220 Lewis County Schools Personnel have been given their first dose of the COVID-19 Vaccine  according to School Nurse Mrs. Allison McWhorter.

Vaccines were given on an appointment basis for school staff older than 50, and or those who are deemed to be at high risk. Lewis County Schools Superintendent Dr. Robin Lewis has spoken several times on the matter of vaccines, stating recently that the local school board does not have the authority to mandate every staff member receive the vaccine. Any such decision would have to be made by the state board of education and remains unlikely.

Nurse McWhorter reported that every staff member over 50 who wanted a vaccine has been vaccinated. And, several are scheduled for the second dose in February.

Governor Justice noted in his press conference of January 13, 2021 that the state has not forgotten teachers under 50, but that vaccine doses are coming in slowly.

West Virginia remains ranked 1st out of 50 states for per capita vaccinations and has received a lot of national attention about this distinction.

UPDATE: Faculty from throughout the county received their second vaccine February 5 at LCHS with the help of the school nurses and Camden Clinic personnel.