ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Local health departments are adjusting to serving a younger group as COVID-19 vaccine eligibility expands to Ohioans age 16 and older beginning next week.

Belmont County Deputy Health Director Robert Sproul’s staff completed 1,200 vaccinations this past week, when the age range was expanded to those 40 and older. He said in practical terms, his staff and volunteers will not yet be able to offer vaccinations to people as young as 16, and they are making changes in the schedule for the coming week’s vaccination clinics.

“For next week, we’re getting 1,000 Moderna doses, so we’re going to be able to do the 18 and above. Pfizer is the only one that has a drop down to the 16- and 17-year-olds,” Sproul said. “We will be holding a clinic on Wednesday and Thursday. On our website we have the registration open so people can register for appointments those days. We will be going later in the day on Thursday, again because we’re now in the younger crowd.”

Thursday’s clinic will be from noon to 7p.m. The health department’s website is belmontcountyhealth.com and the state site is gettheshot.coronavirus.gov.

Sproul emphasized warnings from the state that although younger people are statistically less likely to suffer lasting or fatal effects from COVID-19, they can still spread the virus.

“They tend to go to spring break. They tend to congregate more,” he said. “Everybody is hopeful, and again a lot of people that went through the vaccination clinics, that is their hope, that they can get fully vaccinated so they can travel again and see relatives again and get back to a normal life. They’re thinking of protecting their health, but they’re also thinking of doing some traveling this summer.”

With the coming of spring and summer, Sproul and other health officials are awaiting directives from the state regarding fairs and festivals that were absent from last summer.

“They’re still working on the guidance for car shows and proms and other graduation events,” Sproul said.

He added that the state’s mass vaccination clinics also offer some local opportunities.

“They’re having the mobile mass clinic, one is based out of Steubenville. There is talk that they will come into Belmont County. I’ve reached out to find … how we can work together on a large event and I’m waiting to hear back.”

The Association of Ohio Health Commissioners recently announced that Ohio’s 113 health departments administered 1 million doses of coronavirus vaccine in a period of three months.

“Local health departments all across the state have been working very, very hard to get the shots out to people, to get people vaccinated. They’ve been doing a very, very good job with very limited staff. We’re trying again to get the public health moving forward and protecting the health of Ohioans by getting everybody vaccinated.”

DeWine has said Ohio’s declining COVID-19 cases have steadied and reached a “plateau.” Sproul said this holds true locally, with Belmont County’s active cases rising to just above 200 recently after dropping to the 170s and 180s.

“It’s staying relatively close. We’re staying in that area and it continues to be less as we go on. We’re hoping a lot of the vaccinations of our population will curb that number also,” Sproul said.

Belmont County has had a total of 5,581 confirmed cases, with 204 people in isolation at home with active cases. There have been 5,201 recoveries, 70 residents are hospitalized and 106 people in the county have died after contracting the virus.