MORGANTOWN — Gov. Jim Justice Monday appealed to patriotism and love of state in asking West Virginia’s 16- to 35-year-olds for their assistance in boosting vaccination numbers.
Then, he put up some cash in the form of $100 savings bonds.
“We’re going to give every single one of these people, our young people, our young people who’ve already stepped up and been vaccinated and every single one of our young people, we’re going to give a $100 savings bond to every one that steps up and takes their vaccines,” Justice said.
The effort is part of the Beat 588 … Bad campaign announced last week. The number signifies 588,000 people, or the 40% of 1.47 million West Virginians eligible to be vaccinated that experts fear will not take the shots.
Justice said there are roughly 380,000 West Virginians between the ages of 16 and 35, and noted that if 80% of them would get vaccinated, the state would surpass the 70% threshold.
The state now sits at about 52%.
“All of our health experts have said over and over and over that if we can get to 70, we’ll shut this thing down,” Justice said.
State officials believe CARES Act funds can be used to bankroll the program. Justice said the goal is to hand out as much as possible.
“I hope to goodness that we exceed 275,000, and we’ve got absolutely to pay a little more than $27.5 million. Nothing would make me happier,” he said.
The savings bonds are just one of the initiatives being undertaken to boost vaccination numbers.
Joint Interagency Task Force director James Hoyer said the task force has been given more flexibility to get vaccination sites in front of people, including at this past weekend’s WVU Gold-Blue spring football game.
Vaccines will be available at the upcoming state basketball tournament, and the task force is working with the SSAC in offering vaccines for athletes participating in spring and fall sports.
Hoyer went on to say that vaccines are coming to primary care providers as well as social services, like food pantries. He noted the collaboration of the Monongalia County Health Department and Pantry Plus More program that resulted in 200 doses being administered during a food giveaway on Saturday.
“We will go wherever we can get the opportunity to get vaccines in arms,” Hoyer said, adding that the task force is also looking to set up in county, state and national parks.
There have been eight COVID-19 deaths in the state since Friday, including a 69-year-old man from Monongalia County, bringing the state’s total deaths to 2,821.
Tweet @DominionPostWV
