CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The state will receive more doses of COVID-19 vaccine this week from the federal government than it has since the vaccine roll-out began in mid-December.
Gov. Jim Justice said during his Monday media briefing at the state capitol the state expects to get 92,770 total doses this week including 15,500 doses of the just approved Johnson & Johnson one-shot vaccine, 36,270 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 34,100 of the Moderna vaccine. The number is the total of both first and second doses expected to be shipped, Justice said.
State InterAgency Task Force Director Jim Hoyer said the state will stick with its same distribution program.
“We know that the strategy is working and we’re going to stay disciplined on that,” Hoyer said. “In the first seven weeks of this year we’ve seen an 85% reduction in our death rates.”
State Coronavirus Czar Dr. Clay Marsh said it’s great for the state now to have three options for vaccinations.
“It’s really important for all West Virginians to recognize that all three of these vaccines are all incredibly safe and incredibly effective,” Marsh said during Monday’s briefing.
According to numbers from the state Department of Health and Human Resources, nearly 299,000 state residents have received at least one shot. The state lists just shy of 198,000 residents who have been fully vaccinated.
The Johnson & Johnson one shot vaccine, which doesn’t require the deep freeze refrigeration that Pfizer and Moderna do, will give the state more flexibility, Marsh said. He said it may be used for residents who can’t leave their homes.
“That may be an attractive sort of use in people who are homebound or people that it’s very difficult for them to receive more than one dose of the vaccine because of anxiety and other things,” Marsh said.
Hoyer said the InterAgency Task Force, working with the state Bureau of Senior Services, has identified 2,000 of what’s believed to be about 4,000 homebound residents who might benefit from the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
“We know they’re vulnerable and we need to get them vaccinated as quickly as possible,” Hoyer said.
The state continues to focus its vaccination plan on those 65 and older. Hoyer said Monday essential workers over the age of 50 are being vaccinated through the federal pharmacy program.
“We have expanded into the 50 and above critical workforce group. We are using primarily the pharmacy piece to address that initially,” Hoyer said.