Justice Says New Statewide Vaccination Online Scheduling and Distribution Tool Coming on Monday Morning
By Chris Johnson on January 21, 2021 via Connect-Bridgeport.com
West Virginia Governor Jim Justice announced during Thursday's COVID-19 response press conference that on Monday a new vaccination online registration tool will be available.
A company called Everbridge will offer the statewide online scheduling and distribution capabilities. It is slated to go live at 8 a.m., Monday.
"This will keep people from having to call time and time and time again," Justice said. "I hear you, and I don't like the fact that you're having to call and call and call again. For those who don't want to go online, you can still call and staff will put your information into the system."
DHHR Secretary Bill Crouch said they are excited to streamline the vaccination appointment process and is hopeful it will ease the process for everybody.
"For people already on a local health department waiting list, you will keep your priority," Crouch said. "These lists will be merged so maintain priority."
Justice said from the standpoint of first dosages, 87.7 percent of the state's dosages have been administered and is confident it will be back at 100 percent by the weekend. In the last 24 hours, West Virginia has given out 8,991 vaccines. West Virginia continues to lead the nation in vaccination distribution.
The governor also announced plans that by Feb. 1, there will a community clinic model in all 55 counties. Plans for one in Harrison County were announced earlier in the day by WVU Medicne and UHC. To read more about that, click HERE
On Friday and Saturday there will be special vaccine clinics in 11 counties, including Harrison, for health care workers.
Justice said shortly after President Biden's inauguration on Wednesday he spoke with Jeff Zients about the West Virginia's needs for more vaccinations.
"I know a lot of people are screaming the same thing," Justice said. "But I think he heard me."
Justice read a statement from WVU Medicine in regard to WVU Hospital and UHC being at full capcity and the need for the old Fairmont hospital to increase bed capacity. The governor said staff will need to increase by 65 to help with the additional beds at the Fairmont hospital.
The governor began his press conference by offering his condolences to the latest deaths associated with COVID-19. There have been 35 deaths since his last briefing, bringing the statewide cumulative total to 1,849.
Each and every one of those is a friend, a Mom, a Dad, a Grandma, a Grandpa," Justice said. "Please remember every one of them and keep them in your prayers."
In other COVID statistics, there were 940 new cases reported during the last 24 hours. The state's cumulative percent positive rate is at 5.52, the state's daily percent positive rate is at 5.25. There are 25,737 active cases with 85,031 recoveries. As of Jan. 20, there are 638 hospitalizations with 167 in ICUs.
"The number of daily active cases has decreased nine of the last 10 days," Justice said.
The state's RT number is 0.87 which is third best in the nation.
On the daily DHHR county alert system map, 15 counties are red, 28 are orange (including Harrison), seven are gold, four are yellow and one is green.
Video from Thursday's press conference can be viewed below.
