Office of the Governor > News > Press Releases > 2021 Press Releases > COVID-19 UPDATE: Gov. Justice announces pharmacy partnership to further enhance West Virginia’s nation-leading vaccination efforts

COVID-19 UPDATE: Gov. Justice announces pharmacy partnership to further enhance West Virginia’s nation-leading vaccination efforts

2/8/2021

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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.

WEST VIRGINIA PARTNERS WITH WALGREENS TO ENHANCE VACCINE DISTRIBUTION; WEEKLY ALLOCATION SET TO INCREASE AGAIN During Monday’s briefing, Gov. Justice announced that West Virginia has partnered with Walgreens through the Federal Pharmacy Program to offer COVID-19 vaccinations to West Virginians age 65 and older, as well as members of the state’s critical healthcare workforce.  As a result of the partnership, West Virginia is set to receive up to 5,800 additional vaccine doses per week initially. “We keep trying, in every way, and keep pleading with the federal government to get us more and more and more vaccines,” Gov. Justice said. “This is another bump. The net of the whole thing is that we’re getting close to 6,000 additional doses per week, and that’s going to help us a whole bunch.” The Governor went on to thank Walgreens for their commitment to West Virginia, and added that state leaders plan to work with the company to utilize West Virginia’s new vaccine pre-registration system to offer appointments to those who qualify to get vaccinated at select Walgreens locations across the state.

WEST VIRGINIA CONTINUES TO LEAD NATION IN VACCINE DISTRIBUTION; CLINICS SCHEDULED IN ALL 55 COUNTIES AGAIN THIS WEEK Gov. Justice also reported that West Virginia remains among the national leaders in the rate of COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration. As of Monday morning, 5.82 percent of West Virginia's entire population has received both doses of the vaccines. West Virginia has the highest rate of fully vaccinated residents of any state in the nation, with only one other state completing vaccinations on over five percent of their residents so far. Meanwhile, West Virginia has successfully administered 325,781 vaccine doses after receiving an allotment of 328,600 doses from the federal government to date; an overall administration rate of 99.1 percent, which also currently stands as the best such mark in the country. “It’s incredible just how well we’re doing this – how well West Virginia is doing,” Gov. Justice said. “I am so proud of all the people that are out there that are tirelessly carrying out this effort. It is amazing what they’re doing. “Our goal is to always get 100 percent of our shots into arms every single week,” Gov. Justice continued. “And we are going to do just that.”

According to the latest vaccine numbers posted to the COVID-19 Dashboard (Click "Vaccine Summary" tab), West Virginia now boasts a first dose administration rate of 106.1 percent, which exceeds 100 percent due to extra doses being extracted from vials of the vaccine, as well as a second dose administration rate of 87.2 percent. To date, West Virginia has administered 219,892 first doses and 105,889 second doses, totaling 325,781 doses administered overall statewide.

Gov. Justice went on to announce that free COVID-19 vaccination clinics will be held in all 55 counties across West Virginia once again this week through operation “Save Our Wisdom.” The clinics are available for West Virginians who are 65 years of age and older. Residents from any county in West Virginia may access an appointment at any of the vaccination clinics listed, regardless of their county of residence. To date, 100,286 West Virginians age 65 and older have chosen to be vaccinated, including 34,288 who are now fully vaccinated.

Each clinic location has its own, unique schedule. Visit vaccinate.wv.gov to view all clinic sites and schedules. Names are being pulled from the West Virginia COVID-19 vaccine pre-registration system to fill out appointments after waitlists are exhausted. All clinics require appointments and walk-ins will not be accepted. West Virginians age 16 and older are urged to pre-register online or call the COVID-19 Vaccine Info Line (1-833-734-0965) to get help pre-registering. West Virginia was the first state in the nation to put a statewide vaccination pre-registration system in place. The new digital tool allows West Virginians to add themselves to a list of people who are interested in being vaccinated, and will notify those who sign up about the availability of vaccine doses to help streamline vaccination efforts. To date, more than 216,000 West Virginians have signed up to be added to the pre-registration list. Pre-registering in the system does not automatically grant users access to a vaccine appointment. Rather, users will receive a message from the system when there is a vaccine available. When that occurs, users will be notified by text, email, or phone call to set up an appointment.

