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Lowest case numbers since first months of the pandemic
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CHARLESTON, WV – Gov. Jim Justice and members of the West Virginia COVID-19 pandemic response leadership team held another news briefing today to update the public on the state’s latest pandemic response and vaccine distribution efforts.
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GOV. JUSTICE CELEBRATES ALL-GREEN MAP
During Friday’s briefing, Gov. Justice reported that West Virginia’s County Alert Map now officially features all 55 of the state’s counties in the Green category.
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“Our entire map is green. Think about that,” Gov. Justice said. “West Virginia: you’ve been to you-know-where and back. Along the way, we lost a lot of people. But we kept heading north. We kept pulling the rope together and now we’re all green.”
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The Governor went on to report that there are now just 460 active cases of COVID-19 statewide; the lowest daily active case total since the first months of the pandemic.
Over the past two months, total active cases have decreased by more than 97%.
Since nearing peak capacity in early February, COVID-related hospitalizations in West Virginia are down 84%, ICU patients are down 82%, and patients on ventilators are down 81%.
Still, after reading the ages and locations of another 88 individuals who have passed away from COVID-19 since Monday – 47 of whom were part of the DHHR’s ongoing data reconciliation with official death certificates – Gov. Justice continued to urge West Virginians to get vaccinated and boosted.
“We’re close to the finish line, but we’ve got to keep moving north,” Gov. Justice said.
Initial series vaccinations are available for free for all West Virginians ages 5 and older and booster shots are authorized and encouraged for all West Virginians ages 12 and older. Read more about vaccines and boosters at Vaccinate.wv.gov and at CDC.gov.
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NEW COVID RELIEF PROGRAM FOR WEST VIRGINIA HOMEOWNERS
Gov. Justice also reiterated his announcement from Monday that the new West Virginia Homeowners Rescue Program will provide assistance to West Virginia homeowners who have experienced a financial hardship related to COVID-19.
The program can provide assistance for past-due mortgage payments of up to $15,000, past-due utilities of up to $2,500, past-due insurance, property tax payments, and other housing costs of up to $5,000, $300 in internet assistance, and $500 of assistance on certain downpayment loans.
The program is not just for people that have a mortgage loan on their home. Someone that owns their home outright, but who may have fallen behind on property taxes can also get some benefit from this program, among other circumstances.
To be eligible, applicants’ income cannot exceed 150% of the area median income for their county. Their primary residence must be in West Virginia, and can be a single family home, a condo, a townhouse, a mobile home, or a duplex. Applicants must also be able to demonstrate a COVID-related hardship, such as a decrease in income, and/or an increase in expenses related to the pandemic.
The WVHDF will begin accepting applications on Monday, March 28, 2022. Online and paper applications will be available.
More information: wvhdf.com/west-virginia-homeowners-rescue
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ONLINE COVID-19 VACCINATION DUE DATE CALCULATOR
Gov. Justice also revisited his announcement from Monday that a free, online tool to help people learn when they may be due for a COVID-19 shot is now live at vaccinate.wv.gov.
West Virginia’s new COVID-19 Vaccination Due Date Calculator is the first online application of its kind to calculate a COVID-19 vaccination due date for anyone at any stage of vaccination.
The Vaccination Due Date Calculator was made possible through the work of the Joint Interagency Task Force on COVID-19 and DHHR’s Bureau for Public Health, in partnership with West Virginia University’s Public Interest Communication Research Lab.
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GLENVILLE STATE TO PLAY FOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TONIGHT
The Governor also called on all West Virginians to join him in cheering on the Glenville State University Lady Pioneers basketball team in their first ever National Championship appearance tonight. They tip off against Western Washington at 8 p.m. TONIGHT on CBS Sports Network.
The Lady Pioneers’ dominant season has included a list of firsts for the program; from their first number one national ranking, to the best record in school history at 34-1, and now their first trip to the National Championship.
The Lady Pioneers are averaging an astonishing 96 points per game this season.
“This is a tremendous accomplishment by the Lady Pioneers. I am so proud of their hard work this season and, judging by the scores of the previous games in this tournament, I have no doubt they will bring their A-game tonight,” Gov. Justice said.
“All of this incredible success starts with Glenville State’s outstanding head coach, Kim Stephens,” Gov. Justice continued. “Coach Stephens is a graduate of Parkersburg South and a Glenville State alum herself. While their success story this season has been unbelievable, it’s even sweeter to know that we have a West Virginia native molding this West Virginia team into one of the very best juggernauts in the entire country.”
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NICKERSON RESIGNS FROM INTERMEDIATE COURT OF APPEALS
Additionally, the Governor announced that Friday morning he received a resignation letter from West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals judge appointee Donald A. Nickerson Jr.
Nickerson was appointed in December to serve a term of six-and-a-half years on the newly created Intermediate Court of Appeals.
The Governor announced that he will immediately begin looking at options for another appointment and move forward expeditiously.
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GOV. JUSTICE CELEBRATES NEWEST JOBS & HOPE GRADUATES
The Governor also took time to recap his visit to the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center on Wednesday, where he hosted a ceremony to celebrate the newest class of Jobs & Hope graduates.
Nine program participants completed a Heavy Equipment Operations course, spending 28 days at Camp Dawson near Kingwood getting hands-on training from the West Virginia National Guard, earning their OSHA 10 certification. Participants also received interview training and résumé building tips from the program’s dedicated Transition Agents.
Wednesday’s event ran parallel with the annual West Virginia Construction and Design Expo, which provided graduates with the opportunity to network with potential employers. All of the graduates had on-the-spot interviews. Many have already scheduled follow-up interviews for next week.
“Hire these people,” Gov. Justice said Wednesday. “These people have done something off the charts – maybe the toughest thing there is to do in life – they admitted that they were screwing up and they asked for help. Every one of you out there could use employees who stand up and are accountable. You’ve got to hire every single one of them.”
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GOV. JUSTICE HOSTS CEREMONIAL GOLD RUSH STOCKING; UNVEILS COIN COMMEMORATING 5TH ANNIVERSARY
Gov. Justice also recapped his visit to Babcock State Park on Tuesday, where he stocked golden rainbow trout in celebration of the upcoming 2022 West Virginia Gold Rush.
As part of the ceremony, the Governor unveiled a special coin, commemorating Gold Rush’s 5th anniversary and announced that any lucky anglers who catch one of the 50,000 golden rainbow trout that are being stocked during this year’s Gold Rush can request their own commemorative coin online by completing this form. Additional grand prizes will be available for certain anglers who catch one of 100 specially tagged golden trout. More information is available at wvdnr.gov/goldrush.
From March 29 to April 9, the WVDNR will stock golden rainbow trout at 69 lakes and streams around the state, including waters in or near 15 state parks and forests. An interactive map of Gold Rush stocking locations is available here.
Gov. Justice also announced that, in an effort to increase angler interest in Babcock State Park year-round, he has directed the WVDNR to immediately begin regularly stocking Glade Creek all the way to the New River with brown trout. Additionally, in efforts to connect Babcock State Park with the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, the Governor has also directed the WVDOT to repair Old Sewell Road, which runs adjacent to Glade Creek in Babcock and convert the road into a trail to reconnect the two parks.
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