6:00: Morning News

Delegate pushes for increased vaccine supplies to rural W.Va.

RAVENSWOOD, W.Va. — Gov. Jim Justice indicated during his most recent COVID-19 briefing he is leaning heavily on those within the Biden administration to get more COVID-19 vaccine to West Virginia. The state is equipped to handle administering 125,000 shots a day across the state according to the Governor, if they can just get the vaccine.

Steve Westfall

Clinics in some of the state’s larger cities have show the capacity to efficiently handle the vaccine when it’s on hand. Last weekend, Charleston staged a clinic in which they were able to deliver almost 4,000 doses on Saturday. During a three day period nearly 6,500 were vaccinated. The only obstacle is getting enough of the serum.

That’s particularly difficult in rural areas of the state who believe they are even more neglected.

“I truly believe our local health department and a lot of local health department’s are capable of getting it out and into people’s arms, but we just can’t get the vaccine right now in Jackson County or in West Virginia,” said Del. Steve Westfall of Jackson County in an interview with MetroNews affiliate WMOV Radio in Ravenswood.

Westfall said he’s unsure what it will take to get more vaccine into the state, but he’s hoping it will flow faster. HeĀ  contends rural areas, like those he represents, are being shortchanged on chances for a shot.

“It’s a problem. We’re not getting it in Jackson County as we should. I’ve been calling the Governor’s office and trying to get more than we get. They tell us they’re not getting from the federal government what they need,” he explained.

According to Westfall, he was told the state is requesting more than 100,000 doses a week and were getting fewer than 30,000 doses a week.

“I’m not sure what we can do, but we’ve got to do all we can to get the vaccine out especially to rural areas of the state like Jackson and Roane counties,” he said.





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