WVU Medicine Barnesville Hospital welcomes eager vaccine recipients

BARNESVILLE, Ohio — COVID-19 vaccinations are underway at WVU Medicine Barnesville Hospital.

Vaccinations for those in Phase 1B have taken place over the last two days.

The hospital administered 200 doses of the vaccine to the most vulnerable.

Many said they feel a sense of relief for the first time in months.

"I was relieved they were doing this,” resident Bonnie Lewis, of Barnesville, said. “I was glad we had this opportunity."

Lewis was one of 200 people who received the Moderna vaccine Friday morning.

"Pretty nervous, but we just didn't want to miss it," said Ronald and Patricia Temple, of Bethesda.

The hospital scheduled appointments for those who are 80 and older in a two-day clinic.

Upon arrival, patients were greeted by hospital staff in the parking lot before filling out registration forms. They were asked to wait in their cars until their scheduled appointment time.

"Everything is so organized,’ the Temples said. “So kind, so patient."

Once inside, a screening process took place at the main entrance.

"They answer a questionnaire from the vaccinator who would then administer the vaccine to the individual and then they are monitored for 15 minutes," explained hospital president/CEO Dave Phillips.

Phillips said the clinic went smoothly. Everyone will receive their second dose in 28 days.

It's a promising sight for staff, with the hope that fewer people will contract the virus.

"It has been stable for us. We've definitely seen periods of increased activity with COVID. We're actively treating individuals right now on an inpatient and outpatient situation."

Next week, the goal is to include those who are 75- to 80-years-old on the vaccination list.

“Right now, we have the hotline closed because we had such an immense demand for the doses that we had so, as we get through our backlog, we'll open that hotline back up,” Phillips said.

The hospital plans to schedule another vaccination clinic next week, depending on the supply.