Entering 3rd year of pandemic, governor says citizens ‘can’t become numb’

As West Virginia moves into its third year of dealing with the covid-19 pandemic, Gov. Jim Justice exhorted citizens to remain engaged.

“Why would we sit back now and just become numb to the fact that ‘We’re going to lose 25 to 100 folks every other day and we’re just going to live with it,” Justice said during a regular briefing today. “Are you kidding me? That’s not America. That’s not us.”

West Virginia reported its first confirmed case of covid-19 on March 17, 2020, becoming the last state to do so. The state’s first confirmed death from covid-19 was March 29, 2020.

Today’s remarks by the governor came during a spike of active cases and a surge of covid-19 hospitalizations.

West Virginia’s daily positivity rate for today hit 20.74 percent, a mark even the governor said he’d not seen before. Thousands of state residents are being tested, and many more of those than usual are coming back positive.

The state hit 15,911 active cases today. That number is up from 9,478 last Tuesday.

Dr. Ayne Amjad

State Health Officer Ayne Amjad said the numbers have popped up so quickly that many people who test positive will get an automated notification of further steps.

“We have such a large case volume over the past couple of days that our case investigation and contact tracing team may be sending you a text message if you have a cell phone. So you might not get a phone call any more,” she said.

“And we recommend that if you receive this notification that you self-isolate for five days. Make sure your symptoms are free, and also notify any close contacts in your household or even at work to go get tested.”

Today there were 716 residents in hospitals with covid-19. That number is up from 638 one week ago.

The state identified 195 covid-19 patients in intensive care units, and 118 who need a ventilator to breathe.

James Hoyer

“Because of the significant increase in the number of cases, the net numbers going into the hospital are going to be much higher,” said Jim Hoyer, who leads the state’s interagency task force.

Over the course of the pandemic, which hit West Virginia in spring 2020, 5,361 deaths have been attributed to covid-19.

After listing the ages and home counties of the most recent people whose deaths were attributed to covid-19, Justice urged those who were listening “Don’t let this become something you’re just numb about.”

He added that most of the deaths now could be prevented: “90 percent of these deaths are people that are unvaccinated.”

West Virginia has calculated 447 “breakthrough deaths” of people who were vaccinated but died anyway.

The state’s percentage of vaccine-eligible people, ages 5 and above, who are considered fully vaccinated is 54.2 percent. That vaccination rate generally places West Virginia among the bottom third of states in the nation. 

Of the West Virginians considered fully-vaccinated, 35 percent have gotten a booster, according to state figures.

“The booster shot is the biggest. That’s the biggest to me right now,” Justice said. “The booster shot is so important.”

Again, the governor urged West Virginians to be aggressive about protecting themselves.

“People are asleep at the switch because they believe they have been vaccinated and don’t need a booster shot,” he said.





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