SMITHERS, WV (WOAY) – The Fayette County Health Department along with several community partners held their fourth vaccine clinic in Smithers. Wednesday’s vaccine clinic was held at the Gateway Center from 10 AM to 3 PM. The clinic was a Fayette County event, but the clinic was able to serve residents from around the Kanawha Valley.
“This is a Fayette County vaccine event, but we know because transportation is one of our biggest barriers as a state that it’s important that we serve people that live close to the event,” said Fayette County Health Officer Dr. Anita Stewart. “So this event is serving people that live in this area.”
The clinic was held via appointments only with patients receiving their first dose of the Moderna vaccine. Smithers mayor Anne Cavalier says the city is glad that the Fayette County Health Department, Montgomery General Hospital, and New River Heath have been able to work together to bring the vaccines to Smithers residents.
“I’m really, really pleased that we are able to offer the Covid vaccine here in the valley and serve not only Smithers residents, but all the upper Kanawha Valley,” said Smithers Mayor Anne Cavalier. “We are serving people from thirty miles away and they are getting their vaccines closer here than they would have had they had to go back up on the mountain or into Charleston or Huntington.”
Dr. Stewart also said that without the partnerships the clinics would not have been possible because the community partners have offered volunteers and venues to host the clinics across Fayette County.
“It’s really important that we have wonderful partnerships that help make these events possible to serve communities,” Dr. Stewart said. “We have a partnership the municipality here with the city of Smithers, we have Montgomery General Hospital, Cabin Creek Health Systems, Fayette County Democrats, all people in the community are coming to help volunteer to make this possible and to keep people safe our community.”
To register for your vaccine visit the West Virginia DHHR website or call 1-833-734-0965 for assistance.