Due to the Labor Day holiday, West Virginia Governor Jim Justice did not hold his coronavirus media-briefing this past Monday. Instead, the Gov. addressed his constituents on September 8.
Justice spent the majority of the briefing discussing the current state of the pandemic in W.Va., focusing particular attention on the daily positivity-rate.
At 6.02%, this is the highest number yet seen in West Virginia. And according to the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center, it has now surpassed the national daily positivity-rate of 5.56%. The Gov. attributed this to the abnormally low amount of testing that had been performed state-wide the day before, (989 COVID-19 tests were administered, as reported by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources) yet stressed that the number is still unacceptable.
“We’re in an absolute war that we’re trying to fight with that killer and get us to a point where we’re ready with that vaccine. I don’t think we’re too terribly far away now, but in my heart I still feel it’s a few months away,” Gov. Justice said, in response to the CDC’s letter to all state’s Governors, stating a COVID-19 vaccination could potentially be made available for high-risk individuals by late October/early November.
Gov. Justice then once more reiterated the importance of testing, saying: “please anyone with anxiety, or the feeling that you want to get tested, it’s free and painless. So go get tested…please, go get tested.”
Free COVID-19 testing will be performed this week at various locations across West Virginia. The dates, times and locations are as follows: Wednesday, September 9 at Wahama Jr./Sr. High School, located at 1 Falcon Way in Mason. Testing hours are from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. 183 East 2nd. Avenue in Williamson. Testing hours are from 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. And the Morgan County Health Department, located at 137 War Memorial Dr. in Berkeley Springs. Testing hours are from 5:30 p.m. until 8 p.m., Friday, September 11 at the Barboursville EMS, located at 1652 Riverview Dr. in Barboursville. Testing hours are from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. The Mercer County Health Department, located at 978 Blue Prince Rd. in Bluefield. Testing hours are from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. The Beckley-Raleigh Health Department, located at 1602 Harper Rd. in Beckley. Testing hours are from 1 p.m. until 7 p.m. And the Fort Gay Community Senior Center, located at 3135 Louisa St. in Fort Gay. Testing hours are from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Saturday, September 12 at the Wayne Elementary School, located at 80 McGinnis Dr. in Wayne. Testing hours are from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
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