T-L Photo/ROBERT A. DEFRANK Belmont County Deputy Health Commissioner Robert Sproul answers questions Wednesday from Belmont County Commissioner Jerry Echemann. Weekly vaccination clinics will be held Saturdays at the Ohio Valley Mall community room.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Today marks the final day for the large COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the former Sears in the Ohio Valley Mall, but the Belmont County Health Department will host smaller vaccination clinics from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays for the next six weeks.

“We may increase those times for that place if we get a big response, but we are also going around the county to different locations and doing the vaccinations within the communities. We’ll put that out and try to make it more convenient,” Belmont County Deputy Health Commission Rob Sproul said.

After offering the vaccines to high school students, Sproul’s office is in the process of scheduling clinics with area school districts for younger grades since the Pfizer BioNTech version has been authorized for recipients as young as 12.

Sproul gave the news Wednesday when he updated the Belmont County board of Commissioners.

Sproul said his department has administered about 19,000 vaccinations to the county’s population of 67,000, and Belmont County residents may also have sought COVID vaccines from other providers.

His staff has been giving the second of the two required doses during morning clinics, with the Sears site open 1-5 p.m. for walk-in patients wanting their first dose.

“We get a lot of the older population, and we see a lot of the younger kids coming out, too. We’re still continuing those vaccinations, so the numbers will go up,” he said

In answer to a question from Commissioner J.P. Dutton, Sproul said there has been a noticeable slowdown of new COVID-19 cases.

“There are people back into their regular jobs,” he said. “We’re opening now.”

Dutton also asked about how American Rescue Fund money might be utilized by local health departments.

“We’ve been requesting that they let us know,” Sproul said. “The state’s been kind of quiet with what they’re going to do with that money.”

Commissioner Jerry Echemann asked about any restrictions that might remain in place after June 2, the date Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine set for lifting pandemic health restrictions. Sproul said nursing homes and congregate facilities may continue with restrictions, as well as possibly senior centers.

Sproul reported there have been 6,334 cases in the county since the pandemic began, with 241 people isolated with active cases or hospitalized. There have been 5,975 recoveries, and 118 residents have died after contracting the virus.

He said as of Wednesday morning the numbers had been unchanged since Tuesday, but later on Wednesday four new cases were reported as well as more than 20 recoveries.

For more information, visit gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov or the health department’s site at belmontcountyhealth.com.