On Wednesday, hundreds of employees of Lawrence County schools stopped by the board of education office in South Point to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

It was a massive undertaking and South Point was chosen for the Lawrence County Health Department’s mass vaccination event, due to its central location in the county.

Helping to staff the event were nurses from all the public schools, as well as volunteers from the Ohio University Southern nursing program, the Collins Career and Technical Center nursing program, EMTs from Lawrence County EMS, OVP Health Care, the Ironton-Lawrence County Community Action Organization Family Medical Centers and Cabell-Huntington Hospital.

We commend the health department and all who made this possible. As the event entered its last hour, they had vaccinated about 800 employees. The goal had been to reach 1,000-1,200.

For those who work in schools who did not make it, we urge them to contact the health department and get a vaccination. Not only will it protect them from the virus, but it will go a long way to restoring some normalcy to the education system locally and safeguarding staff, children and the community.