COVID-19 CASE NUMBERS UPDATE Additionally Monday, Gov. Justice reported that the current number of active cases in the state is now 15,557, down from 17,761 as of the Governor’s previous COVID-19 briefing Friday last week. The number of daily active cases in West Virginia has now decreased for 23 straight days. Meanwhile, the number of active hospitalizations is now 375, down from 384 last Friday, with 107 of those patients currently in the ICU. The cumulative percent of positive cases is now 5.60 percent, down from 5.61 percent last Friday. Click here to view the latest COVID-19 data

MONDAY MAP UPDATE Also on Monday, Gov. Justice provided a look at West Virginia’s latest mid-week County Alert System map update. The map is updated live on the DHHR’s COVID-19 Dashboard (Click "County Alert System" tab) throughout the week. Red counties: 3 Orange counties: 22 Gold counties: 19 Yellow counties: 7 Green counties: 4

DHHR’s COVID-19 Dashboard (Click "County Alert System" tab)

OUTBREAK REPORT Additionally Monday, Gov. Justice reported that there and now just two active church-related outbreaks across two counties: Clay and Fayette counties. These outbreaks account for a total of 14 cases, down from 25 such cases last Friday. There are now 45 outbreaks in long-term care facilities across the state, down from 49 such outbreaks on Friday. The Governor also reported that there are now 50 inmate cases across the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR) system, up from 33 last Friday. The inmate cases include 29 at Southern Regional Jail and 12 at North Central Regional Jail. Meanwhile, there are now 22 active staff cases across the DCR system, down from 28 last Friday. To view the latest DCR case update, click here.

AGGRESSIVE TESTING CONTINUES ACROSS STATE Also on Monday, Gov. Justice provided an overview of the 52 counties across the state that have free testing events scheduled through the Governor’s Aggressive Testing initiative. This testing is available to all residents, including asymptomatic individuals. Proof of insurance is not required. Attendees should bring identification, such as a driver’s license or proof of address, to help in returning test results. Those under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Click here to view all locations, dates, times, and more details

An interactive online map of all free testing locations across West Virginia is available on the state’s COVID-19 website. Users can filter the map by type of testing site, including daily testing events, recurring testing events, as well as Walgreens and Fruth Pharmacy testing locations. Users can also filter by county. Each location is marked on the map with a pin. After finding a testing location nearby, users are able to click on the pin for more information about that particular testing site, including the specific location and timeframe during which testing will be held. Click here to view all locations, dates, times, and more details

BABY DOG CELEBRATES PREDICTIVE PROWESS Also on Monday, Gov. Justice was joined by his bulldog, Baby Dog, who celebrated correctly predicting that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would win Super Bowl LV over the weekend. The Governor brought Baby Dog in for his briefing last Friday to make the prediction as a way to urge West Virginians to avoid large Super Bowl parties. “She’s in charge,” Gov. Justice said last Friday. “You don’t need to watch the game.” But few could have imagined how insightful Baby Dog’s prediction would actually be. In addition to correctly predicting that Tampa Bay would win the game, she also correctly predicted that the Buccaneers would score exactly 31 points. “She whispers to me all the time and she says, ‘Listen to the Baby Dog,’” Gov. Justice said with a smile on Monday. “I only say this in jest because the good Lord gave you the ability to smile and to laugh,” Gov. Justice continued. “This year has been tough stuff, hasn’t it? Really and truly, we need to smile and laugh a little bit.”

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Click here to view all Executive Orders and other actions taken by Gov. Justice to combat the spread of COVID-19 in West Virginia. For more information about COVID-19 prevention and more, call the State’s toll-free hotline at 1-800-887-4304 or visit Coronavirus.wv.gov.

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