Charleston, WV – Today, the Kanawha County Commission sent letters to Senator Shelley Moore Capito and Senator Joe Manchin requesting their support for a stand-alone Senate Bill that would provide $10.6 billion in funding for COVID-19 treatment, vaccines, and testing. Kanawha County is still working to fight the COVID pandemic daily and encourages Senator Capito and Senator Manchin to support the Federal Funding to provide much-needed resources to protect the citizens of Kanawha County. The letter details the need for funding to support the monoclonal antibody clinic at the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department by providing the antibody therapy treatments, the continuation of offering testing supplies at no charge to all who need a test, including those who are uninsured and providing funding for the continuation of vaccines.

The Kanawha County Commission stated, “Kanawha County has prided itself on being the ‘first’ on many occasions during the pandemic to offer mass testing, testing in long-term care facilities, holding large community vaccination clinics, opening the monoclonal antibody clinic, and many other life-saving events for our community. We cannot stand by and watch the possibility of our community losing the ability to receive free testing, treatment, and vaccines to keep them safe, out of the hospitals, and quite frankly, alive.”

The letter further stated, “Funding is still needed to support the pandemic life-saving efforts…..We graciously ask you to support the continued COVID funding and support the stand-alone bill that has reached the Senate.”

The Kanawha County Commission would like to thank Senator Capito and Senator Manchin for all they have done for the citizens of the community during the pandemic.