West Virginia Week in Review - May 30, 2020: COVID-19 Update

5/30/2020

 

 

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COVID-19 Response Weekly Update
May 23 – May 29

 

 

 

 

Week 5 of the Gov. Justice reopening plan – West Virginia Strong – The Comeback – is now underway and announcements regarding future reopenings have been made. The Governor's new Safer At Home order is also in effect. Click on the links to read more:

Additional information about COVID-19 and what West Virginia is doing to combat the virus can be found on Coronavirus.wv.gov.

A list of all of Gov. Justice's actions and executive orders related to COVID-19 are also available online.

 

 

Friday, May 29: Gov. Justice signs order formalizing next reopenings; WVSSAC athletics and additional sports scheduled to resume

 

 

 

EXECUTIVE ORDER ISSUED THAT WILL OFFICIALLY ALLOW MAY 30 REOPENINGS
On Friday, Gov. Justice announced that he had signed the executive order formally allowing businesses, currently scheduled to reopen in the May 30 phase of the Governor’s reopening plan, to resume operations on that date if they so choose.

Businesses allowed to reopen, with limitations, on May 30 include:  

 

 

 

WVSSAC ATHLETICS SCHEDULED TO RESUME
Gov. Justice also announced Friday that, at the advice of state medical experts, WVSSAC-sanctioned high school and middle school athletics programs and bands will be allowed to resume their summer training programs, beginning on Monday, June 8.

The WVSSAC has published guidelines that all counties must follow to keep players, coaches, and families safe. These guidance documents are now available on governor.wv.gov.

 

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED FOR RESUMING YOUTH SPORTS, REOPENING OTHER SPORTS VENUES
Gov. Justice announced Friday that all low-contact outdoor youth sports and little league organizations will also be permitted to resume practices on June 8.

All remaining adult sports facilities will be permitted to reopen on June 8, provided that all additional safety guidelines are properly followed. Venues allowed to reopen include indoor tennis courts, racquetball courts, outdoor basketball courts, and others.

Youth sports games with spectators, outdoor sporting events with spectators, and outdoor equestrian events with spectators will all be allowed to resume on Monday, June 22, with strict social distancing guidelines in place.

Guidance documents will be posted to governor.wv.gov as soon as they become available.

 

 

 

GUIDANCE FOR MOVIE THEATERS NOW AVAILABLE
Additionally Friday, Gov. Justice announced that guidance documents for the reopening of movie theaters are now available.

Movie theaters are scheduled to reopen on Friday, June 5 as part of the Week 6 phase of the Governor’s reopening plan.

 

 

 

GOVERNOR DISCUSSES RECENT JACKSON COUNTY LIVESTOCK AUCTION
Also Friday, Gov. Justice discussed a recent livestock auction in Jackson County that featured a large crowd of people gathering together.

“We have absolutely deemed our farmer markets and our livestock auctions essential,” Gov. Justice said. “But we had a recent livestock auction in Jackson County and something like 700 people came to it. We had 700 people jammed in together. What happened from that, at least right now that we know of, and there were probably a bunch of people there from out-of-state, but from that event, we have at least two positive cases that have come up.

“We have got to maintain some level of social distancing if we’re going to be able to come to these kind of events or do this kind of stuff, or it’s going to backfire on us. We have got to follow the guidelines. We have got to do the stuff that will make us the safest so we’ll be able to live our lives.”

On Friday, the Governor announced that guidance documents have been released, outlining the proper procedures to safely operate similar types of auctions.

 

 

 

CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES TESTING UPDATE
On Friday, Gov. Justice provided an update on COVID-19 test results from Huttonsville Correctional Center and Jail in Randolph County, announcing that five more inmates’ test results had come back positive, bringing the total number of positive inmates to 116.

No additional staff members had tested positive as of Friday afternoon's briefing. Additional tests from the facility remain pending at several labs across the state.

Click here to view the latest correctional facilities testing data.

 

 

 

FREE RANDOLPH COUNTY TESTING SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY
The Governor also announced that, due to the outbreak at the Huttonsville facility, the State will be offering free community testing in Randolph County today, Saturday, May 30.

This optional, free testing is especially recommended for high-risk individuals, including minority populations and those with pre-existing health conditions. However, the testing is available to all residents, including asymptomatic individuals.

Details are as follows:

ELKINS
Davis Medical Center: 812 Gorman Avenue, Elkins
Saturday, May 30  |  10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

MILL CREEK
Valley HealthCare: 46 Town Center Plaza, Suite A, Mill Creek
Saturday, May 30  |  10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

 

 

 

ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY TESTING TAKING PLACE THIS WEEKEND
Additional community testing is being held today, Saturday, May 30, in Berkeley, Jefferson, Kanawha, Mineral, and Morgan counties as follows:

BERKELEY COUNTY
Musselman High School: 126 Excellence Way, Inwood
Saturday, May 30  |  9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

JEFFERSON COUNTY
Hollywood Casino: 750 Hollywood Drive, Charles Town
Saturday, May 30  |  9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

KANAWHA COUNTY
Shawnee Sports Complex: One Salango Way, Dunbar
Saturday, May 30  |  9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

MINERAL COUNTY
School Complex: 1123 Harley O. Staggers Senior Drive, Keyser
Saturday, May 30  |  9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

MORGAN COUNTY
Warm Springs Middle School: 271 Warm Springs Way, Berkeley Springs
Saturday, May 30  |  9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

 

 

 

CITY AND COUNTY GRANT APPLICATION REMINDER
On Friday, Gov. Justice offered a reminder that the State recently sent out the application for cities and counties throughout West Virginia to apply for funding through the federal CARES Act.

