CHARLESTON, W.Va. — While active coronavirus cases in West Virginia continue to decrease, the state’s leading coronavirus official says efforts to vaccinate West Virginians need to continue being as strong as ever.
Comments from state coronavirus czar Dr. Clay Marsh on Wednesday’s “MetroNews Talkline” followed the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s classification of the delta strain as a “variant of concern.” The delta variant was first detected in India, and health officials describe the strain as having increased transmissibility and a higher risk of serious illness.
“That is going to become the most common variant in the United States in the next two to three weeks is the projection,” Marsh said. “Although we’ve seen only a very limited number of cases of the delta variant in West Virginia, it is coming.”
The state Department of Health and Human Resources reported Wednesday 2,673 active coronavirus cases in West Virginia. More than 955,000 West Virginians — 61.4% of West Virginians 12 years older and older — have received at least one coronavirus vaccine dose.
Marsh said one vaccine dose will not be enough to protect people from the new strain.
“We’re approaching a yellow light,” Marsh said. “A yellow light is the risk of the new variant coming to West Virginia.”
Marsh noted herd immunity is ideal — in which at least 75% of West Virginians get vaccinated — but not a realistic situation.
“The reason why is because even though the vaccines are continuously being tested in younger and younger Americans so that we can continue to include more of our citizens in the eligible population, we know that for now, we can only vaccinate children 7 and older with the Pfizer vaccine,” he said.
“We also know there is a balance between the immunity that people have from being vaccinated, which will start to wane in some people, we believe, and that’s the reason why we’re projecting that in a year or so, we’ll recommend boosters for people to take to upgrade their immune function in case they become exposed to COVID-19 or become infected with it, but we also know that relates to the form of the variants.”
Sunday will mark the end of the statewide mask mandate, in which the state is hosting a celebration at the state Capitol to simultaneously mark West Virginia Day. Gov. Jim Justice will also announce the first winners of the “Do it for Babydog” vaccination lottery on Sunday, in which prizes include $1 million, custom trucks, four-year scholarships to any public university in West Virginia, and lifetime hunting and fishing licenses.