Justice Talks of Numbers Turning the Right Direction; Vaccination Efforts of Harrison-Clarksburg Health Department Highlighted
By Chris Johnson on January 15, 2021 via Connect-Bridgeport.com
West Virginia Governor Jim Justice talked during Friday's COVID-19 response press conference about how the numbers are trending in the right direction and how that's encouraging but still not time for the state to relax.
"It's like the first robin of spring," Justice said. "You see that robin and think winter is over and then we get blasted. We're not out of the woods yet but these numbers are turning our way."
Updated statistics discussed by the governor include 1,430 new cases during the last 24 hours, a 5.46 cumulative percent positivity rate, a 5.17 daily percent positivity rate, 27.016 active cases, 77,900 recoveries, 718 hospitalizations with 190 in the ICU.
It's the first time in weeks the cumulative total decreased, while active cases and hospitalizations are down and recoveries are still coming in at a steady rate.
As of Friday, West Virginia's RT number of 0.90 is best in the nation.
The daily county alert system map on Friday shows some slight improvement with five counties now gold and one yellow. Harrison is one of 16 orange counties. There are 33 red counties.
Other numbers that are down include 99 outbreaks in long-term care facilities, 77 inmate cases at correctional facilities and just nine church outbreaks in fve different counties, including Marion.
"That's the very best it's been in a long time," Justice said specifially in regard to the churches.
In the ongoing vaccination efforts, 132,700 first doses have been received and 124,325 of those have been administered (93.7 percent). There have been 28,275 second doses received with 22,612 of those administered (80 percent).
West Virginia continues to lead the nation in distribution percentage.
"We want to lap the fied. The bottom line is when we get the doses on Monday, come Sunday we don't want any vaccines left on the shelf," Justice said. "In last 24 hours we have given 12,388 vaccines."
Justice also said the Operation Save Our Wisdom age restriction will soon drop to 65.
Dr. Nancy Joseph and Chad Bundy with the Harrison-Clarksburg Health Department were special guests during the press conference and they talked about the success of Thursday's vaccination clinic where 550 first doses were administered to residents in Harrison County and surrounding counties. All 550 also signed up for a return visit for their second dose.
"It was absolutely incredible to be a part of the event," Joseph said.
The press conference began in its usual fashion with Justice offering his condolences to the families of the most recent deaths associated with the coronavirus. There have been 62 since his last briefing, bringing the state's total to 1,733.
Please, please keep all of these people in your prayers," Justice said.
Friday's press conference was a little later than usual as Justice attended the funeral services for Gen. Chuck Yeager earlier in the day.
The governor also announced that next week with Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday and the inauguration on Friday, the press conference schedule will be Tuesday and Thursday.
COVID-19 Vaccine Info line 1-833-734-0965
Information on free testing can be found HERE
Video of Friday's press conference can be found below.