A new web portal is now available for city and county government officials to apply for this grant funding, at grants.wv.gov. Interested parties can also call the helpline: 1-833-94-GRANT.

 

 

 

WEST VIRGINIANS URGED TO PARTICIPATE IN CENSUS
Finally Friday, Gov. Justice again asked all West Virginians to participate in the 2020 United States Census.

Every West Virginian who does not respond to the Census represents a loss of $20,000 in federal funds over the next 10 years for the state and its local communities. The funds can go toward things like healthcare, education, infrastructure, school lunch programs, and more.

Be counted in minutes: 2020census.gov.

 

 

 

Thursday, May 28: Gov. Justice orders all corrections facility inmates and employees statewide to be tested for COVID-19

 

 

 

ALL CORRECTIONS FACILITY INMATES AND STAFF TO BE TESTED STATEWIDE
As a result of the recent developments at the Huttonsville facility, Gov. Justice announced Thursday that he had formally ordered all inmates and employees at every corrections facility across West Virginia to be tested for COVID-19 as soon as possible, as a precautionary measure in efforts to curtail the spread of the virus.

“We have enough testing capability, so we’re going to test everyone in all of our prison facilities,” Gov. Justice said. “So we are running to that fire and we are going to take care of it.”

Secretary Jeff Sandy of the newly-codified West Virginia Department of Homeland Security reported during his remarks Thursday that the current number of inmates, employees, and contractors within the State’s correctional facilities is 13,966.

“The Governor has stated that he wants all corrections facilities tested,” Sec. Sandy said. “We worked into the late hours last night with the DHHR, our healthcare providers, local health departments, and the West Virginia National Guard to lay out how we are going to accomplish that.”

 

 

 

GOV. JUSTICE APPLAUDS PRESIDENT TRUMP’S EXTENSION OF TITLE 32 ORDERS FOR NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS
During Gov. Justice’s media briefing Thursday, President Donald J. Trump posted the following message on social media:

“The men and women of the National Guard have been doing a great job fighting the CoronaVirus. This week, I will extend their Title 32 orders through mid-August, so they can continue to help States succeed in their response and recovery efforts.”

-President Donald J. Trump


After learning of this commitment to National Guard members across the country, Gov. Justice commended President Trump for making this pledge, which will also benefit West Virginia’s guardsmen and women by allowing them to receive pay and benefits from the federal government, while continuing their important work helping the State respond to the ongoing pandemic.

“He’s done a fabulous job and I love him to death,” Gov. Justice said. “This extension until mid-August is really, really good. Basically, what this does is it rewards the members of the National Guard with lots of extra benefits and things that they deserve.”

 

 

 

Wednesday, May 27: Gov. Justice provides update on testing results at Huttonsville correctional facility; spotlights innovations made in fight against virus

 

 

 

INITIAL PRISON TESTING RESULTS INSPIRE GOVERNOR TO CALL FOR TESTING OF ALL CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES
On Wednesday, Gov. Justice and leaders with the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation learned that more than 100 inmates at the Huttonsville Correctional Center and Jail in Randolph County had tested positive for COVID-19, with additional tests from the facility pending at several labs across the state.

As a result, the Governor announced Wednesday that he would be directing the DCR to begin the process of fully testing all correctional facilities across West Virginia.

“We should now go and test all the facilities – facilities that we know that we don’t have a problem yet, but we probably only have a limited amount of knowledge,” Gov. Justice said.

“We want to continue to try to address every potential issue,” Gov. Justice continued. “That’s why, now, we’re going to embark on testing everyone.”

 

 

 

WEST VIRGINIA INNOVATIONS EMERGING FROM BATTLE AGAINST COVID-19
Also on Wednesday, Gov. Justice and Maj. Gen. James Hoyer of the West Virginia National Guard provided an overview of several products that have recently been developed in West Virginia to streamline and broaden the State’s capabilities to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

These innovative products include all-new ventilator systems, 3D-printed testing swabs, reusable medical gowns, nationally regarded protective masks, and Hydrogen Peroxide disinfecting systems.

“I’ve said over and over, I could never be more proud of West Virginia and West Virginians because they are the heart and soul of this country,” Gov. Justice said. “At the end of the day, the very thing that they are the greatest at is that they’re smart. They’re innovative people, they’re creative people, they’re craftsmen, and you see it right here with what’s happening.”

