaling over $1 million in support from the amount of personnel working to equipment and overtime hours paid.
Young said the virus numbers in the county are on a downward trend thanks to the mass vaccinations clinics for the elderly and other vaccine efforts going on in the past month.
She reported to the commission that Saturday was the first single day the county hit single digits in new cases reported, with only five, since May.
Young added that the last drive-thru testing event the county held, only seven people tested positive and most were in the younger age demographic.
“This shows the vaccinations are working,” Young said.
COVID-19 hospitalizations are down, Young said, with 28 patients as of Tuesday.