CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Active cases of COVID-19 in West Virginia continue to stay around the 2,000 level.
Gov. Jim Justice said during his Tuesday media briefing that boosters are serving their purpose. He said protection is lacking without them.
“If you’re 50 years of age and older and you’re out six months, you were vaccinated two times by Pfizer or two times by Moderna, it’s like you never took the vaccinations,” Justice said.
Justice said the state has administered more than 2.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccinations since they became available.
“It’s just a lot, a lot of work. A lot of people have stepped up and a lot of lives have been saved,” Justice said.
COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide are at 217.
KCHD to charge for COVID-19 tests
The Kanawha-Charleston Health Department said Tuesday it would begin billing patients for COVID-19 tests beginning July 1.
The department said federal funding to cover the tests is running out.
“Many testing locations throughout the state transitioned to billing private insurance a month ago,” KCHD Health Officer and Executive Director Dr. Steven Eshenaur said in a Tuesday news release. “While we were very fortunate—working with local and state partners—to be able to extend free COVID-19 PCR testing a few more weeks, we realized it just is not sustainable without additional funding at the
federal level.”
The health department will begin charging insurance companies for the tests on July 1. The department will test only by appointment.
Patients can still request free at-home test kits.