COVID-19 UPDATE: Gov. Justice continues to urge 2nd booster shot for eligible West Virginians, especially those 50 and older

Press Release

Gov. Jim Justice and members of the West Virginia COVID-19 pandemic response leadership team held another news briefing today to update the public on the state's latest pandemic response and vaccine distribution efforts.
CASE NUMBERS & VACCINE/BOOSTER INFO
On Tuesday, Gov. Justice reported that there are now 446 active cases of COVID-19 statewide.

Over the past three months, total active cases have decreased by 97.9%.

COVID-19 Dashboard | Coronavirus.wv.gov

Since nearing peak capacity in early February, COVID-related hospitalizations in West Virginia are down 92%, ICU patients are down 90.8%, and patients on ventilators are down 93.5%.

West Virginia's County Alert Map once again features all 55 of the state's counties in the Green category.

Still, after reading the ages and locations of another 27 individuals who have passed away from COVID-19 since Wednesday last week, Gov. Justice continued to urge West Virginians to get vaccinated and boosted.

"The youngest person that we lost in the last week was 51 years old," Gov. Justice said. "The CDC has OK'ed the second booster shot for every single person in that age category as long as you're four months removed from your first booster. Choosing to not take that second booster shot is a big-time mistake.

"Please encourage the people in your life who are 50 and older to get that second booster shot," Gov. Justice continued. "Protect your loved ones from ending up on this page."

WATCH FULL BRIEFING
Second booster shots have been authorized by the FDA and recommended by the CDC for those ages 50 and over who are also at least four months removed from their first booster dose, as well as certain younger immunocompromised individuals ages 12 and older.

All West Virginians who qualify can immediately get this dose anywhere vaccines are available.

The state's new COVID-19 Vaccination Due Date Calculator has been updated to determine whether people are eligible for a second booster dose.

Read more about vaccines at Vaccinate.wv.gov and at CDC.gov.

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