BUCKHANNON – St. Joseph’s Hospital, the Upshur-Buckhannon Health Department and Community Care of West Virginia have plans to vaccinate double the number of people this Friday than was previously announced – about 400 people ages 65 and older.

Last week, the Upshur-Buckhannon Health Department announced it was teaming up with Community Care of West Virginia, WVU Medicine/St. Joseph’s Hospital, the Upshur County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, the Upshur County Commission, Rotary Club of Buckhannon-Upshur and West Virginia Wesleyan College to host a community vaccination clinic for persons aged 65 and over Friday, February 5, 2021.

Initially, the partnering entities expected to vaccinate about 200 people per week, depending on the number of vaccine doses received. However, on Tuesday at the Rotary Club of Buckhannon-Upshur’s virtual meeting, Lisa Wharton, vice president for marketing, public relations and Foundation for St. Joseph’s Hospital announced that number had doubled.

“We got more vaccines this Friday, so the clinic is going to run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and we will be vaccinating over 400 people,” Wharton said. “On the 12th (Friday, Feb. 12), we’re going to run from 11a.m. to 2 p.m. and then as future Fridays come, it’ll just depend on how many vaccines we get.”

The Feb. 5 clinic will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Event Center at Brushy Fork located at 929 Brushy Fork Road in Buckhannon. All vaccines will be given by appointment only. Despite the increase in vaccination allocation, all slots have been filled, and if you have already called in to the county health department, DHS/OEM office or signed up via the state website at vaccinate.wv.gov, you will be contacted when your vaccine is available.

According to a previous press release, if you have been contacted with an appointment time, please arrive at the center at your scheduled time. To prevent unnecessary wait times and traffic congestion, do not arrive early. Everyone who is scheduled has an assigned vaccine, and all those receiving a vaccine should bring a valid photo ID.

Anyone 65 years of age and older interested in the vaccine who has not already done so should call 1-833-734-0965 or visit vaccinate.wv.gov to be placed on the waiting list. All requests to be put on a waiting list must go through the statewide phone number or website. If you have already been put on a waiting list in Upshur County, you do not need to register again.

In related news, Wharton said the hospital is also having a blood drive March 30 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Brushy Fork Event Center.

“Our blood company, which is our company for the hospital and for United Hospital Center, is Vitalant and they’re running a program called ‘Save Lives, Feed Families,’ so for every donor that comes in, they’ll donate money to our Parish House,” Wharton said. “I think we’re talking about opening it up a little bit more, letting people just come by who are not donors to just to drop off some canned foods, so we’re moving forward with that.”

Rotary meetings have been taking place virtually on the first and third Tuesdays of the month.