MORGANTOWN — Gov. Jim Justice said Thursday that as Week 2 of his The Comeback plan begins Monday, he’ll be lifting his stay-at-home order and replacing it with “Safer at Home.”
The order to stay home will change to an encouragement to stay home, also allowing for essential activity. The small businesses, outdoor dining and health care provider plans previously announced will continue. Groups exceeding 25 will remain prohibited but churches are exempted: They have separate published guidance.
Thursday was the official Day 1 of Week 1 of The Comeback. Justice also announced that spectator-free horse racing will resume on May 14, and training to get the horses into shape will resume soon.
Thursday afternoon’s COVID-19 numbers from the Department of Health and Human Resources were 1125 positive cases out of 44,700 test results, for a 2.52% rate – still below the 3% cumulative percentage threshold he set for The Comeback.
But Justice and his team have taken some flak for using a cumulative metric, with critics saying factoring in old results doesn’t give a true picture of current infection rates. So Justice cited some other numbers on Thursday. Day-by-day statistics show the positive rate has been below 2% each of last 3 days, he said.
Week 3 will begin May 11, he said, and he will announce what will be eligible to reopen on Monday.
COVID-19 Czar Clay Marsh pointed to another hopeful sign: They’re now seeing more people recovering than newly active cases.
Department of Health and Human Resources Secretary Bill Crouch said the Bureau for Children and Families will be providing a one-time Emergency Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) $100 payment to LIEAP participants and to heating source vendors to help low-income residents cover heating bills. It will be an automatic payment coming at end of May; residents will not need to apply.
DHHR also released daycare guidance on Thursday, Crouch said, so those that wish to reopen can serve those who are returning to work.
Crouch also said DHHR will begin posting health data the state’s African-American community to its COVID-19 website – coronavirus.wv.gov – by Monday. They are also developing an advisory group to assist with compiling that information.
The United Way is sponsoring a statewide food drive on May 5, Crouch said, called Country Roads Food Drive. Information about it can be found at facebook.com/unitedwaympc.
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