ROMNEY, W.Va. — Hampshire County health officials are optimistic case numbers will decrease despite the county being red on the state Department of Health and Human Resources’ county alert system map.
Hardy and Berkeley counties are also at the highest category on the map released Monday.
“We are slowly starting to trend downward with our infection rate,” Hampshire County Health Department Administrator Stephanie Shoemaker said. “We still are red on the DHHR County Alert Map, but we are teetering on orange. I am hopeful that a handful more days of trending downwards and we will be able to steadily maintain the orange status on the DHHR map so our high school students can get back to school.”
Shoemaker noted vaccination efforts and no major holidays should help improve the county’s numbers. She added there is overwhelming interest from residents about getting vaccinated.
“We are swamped with people wanting to get on the list and interested in getting the vaccine,” she said.
Efforts to vaccinate teachers is underway. Educators are a top-priority group in the state’s coronavirus plan.