Role of Hospitals: Charleston Area Medical Center

Drive-through health fairs are rolling out in communities Kanawha County in West Virginia. And they are providing basic health services for people in every stage of life – from infants to patients 65 and older. It’s a new method of identifying unmet health and health care needs of a population and making changes to meet these unmet needs. While focus is on getting more people vaccinated against COVID-19 and the seasonal flu, as well as other common illnesses, the events also offer free blood pressure and blood glucose checks; at-home colon cancer screening tests; free car seat checks; smoke alarms and health education handouts. Free or discounted bloodwork also will be offered.

And to make the easy-access health services even more enticing, people who attend will be entered into a door prize drawing and there will be prizes for children who attend.

The modern-day, on-the-go health fairs is a collaboration between Charleston Area Medical Center, Kanawha-Charleston Health Department, the Kanawha Country Emergency Ambulance Authority and other community health partners. These community partners recognize that preventative care is something that has fallen behind during the COVID-19 pandemic and together are finding creative solutions that address critical health care needs.

For more information about CAMC’s community vaccination events and easy access to other health care services visit: https://www.camc.org/news/community-vaccinations