| CHARLESTON, WV – 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… |
| WV COVID RESPONSE TEAM: PANDEMIC MAY TRANSITION TO ENDEMIC SOON During Monday’s briefing, Gov. Justice and State Coronavirus Czar Dr. Clay Marsh both discussed the possibility that West Virginia could soon see the pandemic transition into an endemic stage. |
| “We are anticipating, very soon, coming to an important fork in the road,” Dr. Marsh said. “We are starting to see a reduction of the most recent surge brought on by the Omicron variant of COVID-19 because of the levels of immunity that we have in our country, both from vaccination and boosting, and also from native immunity. And if the COVID virus does not have a substantial additional set of mutations that creates a different kind of variant that is a much different kind of variant, then indeed, given the immunity that we have and also the acceptance that I think our country has now for the impact of COVID-19 on our citizens, then presumably we will be navigating and transitioning to a more endemic sort of mode.” “As far as moving from a pandemic to an endemic, wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could really start pulling out of this and have brighter and brighter days ahead in West Virginia,” Gov. Justice said. “We know we’re going to get through this. We’re just too tough to not get through it. But, with all of that, it’s been a long, long, two years, has it not?” Active cases and hospitalization numbers continue to drop off precipitously. In less than one month, total active cases statewide have decreased by more than 75%, while hospitalizations have decreased by more than 41%. |
