Office of the Governor > News > Press Releases > 2021 Press Releases > COVID-19 UPDATE: Gov. Justice announces world’s first Toyota plant vaccination clinic held in West Virginia as vaccine distribution efforts expand

COVID-19 UPDATE: Gov. Justice announces world’s first Toyota plant vaccination clinic held in West Virginia as vaccine distribution efforts expand

3/29/2021

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.

WORLD’S FIRST TOYOTA PLANT VACCINATION CLINIC HELD IN WEST VIRGINIA During Monday’s briefing, Gov. Justice announced that, over the weekend, West Virginia hosted the world’s first COVID-19 vaccination clinic onsite at a Toyota plant.

“Using partnerships between community health centers, pharmacies, and the National Guard, we were able to administer 900 vaccines​ to employees and family members at the Toyota plant in Buffalo, West Virginia,” Gov. Justice said. “It’s really great stuff.”

WATCH BRIEFING | VIEW PHOTO ALBUM

The clinic was part of the West Virginia pandemic response leadership team’s ongoing efforts to expand access to COVID-19 vaccinations across the state. The Joint Interagency Task Force (JIATF) continues to reach out to manufacturers and businesses across the state to increase vaccine access for employees and their families choosing to be vaccinated.

WEST VIRGINIA TO BE AMONG FIRST STATES IN NATION TO OFFER VACCINATIONS TO FAMILY MEMBERS OF LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY RESIDENTS AND STAFF Gov. Justice also announced that, beginning this week, West Virginia will be among the first states in the nation to offer COVID-19 vaccinations to family members and caregivers of residents and staff members at nursing homes and assisted living facilities as part of the vaccine plan for long-term care facilities. “We continue to lead the nation in protecting our most vulnerable West Virginians at our long-term care facilities,” Gov. Justice said. West Virginia was the first state in the nation to vaccinate residents and staff at nursing homes and assisted living facilities and was also among the first states to implement a statewide vaccine maintenance program to ensure new residents and staff members at these facilities would be vaccinated as well. “And now, West Virginia will be among the first in the nation to expand our vaccine maintenance plan to include family members of residents and staff,” Gov. Justice said. “That’s a big, big step forward.” Facilities will schedule vaccinations in conjunction with visits by family members and other scheduled vaccine clinics at the facility.

FEDERAL PHARMACY PARTNERSHIP TO FURTHER EXPAND VACCINE ACCESS Gov. Justice also announced that, beginning this week, Walmart and additional independent pharmacies will begin receiving doses of COVID-19 vaccines as part of the federal pharmacy partnership, allowing even more West Virginians to get vaccinated. These pharmacies will join Walgreens and the Med Shoppe/Leader network of pharmacies as locations in West Virginia receiving doses from the federal government. West Virginians can go to vaccinefinder.org for assistance in locating and securing an appointment at one of these federal pharmacy partners.

JIATF DIRECTOR JIM HOYER CALLS UPON CHURCHES TO ORGANIZE ADDITIONAL CLINICS Also on Monday, Joint Interagency Task Force Director Jim Hoyer called upon churches across West Virginia to contact the JIATF for help organizing vaccination clinics for interested members of their congregations. “If you are a church pastor, if you have a congregation that hasn’t had the opportunity to get vaccinated, but wants to be vaccinated and wants to bring family members age 16 and above, contact us and we will work with you to vaccinate your congregation,” Hoyer said. “We know that, sometimes, people are more comfortable working through their church congregations. We can help you get to that point, and we will work with the counties and the other entities to get you taken care of.”

