Justice urges vaccination, questions those who won’t vaccinate
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CHARLESTON -- The governor Monday again encouraged residents to vaccinate against the COVID-19 coronavirus on the anniversary of the first death from the virus in West Virginia.
Gov. Jim Justice led a prayer during his Monday morning pandemic briefing, citing the anniversary of the first death and warning people while the numbers may have improved, things can turn around.
"I'm telling you this thing is not over," Justice said. "Close, but not done."
The first person confirmed as a death from virus-related complications was on March 29, 2020, an 88-year-old woman from Marion County. The death count as of Monday was 2,638 people, an additional 10 from Friday to Monday morning.
"It's hard to celebrate we only got 10 deaths," Justice said.
Justice urged residents to get a vaccination against the virus and to get tested if experiencing any ailments. Patients can receive early treatment to ease the effects of the virus, he said.
Vaccinating against the virus will stop its spread, Justice said.
"You got to get vaccinated. That's all there is to it," Justice said.
Vaccinations also are a defense against the deadlier variants of the virus, such as the UK variant, and variants affecting younger residents, said Dr. Clay Marsh, West Virginia coronavirus czar.
"This is a particularly important time for West Virginia and our country," Marsh said.
Available resources have enabled the state to open new fronts against the virus, James Hoyer, who heads the Joint Interagency Task Force on Vaccinations, said. Assistance will be available to provide clinics at churches, schools to reach younger residents 16 and older and at companies for workers and their families, besides reaching the older residents who have yet to get a vaccination, he said.
The Toyota Motors plant at Buffalo on Saturday was the first in the world to provide a vaccination clinic for employees and their families, Hoyer said. About 900 people received a vaccination, he said.
"We have a lot of work going forward, but we are prepared to do that," Hoyer said.
Residents 16 and older can register for a vaccination at vaccine.wv.gov or call 833-734-0965. Four pharmacies are participating in the Federal Pharmacy Program, Walgreens, Fruth, Medicine Shoppe/Leader and Wal-Mart, the most recent addition.
The governor also took a swipe at those opposed to vaccination, questioning their motive to encourage others also to not immunize themselves. It's because "misery loves company and company loves misery," he said.
"If they decide not to take it, why don't they just keep their mouth shut," Justice said.
(Mancini can be contacted at jmancin@newsandsentinel.com)