(Charleston, W.Va.) – A Unified Health Command was established today to aid in Kanawha County’s COVID-19 preparation after weeks of initial meetings with leaders throughout the county. Led by the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department, the command will include representatives from Kanawha County, the City of Charleston, Kanawha County Schools, Kanawha County Metro 911, Charleston Area Medical Center, Thomas Health and the Putnam County Health Department. At this time, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Kanawha County or the State of West Virginia.
A Unified Health Command links organizations that are responding to an incident and provides a forum for these entities to make collaborative decisions. This also provides a structure for operational control and unified communication strategies.
“A Unified Health Command will allow the health department to work together with city and county leaders, hospitals, health care providers, first responders and other groups to monitor and respond to potential outbreaks and provide the community with factual updates and guidance. The health and safety of Kanawha County citizens is our top priority. As a Unified Command, we will work together to find the best course of action as we move forward,” said Dr. Sherri Young, Health Officer and Executive Director of the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department.
The Unified Health Command will be located at the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. An initial planning meeting took place this morning and Stanley Mills, Kanawha-Charleston Health Department Environmental Services Director and Chief Representative of the Unified Health Command, will be available for media questions Friday at 5:00 p.m.
Please be advised that the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department is working with several partners to provide media the latest updates. The main media contact will be Lori Kersey, Kanawha-Charleston Health Department Public Information Officer. She can be reached at 304-348-6493, 304-380-3722 (cell) or by email at lori.a.kersey@wv.gov.
Any general COVID-19 questions should be directed to (304) 348-1088.