Last year, the CDC deemed Kanawha County’s HIV outbreak was “the most concerning in the country.” Now, health experts are taking what they learned from the COVID-19 vaccine and applying it to a new, potential HIV vaccine. Ryan White program director, Christine Teague, told WCHS TV that the link between substance use disorder and positive HIV cases continues to be an issue her team faces every day. Clinical trials for a new HIV vaccine are underway, and Teague said while other attempts at HIV vaccines haven’t worked in the past, she said she’s cautiously optimistic about this one. It uses mRNA technology, similar to the way the COVID-19 vaccine was developed. Right now, treatment for HIV includes daily pills and monthly injections, both of which can help a patient reach undetectable status over time.