Media is invited to cover Free Naloxone Day in Monongalia County

Sep. 2, 2022

Contact: Mary Wade Burnside
Public Information Officer | Monongalia County Health Department
Morgantown, WV 26505 (304) 598-5152 | www.monchd.org MaryWade.Burnside@wv.gov

For Immediate Release

MORGANTOWN, WV (Sept. 2, 2022) — Media outlets are encouraged and welcome to cover the Monongalia County Quick Response Team’s (QRT) Free Naloxone Day, which will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 9, at nine locations around the county.

Please contact Mary Wade Burnside at 304-598-5152 or email MaryWade.Burnside@wv.gov to coordinate a visit to ensure that someone will be available for interviews at a particular time and location.

Members of the Monongalia County QRT and volunteers will be available at each station to teach participants how to administer naloxone, which reverses the effects of an opioid overdose by kicking the opioid molecules off brain receptors.

The demonstrations should take about 10 minutes and will take place on a continuing basis as individuals show up to be trained. The locations include three McDonald’s restaurants, in Westover, Star City and Sabraton; as well as the Westover VFW; the WVU Rec Center; the WVU Mountainlair; Dering-Henson Funeral Home (sponsored by Mon Health Medical Center); Milan Puskar HealthRight and the Morgantown Art Party.

Volunteers will be at HealthRight until 4 p.m. and at the Morgantown Art Party from 5-7 p.m. Additionally, COVID-19 vaccines will be offered at three of the locations: Westover McDonald’s, WVU Mountainlair and HealthRight.

Although this will be the third time that the Monongalia County QRT has held county-wide naloxone demonstrations and distribution, for the first time, all 55 counties will be holding Free Naloxone/Save a Life Day events on Sept. 8. The events are supported by the West Virginia Office of Drug Control Policy as well as the University of Charleston School of Pharmacy and the West Virginia Office of Maternal Child & Family Health.

For up-to-date information on health and wellness in Monongalia County, check out monchd.org and follow the health department on Facebook and Twitter @WVMCHD and on Instagram at #wvmchd.