Brooke County Man Among Latest COVID Deaths in West Virginia
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A Brooke County resident was among 15 COVID-19 deaths reported in West Virginia over the past week.
Meanwhile, updated vaccines targeting the most prevalent variant of the virus are expected to soon be available.
According to the weekly update from the state Department of Health and Human Resources, a 78-year-old male from Brooke County was among the COVID-related deaths in that span. The deaths of women ages 70, 81 and 90 from Wood County, a 52-year-old Wood County man and an 89-year-old Jackson County woman also were confirmed by the agency. Deaths attributed to the virus also included three Kanawha County residents and people from Lewis, McDowell, Mingo, Raleigh, Taylor and Upshur counties ranging from 69 to 88 years old.
That brings the total COVID-19 deaths in the state to 8,203 since the start of the pandemic in 2020.
According to a health advisory issued last week by Dr. Matthew Christiansen, West Virginia's state health officer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved emergency use authorizations for updated vaccines designed to more closely target the most commonly circulating variant of the virus.
"We anticipate that the composition of the COVID-19 vaccine may need to be updated annually, as is done with the seasonal influenza vaccine," the advisory says.
The CDC has recommended that everyone 6 months and older get an updated COVID-19 shot to protect against potentially serious outcomes of the virus, including hospitalization and death, this fall and winter.
Most people can still get a vaccine for free, with many health insurance plans covering them, state and local officials said.
Those without insurance or whose plans do not cover the vaccine can receive a free vaccine through the CDC's Bridge Access Program, with more information available online at https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/bridge/index.html. Eligible children may also receive the vaccine through the CDC's Vaccine for Children program, with more information available at https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/vfc/index.html.
People can also visit www.vaccines.gov/search/ to find local COVID vaccine locations.