Hancock County residents can now register for the COVID vaccine through a statewide registration site.  Gov. Jim Justice announced over the weekend the that a Statewide contract to administer the registration site had been awarded to  Everbridge.  Both the Hancock County Health Board and CHANGE, Inc. had operated community online registration sites and those names will now be incorporated into the Statewide registration site.  Those who have already registered locally will not need to register again.  Gov. Justice noted that pre-registration does not mean immediate availability access, but will place residents on a wait list with the opportunity to receive real-time updates on their status.
   Residents can go to the VACCINATE.WV.GOV website and click on the sign button to register.  Those with questions about the vaccine should call 800-734-0965
   Residents aged 65 and up are now eligible to register for the vaccine.  Judy Raveaux, CEO, of CHANGE, Inc. noted that a Community Event Vaccination Clinic held at Weir High on January 19 and resulted in the vaccination of 1,200 residents.
    Community Event  Vaccination Clinics will now be held locally on this Friday and subsequent Fridays  at the Rockefeller Vocational Center and former Serbian Cultural Center.  Slots have already been  filled for Friday, January 29.  Residents who register through the State site will be assigned a location closest to their home address.  That may not be within Hancock County  in the case of Weirton addresses, but at a closer location in Brooke County.
    COVID testing continues at the CHANGE testing site at Taylor Ave. in Weirton on Mondays and Fridays, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and at CHANGE’s Newell site on Monday and Thursdays.