MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — The last dedicated Mobile County Health Department COVID-19 vaccine and treatment center is preparing for its last day of operations on Friday.

“Based on Utilization of the festival center over the last couple of months, the numbers have dropped down,” Mobile County Health officer, Dr. Kevin Micheals said.

Between the lack of people in need of their services and the end of funding for this operation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are shifting COVID treatments to primarily traditional healthcare centers.

However, this comes right after a COVID-19 spike in Mobile County.

“What we saw over the last couple of weeks or months is that we sort of peaked around the 20th of August, we had our highest number of cases since January,” Dr. Micheals said.

According to the Mobile County Health Department. That peak was about 1,400 reported cases in August. The last peak was in January with 900 reported cases.

“We did have a slight increase, so yes people were experiencing a little bit more COVID illness in the community,” Dr. Micheals said.

According to the Mobile County Health Department in August of 2022, there were 4,400 reported cases.

But despite these numbers, Dr. Micheals says that COVID-19 is not over.

“COVID is still present in the community, and it will stay present in the community probably for the next 10 years,” Dr. Micheals said.

The Mobile County Health Department is still waiting to get the most up-to-date vaccine, once that is delivered the vaccines will be administered through the family health center.