With local COVID-19 cases increasing, T.J. Regional Health in Glasgow on Monday extended vaccine appointment availability from two to five days a week.

The decision came days after Med Center Health said all vaccines would be available starting Aug. 9 at Medical Center Urgentcare.

The Medical Center is transitioning the location for its Bowling Green vaccine distribution from The Medical Center-WKU Health Sciences Complex.

A statement from The Medical Center said the change would make vaccines available during extended hours seven days per week.

Both moves are a response to most counties in the Barren River region having “critical” COVID-19 incidence rates as defined by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

“As is the trend across the country, we are seeing a number of COVID-positives in our region and in our inpatients,” T.J. Regional Executive Vice President of Marketing Stacey Biggs said. “Just two weeks ago, we reported two COVID inpatients. As of this morning, we now have 13. We have seen an uptick in our team members and in vaccination appointments. That was a good indication to expand our days for appointments.”

T.J. Regional Health had given the Moderna vaccine for individuals 18 or older on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but now appointments can be made Monday through Friday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Biggs said the hospital has given more than 18,330 doses of vaccine since it became available, but the vast majority of the current patients are unvaccinated.

She said the situation was serious enough to recommend those ages 12 through 18 search for other health centers to receive the Pfizer vaccine.

“The data show the vaccines are safe,” Biggs said. “Having the vaccine doesn’t mean you can’t get COVID, but vaccinated folks’ symptoms are more mild and not nearly as bad. The numbers speak for themselves.

“We know that folks want to consider all of their options,” she said. “It is very personal to each person. If they still have questions, we urge everyone to talk with their primary care doctor. We encourage folks to have that conversation.”

The Moderna vaccine is being administered at T.J. Regional Health, and appointments can be scheduled by calling its vaccine hotline at 270-659-1010.

Med Center Health Executive Director of Marketing & Public Relations Corie Martin said the company has administered about 87,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine across southcentral Kentucky.

However, officials are urging more individuals to get vaccinated with the highly-contagious delta variant becoming more prevalent in the region.

Martin said the two leading organizations that represent obstetricians and gynecologists, American College of Obstricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine, recommended Friday that all pregnant or nursing mothers take the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Associated Press reported the two groups previously declared pregnant people shouldn’t be excluded from vaccination, but they both stopped short of endorsing the shots.

The president of the OB-GYN group, Dr. Martin Tucker, said in a statement that doctors should enthusiastically recommend the shots to their patients.

The new vaccine site at Medical Center Urgentcare is at 291 New Towne Drive off Lovers Lane in Bowling Green and is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days per week.

Any eligible person seeking a COVID-19 shot (at least 12 years of age) can walk in during regular business hours or make an appointment by calling or texting the word COVID to 270-796-4400.

– Follow reporter John Reecer on Twitter @JReecerBGDN or visit bgdailynews.com.