CHARLESTON,
WV – Gov. Jim Justice joined West Virginia health leaders and
other officials today for his latest daily press briefing regarding the
State’s COVID-19 response.
GUIDELINES FOR
REOPENING CERTAIN BUSINESSES NOW AVAILABLE
On Tuesday, Gov. Justice provided additional guidelines for certain
businesses that may be permitted to reopen as early as next week as part
of “West Virginia
Strong – The Comeback” – the Governor’s plan to
reopen businesses in certain sectors in phases.
The guidelines provided today are for small businesses with 10 or fewer
employees, restaurants with takeaway service or outdoor dining options available,
as well as religious entities and funeral homes – all of which are among
the types of businesses permitted to resume operations in the “Week 2”
phase of the Governor’s plan, which would begin Monday, May 4, if the
statewide cumulative percent of positive test results (available at
Coronavirus.wv.gov) remains below 3 percent through
the evening of Wednesday, April 29.
These guidance documents are being provided in advance of the earliest
possible reopening date – Monday, May 4 – to give businesses a chance to
prepare to resume operations in accordance with the new guidelines. If
the statewide cumulative percent of positive test results were to
increase above the 3 percent threshold, the reopening scheduled may be
delayed. The Governor’s Office will provide updates in the days ahead.
Guidelines available for download here:
Professional service businesses such as hair salons, nail salons,
barbershops, and pet grooming are also permitted to reopen in the “Week
2” phase of the plan. Additional guidelines for the reopening of these
types of businesses will be provided by the board or commission that
regulates each professional service.
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GOV. JUSTICE
PROVIDES ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION ON PLAN TO REOPEN WEST VIRGINIA
Gov. Justice also provided further clarification about his plan to reopen
the state.
The Governor explained that the entire six-week reopening process will go
into action if, during the ongoing three-day observation period,
statewide cumulative percent of positive test results remain below 3
percent.
“We tracked a day on Monday, we’re tracking a day today, and we’re
tracking a day tomorrow,” Gov. Justice said. “If we stay under 3 percent,
then on Wednesday evening at 5 o’clock, we’ll have our three days and
Week 1 will commence immediately.”
The Governor also clarified that each subsequent phase of the reopening
process – Weeks 2-6 – will begin on each week’s respective Monday.
TENTATIVE dates for reopening:
- Week 1 – Thursday, April
30
- Week 2 – Monday, May 4
- Weeks 3-6 will begin on
subsequent Mondays
- Businesses opening Weeks
3-6 will be announced the week before
Click here to read
more about the plan, including which businesses are scheduled to open
each week
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DHHR AND WVU
PARTNER TO OFFER ONLINE COURSE FOR CONTACT TRACING
Additionally, Gov. Justice announced that the West Virginia Department of
Health and Human Resources and the West Virginia University School of
Public Health are teaming up to offer an online course, training public
health investigators how to perform contact tracing for COVID-19.
Contact tracing is a method used to help limit the spread of COVID-19.
Health investigators work with COVID-positive patients to try to help
them remember everyone they were in contact with while they may have been
infectious. People who might have been exposed can then be warned.
The DHHR and WVU are recruiting members of the West Virginia National
Guard and anyone assisting DHHR or local health departments in their
response to COVID-19 to take part in the course, which begins this week.
Senior undergraduate and graduate level students in public health, health
professional programs, and related fields may also participate.
“I am proud to see this partnership and commend WVU for getting this
done,” Gov. Justice said. “This is more great work being done by West
Virginians and it’s more great work by West Virginia University.”
Click here to read
more |
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DHSEM SECURES
ACCESS TO PPE DECONTAMINATION SYSTEM
Also on Tuesday, Gov. Justice announced that the West Virginia Division
of Homeland Security and Emergency Management has secured access to one
of only 25 high-capacity decontamination systems for personal protective
equipment (PPE) in the U.S., by working with the Federal Emergency
Management Agency and the State of Virginia.
In early April, FEMA announced that the Battelle Memorial Institute would
offer 25 Critical Care Decontamination Systems (CCDS) nationally to
decontaminate personal protective equipment for health care and other
frontline COVID-19 responders. A CCDS can decontaminate up to 80,000 N95
masks per day when operating at full capacity.
“This is one of 25 units in the entire country and very, very soon it’s
going to come and be here,” Gov. Justice said. “I commend our Division of
Homeland Security and Emergency Management and all of our Department of
Military Affairs and Public Safety for all that they’ve done to make this
a reality.”
Click here to read
more |
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EXECUTIVE ORDER
ISSUED SUSPENDING REGULATIONS FOR DENTISTS, WVDE SPEECH LANGUAGE
PATHOLOGISTS
Also on Tuesday, Gov. Justice signed an executive order suspending
several regulatory statute provisions to provide more flexibility to
dentists and speech-language pathologists across West Virginia as the
State of Emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
Click here to view
executive order |
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WEST VIRGINIA
NATIONAL GUARD UPDATE
Since beginning operations in support of the state's COVID-19 response 46
days ago, the WVNG has completed 698 missions through six lines of effort
of operationalizing of the event, stabilizing the population, providing
logistical movement of critical supplies, innovation, state surge
capacity and capability, and conducting data analysis to combat the
virus. Currently, 704 members of the WVNG are on duty serving the
citizens of the State of West Virginia.
Today, members of Task Force CRE are providing additional PPE training to
the Harrison County Health Department while also supporting area
healthcare facilities and retail establishments with PPE training.
Members are also providing assistance for COVID-19 drive through testing
lanes at three locations. To date, this team has trained 665 businesses,
3,318 personnel and 74 medical or long-term care facilities.
In addition to training, TF CRE and TF Medical will be conducting a
COVID-19 testing mission tomorrow at the Weirton Geriatric Center. So
far, they have conducted 220 COVID-19 tests for lane support and 2,277
tests as a part of their response mission.
Click to read more |
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