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As COVID-19 numbers remained at high-risk levels throughout the Northern Panhandle -- and the Ohio County Health Department reported the county's 26th COVID-related death, Wheeling Hospital is preparing to administer its first wave of vaccinations.
According to a news release from the hospital, it expects the Food and Drug Administration to grant emergency use authorization for COVID vaccines, with Pfizer's vaccine expected to arrive first, followed by Moderna's. Health care workers and the hospital's long-term care residents will be first in the pipeline.
"We hope to have staff vaccinations begin next week and to be completed by mid to late January," Tony Martinelli, assistant vice president-Pharmacy, said.
Neither the hospital, nor its physicians, will be providing vaccines to the general public at this time. Hospital employees working in Ohio will be vaccinated through the Ohio vaccine distribution protocol.
The vaccination phases consider the amount of direct patient care, the units involved, areas with high exposure risk, critical functions to the hospital and groups with risk for staffing shortages, the hospital said.
Officials at Reynolds Memorial Hospital did not immediately respond to requests for comment on their hospital's preparations.
Three of the four Northern Panhandle counties — Hancock, Brooke and Marshall — remained in "red" on the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources Wednesday COVID-19 alert map. Ohio County was in "orange."
Ohio County also reported one new COVID-related death, a person who was hospitalized at the time of their passing. The county also reported 44 new COVID cases, bringing its total to 1,985. Ohio County had an infection rate on Wednesday's map of 70.72 cases per 100,000 residents and a percent positivity of 5.37.
Marshall County had an infection rate of 130.55 cases per 100,000 residents and a percent positivity of 12.56. The Marshall County Health Department announced 18 new confirmed positive and 6 new probable COVID-19 cases Wednesday night, bringing the county's totals to 1,382 confirmed cases, 214 probable cases, 12 hospitalizations and 37 associated deaths.
Hancock County had an infection rate of 139.34 cases per 100,000 residents and a percent positivity of 11.53, while Brooke County had an infection rate of 118.51 cases per 100,000 residents and a percent positivity of 12.14.