The Lawrence County Health Department will soon be the recipient of an almost $21,000 grant to pay for mosquito spraying in the wake of outbreaks of the Zika virus.

This past March, Dan Palmer, director of the Lawrence-Scioto Solid Waste District, was at a tire summit conducted by the Ohio EPA.

“The director spoke about the importance of addressing the Zika virus,” Palmer said. “He informed us that Ohio would be a leader. Ohio would be proactive. They didn’t know the extent of how bad the virus would be.”

The director asked those at the summit to inform their health departments about the grants and encourage them to apply.

Out of $250,000 in grant money given out to 18 counties, Lawrence received $20,741, Portsmouth Health Department, $25,000 and Scioto County Health Department $43,300. That is more than one-third of the amount distributed. That will cover surveillance, chemicals to kill larvae and community outreach.

There will be a second round in July for those who did not apply this time.

“I thought this was very important and a necessity,” Palmer said.