Health care systems, county, health dept. team up to be ready when doses available
MORGANTOWN — Monongalia County’s two major health care systems – WVU Medicine and Mon Health – teamed up with the country and the county health department to form a supersized COVID-19 vaccination center in the former Sears store at Morgantown Mall.
The end goal of the consolidated operation – announced at a press conference Monday – is to vaccinate 8,000 people a day, six days a week, once doses are available.
“Right now we just don’t have enough,” said Albert Wright, president and CEO of West Virginia Health System, the state’s largest medical provider.
WVU has been using the 80,000-square-foot department store space since summer as a “fulfillment” center. It was changed to a “super” vaccination center earlier this month.
“This allows us to be ready,” when the vaccine is available, Wright said.
West Virginia leads the nation in getting the vaccine out to residents — as of now 80,000 people 65 and older have received the first shot. Overall, West Virginia officials say the state has received 156,300 first doses and distributed 166,358 so far, an average of 106.4%. Officials said they are able to get more of the vaccine out of some vials than anticipated.
“We are savings lives, 106.4% of our doses are in someone’s arm,” said Gov. Jim Justice, who joined Monday’s announcement remotely.
Health care officials said the idea of combining resources will enable a larger facility to be staffed by more people who can inoculate even more residents. West Virginia was the first state to finish offering first doses to all long-term care centers before the end of December, and the state expects to give second doses at those facilities by the end of January.
“We’re going to have to vaccinate our way out of this terrible pandemic,” Justice said.
One of the two U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved vaccines – the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines – are being given at the former Sears space.
Appointments are available online at wvumedicine.org/vaccine or by calling 833-795-7468. People need to have a mask on to be vaccinated.
“We are energized by the ongoing collaboration of our health department, health systems, and state and local leaders to address this pandemic head on and continue to put the safety of our communities first,” said David Goldberg, president and CEO of Mon Health System.
“Every West Virginian should be ready and willing to get this vaccine – it’s safe, it works, and it’s the quickest way for us to get back to normal,” he said.
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