Narcan, More Distributed During First ‘Appalachian Save a Life Day’
Joselyn King Trending
Residents in Appalachian communities most affected by opioid addiction had the chance Thursday to receive free naloxone -- a medication that works to reverse opioid overdoses.
One common brand of naloxone is Narcan, an easy-to-use nasal spray, and it was what was distributed in Northern Panhandle communities on Thursday.
Narcan events in all 13 Appalachian states took place as part of "Appalachian Save a Life Day." The 13 participating states are all recognized as part of the Appalachian region by the Appalachian Regional Commission -- West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, Maryland, and New York.
CDC data shows that half of the 10 states with the worst overdose rates are a part of Appalachia.
In Wheeling, the Ohio County Family Resource Network and the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department partnered to distribute purple bags containing Narcan and information about local resources. They also were provided training in how to use the Narcan.
Representatives from the organizations were set up on a closed section of 18th Street in front of the Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center. Additional outreach teams handed out bags in South Wheeling and on Wheeling Island.
If someone missed out on the event, they can still come to the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department during regular business hours to receive free Narcan, said Wayland Harris, director of threat preparedness with the Health Department.
The Health Department is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and is located on the first floor of the City-County Building in downtown Wheeling.
Harris said many types of people come to pick up the Narcan. They can be users themselves, friends or family, or just a concerned citizen wanting to help if needed.
The cans of Narcan passed out on Thursday had an expiration date of March 2026.
Also at the 18th Street location, HIV testing was conducted at a nearby private location by the AIDS Task Force Upper Ohio Valley. Those participating received a $10 gift card.
Trish Flanigan, medical case manager for Ryan White Services, oversaw the needle exchange at the site.
"HIV is out there, and it's here in our local community," she said. "Getting tested is for everyone."
Flanigan suggested those not in monogamous relationships be tested once a year.
"Now is not the time to be afraid of it. Now is the time for us to really work on getting people treated if they test positive," she continued. "By no means is AIDS a death sentence anymore. The medications are fabulous."
Other "Appalachian Save a Life Day" locations in the Northern Panhandle and East Ohio were at Whiteside Chevrolet in St. Clairsville; Chester Family Support Center in Chester; CHANGE Inc. in Weirton; Brooke County Family Support Center in Wellsburg; Moundsville Pharmacy in Moundsville; and the West Virginia Northern Community College campus in New Martinsville.