Testing Opportunities for Minorities and Other Vulnerable Populations Announced for Fayette County
As part of Gov. Jim Justice’s initiative to increase testing opportunities for minorities and other vulnerable populations in medically-underserved counties, the Fayette County Health Department, in coordination with the Herbert Henderson Office of Minority Affairs, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR), and the West Virginia National Guard (WVNG) announced locations for testing in Fayette County on May 26, 27 and 28, 2020. The free testing will be held in Fayette County at the following dates and locations:
12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. on May 26, 2020
Mt. Hope Fire Department 428 Main Street Mt. Hope, WV 25880
3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. on May 27, 2020
Kilsyth Free Will Baptist Church119 Freewill Lane Mt. Hope, West Virginia 25880
2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. on May 28, 2020
Oak Hill High School350 W. Oyler Ave Oak Hill, WV 25901
The Governors Daily Press Briefing is scheduled for 10:30 AM today (5/26)
MONITORING CONTINUES IN BERKELEY, JEFFERSON COUNTIES
On Friday, Gov. Justice provided an update on the increased monitoring underway in two Eastern Panhandle counties that recently triggered the State’s new Heightened Alert System.On Thursday, the Governor reported that Jefferson County had 20 new cases, while Berkeley County had 15 new cases over a 24-hour period.
The Governor ordered the West Virginia National Guard to respond to the region and Gov. Justice announced that the situation is believed to be stable at this time.
EXECUTIVE ORDER ISSUED THAT WILL OFFICIALLY ALLOW MAY 26 REOPENINGS
Also on Friday, Gov. Justice announced that he has signed the executive order that will formally allow businesses, currently scheduled to reopen in the May 26 phase of the Governor’s reopening plan, to resume operations on that date if they so choose.Businesses allowed to reopen on May 26, with limitations, include:
State Park cabins and lodges (In-state residents only)
NEW GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE FOR POOLS, BOWLING ALLEYS, LVL’S, CASINOS, AND MORE
On Friday, several additional guidance documents were made available for various types of businesses reopening in the Week 5 and Week 6 phases of the Governor’s reopening plan, including swimming pools, bowling alleys and other places with indoor amusement, limited video lottery (LVL) retailers, and casinos.Additional types of businesses and entities will be allowed to resume operations over the next several weeks. Further guidance documents will be provided on The Comeback page of the Governor’s Office website as soon as they become available.
UPDATES COMING TO COVID-19 DATA DASHBOARD
Also on Friday, Gov. Justice and leaders with the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources announced that the State’s COVID-19 data dashboard would be updated this afternoon to display additional information about numbers related to COVID-19 cases.The new dashboard features heavily-expanded COVID-19 data on a county-by-county level, among other changes.
“From the beginning, we have been completely transparent about our numbers as the pandemic has gone on, we have continued to have more and more data available on the COVID-19 data dashboard,” Gov. Justice said.
“I am very excited to have this up and running,” DHHR Secretary Bill Crouch said. “We wanted to see county information, everyone wants to be able to pull that up, and I think everyone will be very pleased with that.”
FLAGS TO BE FLOWN AT HALF-STAFF THROUGH SUNDAY TO HONOR COVID-19 VICTIMS
As a mark of solemn respect for the victims of the COVID-19 pandemic, and in accordance with President Donald J. Trump’s national proclamation, Gov. Justice announced that he has issued aproclamation, ordering that all United States and West Virginia state flags at all state-owned facilities across West Virginia be displayed at half-staff, beginning immediately and continuing until sunset on Sunday, May 24.
FLAGS TO BE FLOWN AT HALF-STAFF MONDAY MORNING IN HONOR OF MEMORIAL DAY
Also on Friday, the Governor announced that he has issued a proclamation, ordering that all United States and West Virginia state flags at all state-owned facilities across West Virginia be displayed at half-staff, from dawn until noon on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, to honor the memory of all the men and women who have paid the ultimate price defending the United States of America.Additionally, Gov. Justice’s order requests that all citizens display their own United States and West Virginia state flags at their homes at half-staff, from dawn until noon on Memorial Day. The order also asks West Virginians to unite in prayer for permanent peace at 11 a.m. and observe the National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m.
WEST VIRGINIANS URGED TO ENJOY MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND RESPONSIBLY
Gov. Justice also took time on Friday to remind all West Virginians to be safe when celebrating Memorial Day weekend.“We hope that the sun is going to shine and that it’s going to be warm over the holiday weekend,” Gov. Justice said. “But the one thing that happens, every Memorial Day, that’s tragic beyond belief, we have boating accidents and swimming accidents.
“I would thoroughly encourage everyone on the water to wear a life jacket,” Gov. Justice said. “Enjoy yourself, but those life jackets are incredibly, incredibly important.”
WEST VIRGINIA NATIONAL GUARD UPDATE
More than 80 members of the West Virginia National Guard are providing assistance for high-density population testing taking place in Cabell, Kanawha, Marion, and Monongalia counties.The WVNG is also finalizing plans with State partners from the Bureau for Public Health and the local health departments in the Eastern Panhandle region to address the recent uptick in positive COVID-19 cases. The Guard has outlined four areas for additional support to Governor Justice, which includes broader testing; epidemiology support; personnel support to assist in data and analytics tracking of positive versus recovered cases, local R0 rate tracking, and hospitalizations by category of case; providing outreach to sectors in the area on best practices, sanitization and PPE wear; and utilizing the Guard for logistical movement of supplies and face coverings for distribution, if needed.