VACCINE DISTRIBUTION UPDATE Also on Monday, Gov. Justice reported that West Virginia has now successfully administered 796,433 doses after receiving a total allotment of 829,300 doses from the federal government to date; an overall administration rate of 96.0%. West Virginia currently boasts a first dose administration rate of 102.4%, which exceeds 100% due to extra doses being extracted from vials of the vaccine, and a second dose administration rate of 87.4%. First doses: 487,929 administered / 476,480 allotted Second doses: 308,504 administered / 352,820 allotted West Virginia COVID-19 Dashboard (Click “Vaccine Summary” tab)

Vaccinations are now available to all West Virginians age 16 and older. However, West Virginians who are age 65 and older will continue to be prioritized first until all state residents in this age range who desire the vaccine have been vaccinated. The Governor provided a reminder of his announcement last week that, at his direction, the Joint Interagency Task Force is setting up three fixed-location vaccination clinics in Berkeley, Kanawha, and Monongalia counties to ensure that every West Virginian age 65 and older has access to a vaccine. To date, 235,025 West Virginians age 65 and older have chosen to be vaccinated – over 72% of West Virginia’s population in this age range – including 175,691 who are now fully vaccinated. Any West Virginians age 65 and older who are still waiting on an appointment are urged to visit vaccinate.wv.gov or call the West Virginia Vaccine Info Line: 1-833-734-0965 to ensure that they are scheduled to be vaccinated. The info line is open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

GOV. JUSTICE HOLDS PRAYER TO COMMEMORATE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST COVID-19-RELATED DEATH Also during his briefing, Gov. Justice noted that Monday marked the one-year anniversary of the first COVID-19-related death recorded in West Virginia. In commemoration of this solemn day in West Virginia history and in honor of the 2,638 West Virginians who have passed away due to COVID-19 over the past year, Gov. Justice held a moment of silence and offered a prayer. Click here to watch

COVID-19 CASE NUMBERS UPDATE Additionally Monday, Gov. Justice reported that the current number of active cases in the state is now 6,252, up from 5,811 as of his previous COVID-19 briefing on Friday last week. The number of active hospitalizations is now 222, down from 231 on Friday last week. Of those currently hospitalized, 83 patients are in the ICU, up from 81 such patients on Friday last week. The cumulative percent of positive cases remains 5.27%. 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: 2 Orange counties: 7 Gold counties: 6 Yellow counties: 9 Green counties: 31

OUTBREAK REPORT Additionally Monday, Gov. Justice reported that there are now seven active church-related outbreaks in West Virginia, down from eight such outbreaks as of his previous COVID-19 briefing on Friday last week. The active outbreaks are located in Fayette, Kanawha, Monongalia, Nicholas, and Raleigh counties and account for a total of 101 cases, down from 105 such cases as of his previous COVID-19 briefing on Friday last week. There are now four active outbreaks in long-term care facilities across the state, up from three such outbreaks on Friday last week. The Governor also reported that there are now just four inmate cases across the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR) system, down from seven such cases on Friday last week. Meanwhile, there remain nine active staff cases across the DCR system. To view the latest DCR case update, click here.

AGGRESSIVE TESTING CONTINUES ACROSS STATE Also on Monday, Gov. Justice provided an overview of the 51 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. An interactive online map of all free testing locations across West Virginia is available online. 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

ALL BUSINESSES MUST CONTINUE TO FOLLOW COVID-19 SAFETY GUIDELINES Additionally Monday, Gov. Justice took time to provide a reminder that all businesses in West Virginia must continue to follow all applicable COVID-19 safety guidelines. Click here to view all active guidance documents

FACE COVERING REQUIREMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT Also on Monday, Gov. Justice provided a reminder that his Statewide Indoor Face Covering Requirement remains in effect. All West Virginians age 9 and older to wear a face covering at all times inside all indoor public places, regardless of whether or not they are able to maintain proper social distance. The order requires that all businesses and organizations that invite the public into their facilities must post adequate signage advising guests of the requirement and are also responsible for enforcing the requirement to ensure it is being followed. Click here to read more details about the face covering requirement Posters are available on the DHHR’s online Face Covering Toolkit for businesses or organizations to print and display. Social media graphics are also available for download and use by the general public.

DONATE BLOOD AND PLASMA Additionally Monday, Gov. Justice once again encouraged all West Virginians to consider donating blood and plasma through the American Red Cross. Those fully recovered from a verified COVID-19 diagnosis may have plasma in their blood containing COVID-19 antibodies that can attack this virus. This plasma may be able to be used as a treatment for currently ill COVID-19 patients. For more information, visit redcross.org or call the local American Red Cross offices at 304-340-3650.

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.

Contact Information