Tomorrow, Americans will gather to celebrate Thanksgiving and reflect on all that they are grateful for in their lives.

When one thinks about where we were at this time this year, with a pandemic limiting gatherings to small numbers and many observing the holiday alone, we want to highlight one group whose work has been of utmost importance to the county in 2021.

It was about this time last year when the breakthrough was announced that a COVID-19 vaccine had been developed. And, it was in late December that the first of these vaccines arrived in the region, given to workers at the Lawrence County Health Department, who would begin the long process of administering them to the population.

Over the following months, they would go to work, first vaccinating first responders and the elderly, then working their way down as more age groups became eligible.

The department has hosted numerous vaccination clinics, at schools, public events, the health department offices and regular ones at the South Point Board of Education building, which has served as a hub for the county’s efforts.

And their work continues today, with boosters available and many only now deciding to get their first shots.

We would like to thank everyone at the department for all that they have done this year. It was through their work that we can finally see an ease of the pandemic in our county.