Staff Writer
The Inter-Mountain photo by Edgar Kelley
Coalton Mayor Jim Rossi fist-bumps Gov. Jim Justice Tuesday during Justiceâs visit to Coalton. Both men wore masks and fist-bumped rather than shaking hands, in acknowledgment of COVID-19.
COALTON While making a quick stop in Coalton this week, Gov. Jim Justice spoke to a large crowd at St. Patrick Church’s Parish Hall about the importance of all West Virginians being vaccinated against COVID-19.
The governor, who was in town to present the city with a $3.3 million Abandoned Mine Land Grant that will go toward major improvements to the town’s water system, spent a good portion of his time Tuesday talking about the coronavirus.
Recent editorials from West Virginia newspapers:
The Intelligencer on profound changes needed to solve the opioid crisis:
If the human toll is not enough reason for some elected and bureaucratic officials to take seriously the fight against substance abuse in our state, here is one that might come closer to speaking their language: According to the Center on Budget and Policy, treating and addressing substance abuse and addiction cost West Virginia an estimated $11.3 billion in 2019.
In economist Jill Kriesky’s report, she includes the costs that have sprung out of the addiction epidemic such as hepatitis, HIV, neonatal abstinence syndrome and an overburdened foster care system. Her report estimates economic damages from drug-related fatalities in West Virginia were $9.8 billion in 2019.
Justice drops some emergency orders, urges more vaccinations By
Gov. Jim Justice leads a briefing about West Virginia s pandemic response.
Gov. Jim Justice continued to urge West Virginians to get covid-19 vaccinations during an apparent slowdown while at the same time lifting some of his prior pandemic emergency orders, particularly one limiting social gatherings.
“Come on. Let’s finish the job. We’re really, really close. Let’s win the game right now. Right now. Right now’s the time to win the game,” Justice said today during a pandemic response briefing.
West Virginia has done well enough with its pandemic response to lift some of the emergency orders of the past year, the governor said.
CHARLESTON — With state COVID-19 vaccination rates dropping precipitously in recent weeks, Gov. Jim Justice called on the 650,000 eligible West Virginians who have not been vaccinated to step up
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April 17, 2021 - 10:00 am
CHARLESTON, W.Va. State coronavirus czar Dr. Clay Marsh is among the West Virginia officials urging people to get vaccinated for the coronavirus amid concerns about a gap in demand and variant strains.
Marsh said during Friday’s coronavirus briefing it is important for people to get vaccinated as vaccines are effective tools in preventing people from getting the virus.
“As we look at the impact of these vaccines in real-world situations, we know these vaccines are incredibly effective and incredibly safe,” he said.
Dr. Clay Marsh (File)
Gov. Jim Justice and others spoke Friday about the importance of receiving vaccination doses, with state Interagency Task Force Director James Hoyer noting the supply of vaccines in West Virginia is outpacing the public demand. West Virginia also lags behind the national average regarding doses used.