In February 2018, Kanawha County offered free flu shots at public sites around the county during a heavy flu season. A state health advisory had already said flu was widespread in West Virginia.
The program was called Project Last Shot. County commissioners approved it on February 6, 2018, and bought the county’s remaining 4,000 doses so residents could get a shot at no cost. The health department supplied the nurses. Partners included the City of Charleston, the Kanawha County Ambulance Authority, Yeager Airport, Kanawha County Schools and the regional bus system.
The plan called for clinics in public buildings, with nurses also visiting schools, churches and buses. Early stops were at the Charleston Town Center, the Kanawha County Courthouse and the Union Carbide Tech Center. By February 16, 179 people had received a shot. Health officials said the season might last into May, so a shot was still worth getting.