CHARLESTON, W.Va. – U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $3,500,000 from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to the Community Education Group (CEG). This funding will support and expand vaccination efforts in rural communities, including recruiting and training healthcare workers, distributing the COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines that protect against preventable diseases.
“Our COVID-19 vaccine distribution in West Virginia was one of the strongest in the nation, setting the example for communities across the country,” Senator Capito said. “This effort was vital to our states recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and it helped save countless lives. I’m glad to see this funding from the CDC headed to West Virginia to help continue that success, while strengthening vaccine distribution efforts across rural communities in the future.”
“The COVID-19 vaccines authorized for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are safe, effective and our best chance at defeating the COVID-19 pandemic. But it is critical that we work together to increase vaccine confidence for West Virginians living in rural communities. I am pleased the CDC is investing in the Community Education Group to do just this while also supporting community outreach efforts to benefit public health. CEG remains a strong partner for the Mountain State, and I will continue to work with organizations, communities and state and local governments to vaccinate more West Virginians to keep ourselves, our loved ones and our communities safe,” Senator Manchin said.
“We want to thank Senator Manchin and Senator Capito for helping the Community Education Group (CEG) bring additional public health resources to West Virginia to address the COVID19 pandemic as well as the growing HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Substance Use Disorder syndemic in West Virginia. The resources will significantly expand CEG’s work on the frontlines of the syndemic and COVID. These life-saving services for the people of West Virginia wouldn’t be possible without our industry partner, Gilead Science, who provided an initial two year $500,000 award supporting CEG in building the necessary infrastructure to fulfill this mission. Plans for these new CDC funds include recruiting and supporting a cohort of contract nurses and community health workers, as well as establishing training centers in Morgantown and Charleston where CEG can train outreach workers and build capacity to fight this statewide syndemic within the COVID pandemic,” A. Toni Young, Executive Director of Community Education Group said.
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