BELLAIRE — Staff from the Belmont County Health Department administered COVID-19 vaccinations and answered questions as part of another round of riverside clinics Wednesday.

Health department maternal child health staffer Jessica Thomas and nurse Carleigh Jeffers said they administered nine vaccinations at the Salvation Army in Bellaire.

“We’ve been pretty steady here. We had a rush,” Thomas said, noting the shots given were mainly second doses.

The Pfizer BioNTech and Moderna versions of the vaccine each require two injections about 28 days apart. The Johnson & Johnson version requires one injection.

Afterward, they headed to Continuing Healthcare of Shadyside — another community along the Ohio River — to offer vaccines to residents. Members of the health board have voiced concerns that only about 66 percent of Belmont County residents age 80 and older have been vaccinated. They noted the older demographic is vulnerable to lasting harmful effects from the virus.

The staff also fielded questions from locals such as Denise Marks of the Bridgeport Manor, who is undecided about whether to opt for the vacacine.

“I’m not a fan of the sharp, pointy things,” she said.

“It’s a tough decision for some, but you’ll know when it’s right, if you need to get it or not,” Thomas said. She added they continue to see a mix of younger and older recipients at the clinics.

“We had someone come in here and ask if they’d opened any other tiers, anything for those below 12,” Thomas said.

The Pfizer BioNTech version has been cleared for children as young as 12.

The health department will administer shots from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday at its headquarters. A clinic also will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for at least two more Saturdays at the Community Room of the Ohio Valley Mall.

The department also hosted a pop-up tent to give away packs of Narcan nasal spray to counter the effects of opioid overdoses.

“This is medicine we give for anybody that’s having an overdose. People can keep it in their home or in a car,” Thomas said. “It’s for illegal substances, but also if there’s an elderly person in the home that might take a lot of medicine that they could overdose on,” Thomas said.

For more information, call the department at 740-695-1212.

“We do mail out kits. People can come pick them up at the health department,” Thomas said. “We suggest (in cases of overdose) call 911 first, do a sternal rub, administer the (spay). That can last up to 30 minutes. While you’re waiting for 911 to come, we recommend that you do chest compressions and rescue breaths.”

She said the health department offers such pop-up sites once a month. A total of seven people took kits Wednesday.

“This has actually been the busiest one that we had,” she said of the event, adding that about five people usually take a spray packet.

According to coronavirus.ohio.gov, Belmont County has had a total of 6,152 cases, 5,932 recoveries and 174 deaths have been associated with the virus.

In Jefferson County there have been 5,672 cases, with 5,512 recoveries and 158 people have died after being infected.

Monroe County has had a total of 1,363 cases and 1,306 recoveries, while 44 people have died after contracting the virus.

Meanwhile, the Harrison County Health Department reported on social media that there have been 1,157 cases so far in the county and 1,131 recoveries, while 24 residents have died after contracting the virus.