As the production of these innovative new products continues, the West Virginia National Guard will work to build a stockpile of the items in case a need to further ensure the safety of West Virginians should arise in the future.

 

 

 

Tuesday, May 26: Gov. Justice: Week 5 of The Comeback underway; testing complete for all inmates, staff at Huttonsville correctional facility

 

 

 

WEEK 5 OF “THE COMEBACK”
On Tuesday, Gov. Justice offered a reminder that the Week 5 phase of West Virginia Strong – The Comeback had officially begun, meaning that several additional types of businesses were officially permitted to reopen, with limitations.

Businesses permitted to resume operations Tuesday included:

 

 

 

TESTING OF ALL INMATES, STAFF COMPLETE AT HUTTONSVILLE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY
After ordering the full testing of all inmates and staff at Huttonsville Correctional Center and Jail last week, Gov. Justice reported Tuesday that the mass testing effort had been completed.

Gov. Justice had recently announced that an inmate and a staff member at the Huttonsville facility had tested positive for COVID-19; the first positive tests found within West Virginia’s corrections system.

“At first, we had just tested the block where we had the positive inmate. But I told our people, ‘Nope, that’s not good enough. Test the whole facility,’” Gov. Justice said. “We have now tested everyone in the facility.”

 

 

 

COMMUNITY TESTING MADE AVAILABLE IN FAYETTE COUNTY
Also Tuesday, Gov. Justice announced that efforts to test susceptible populations across West Virginia would be set to continue.

Testing in Fayette County took place from Tuesday through Thursday at various times and locations:

Mt. Hope Fire Department: 428 Main Street, Mt. Hope
Tuesday, May 26  |  12 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Kilsyth Free Will Baptist Church: 119 Freewill Lane, Mt. Hope
Wednesday, May 27  |  3 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Oak Hill High School: 350 W. Oyler Avenue, Oak Hill
Thursday, May 28  |  2 p.m. – 6 p.m.

 

 

 

RESULTS FROM PREVIOUS COMMUNITY TESTING ANNOUNCED
Additionally Tuesday, State Health Officer and Bureau for Public Health Commissioner Dr. Cathy Slemp announced the results from previous community testing efforts in Berkeley, Jefferson, Raleigh, and Mercer counties.

Dr. Slemp reported that 2,385 individuals participated in the testing initiative, with a total of 31 tests coming back positive. The amount and the rate of positive tests, by county, were as follows:

  • Berkeley County: 15 positives (1.7 percent)
  • Jefferson County: 15 positives (2.0 percent)
  • Mercer County: 0 positives (0.0 percent)
  • Raleigh County: 1 positive (0.3 percent)

“I want to say thank you to the local health departments and the community partners, who worked really hard, and the National Guard, who worked to do these testing sites,” Dr. Slemp said. “We continue to refine that process as we move to other areas of the state and come back to visit these as well.”

 

 

 

GOV. JUSTICE OFFERS REMINDER ABOUT “WVSTRONG” 30 PERCENT DISCOUNT AT STATE PARKS
After announcing last week that West Virginia State Parks will be offering a 30 percent discount on lodging for all West Virginia residents for stays between June 1 and August 31 – called the WVSTRONG Discount – Gov. Justice reported Tuesday that state parks officials have seen a 58 percent increase in reservations this month compared to May 2019.

“You know, the pricing was already great, but now the pricing is unbelievable,” Gov. Justice said Monday. “People are taking advantage of this deal and booking stays at our parks and that’s really, really great. There’s lots of good stuff going on. What place could be better right now than going to our state parks?”

To claim the 30 percent discount on a new reservation, simply book online at wvstateparks.com and enter promo code WVSTRONG at checkout.

 

 

 

Monday, May 25: Gov. Justice honors West Virginia heroes on Memorial Day

 

 

 

GOV. JUSTICE ISSUES MEMORIAL DAY VIDEO MESSAGE
On Monday, Gov. Justice issued a video message on his social media platforms, wishing all West Virginians a Happy Memorial Day and honoring all those who gave their last full measure of devotion on behalf of our country and for our freedom.

 

 

 

ALSO THIS WEEK

 

Gov. Justice, WVDEP Sec. Caperton announce $27.1 million in AML Economic Development Grant Projects

DMV releases phone number for appointments in regional offices

WV Division of Highways springs into paving across West Virginia

West Virginia’s U.S. Presidential Scholars announced

WV DMAPS is now the Department of Homeland Security

WV DHSEM is now Division of Emergency Management

Wild ginseng survival threatened by poachers and out-of-season digging

West Virginia hunters harvest 11,314 turkeys during spring 2020 season

 

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Contact Information

Jordan Damron, jordan.l.damron@wv.gov

Contact

Office of the Governor
State Capitol, 1900 Kanawha Blvd. E
Charleston, WV 25305

Office Phone:
304.558.2000 or 1.888.438.2731

Governor's Mansion:
304.558.3588

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