NITRO, W.Va. — Dr. Sherri Young, the chief health officer for the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department said the community and state still have a long way to go in the fight with COVID-19.
As the health pandemic continues throughout the world, Young said the public must stay vigilant and follow protocols.
“If the public helps us with getting a flu shot, covering your face with your mask, making sure you’re washing your hands, being socially distanced and avoid big crowds,” Young said.
“We are starting to see that happen again. It’s almost as if when the disease rate went down, people got less nervous about the disease but the disease was always there.”
She admitted it will probably be months before things are close to ‘normal’ in West Virginia.
“We are getting better at treatment, we are having better outcomes with hospitalizations. We know that we should be wearing masks, which even in the beginning we did not know that,” she said.
“Vaccines are in the pipeline, things are getting better. They are just not going to be as normal as we want them to be in the next few months.”
On Monday evening, the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department (KCHD) said the active COVID-19 cases in the county sit at 797, down two from Sunday. There are 3,785 confirmed cases in the county and 218 are probable cases. Recovered cases equal 3,097.
The total number of COVID-19 deaths in Kanawha County is 109.
KCHD is also giving out flu shots during its COVID-19 testing events. On Saturday, KCHD and Kanawha County Schools is holding a county-wide flu vaccine clinic from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Locations for the vaccine are John Adams Middle School, Nitro Public Library Parking Lot, Capital High School, Riverside High School, South Charleston High School, Herbert Hoover High School, Sissonville High School, and St. Albans High School.
Young said it’s important to get a flu shot because you do not want to get COVID-19 and the flu at the same time.
“This is an amazing team we have built in Kanawha County. Between the Kanawha County Commission, City of Charleston, City of Nitro and all our municipalities. They have all jumped in and welcomed us as we come out with COVID testing and flu shots,” Young said.