Times Leader Staff Writer
ST. CLAIRSVILLE Fewer people are electing to be vaccinated against COVID-19, but doses are still available.
Belmont County Deputy Health Commissioner Robert Sproul said people vaccinated in Belmont County are overwhelmingly senior citizens who are more vulnerable to death or long-term conditions from the coronavirus. Sproul said a relatively high number of younger people who are more active socially, and thus more likely to spread the virus, also have received the shots.
This leaves a less-motivated middle demographic.
“On May 3 we had 24 positives. Nobody was under the age of 16, and we only had three above age 60 that were positives. The rest of them were in the middle, with the average age of about 42.
Staff Writer
ST. CLAIRSVILLE Belmont County’s senior citizens can look forward to a step-by-step return to activities and events at area senior centers if COVID-19 cases decline as anticipated.
During a report to the Belmont County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday, Senior Services Director Dwayne Pielech said he was encouraged by the high number of vaccinated senior citizens in Belmont County combined with the improving weather and the prospect of holding outdoor events.
“The coronavirus and all the rules and regulations that go with it have been difficult on Americans, and it’s no different in Belmont County both for our seniors who were active members of our senior centers prior to the pandemic including our staff,” Pielech said. “It’s been a long 15 months since our centers closed, and we’re trying to do whatever we can.”