MORGANTOWN – The six church-based COVID-19 outbreaks and what they mean for The Comeback occupied much of Wednesday’s press briefing from the state Capitol.
COVID-19 Czar Clay Marsh warned, “Don’t get complacent and don’t get fatigued.”
Gov. Jim Justice voiced his view most strongly near the end of the briefing, “If you don’t listen and don’t wear your mask you’re going to have loved ones die. He said he and his team are staring to experience more hesitancy about allowing bigger gatherings and wondered what it’s gong to take to wake people up.”
An unnamed Ohio County church was added to the previous list of outbreaks in Greenbrier, Boone, Hampshire, Jefferson and Marshall Counties.
In Greenbrier, the outbreak occurred at Graystone Baptist Church in Ronceverte. The number of positives was upped from 26, as reported Monday, to 32. As reported Monday, before the six new cases, across the five outbreaks, 53 individuals were infected, and another 26 were infected through subsequent contact.
Justice said the outbreaks in Greenbrier, Ohio and Boone remain active, the other three have been resolved. In Greenbrier, 839 people turned out for community testing; of 815 results so far, eight were positive. In Ohio, the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department has identifed four positives and expects more.
From Saturday morning through Wednesday morning, total positive cases statewide rose by 99, from 2,259 to 2,358.
Justice commented, “When we don’t adhere to the guidelines .. all our own choosing … we’re asking for it.” Churches are a prime spot for outbreaks because people are close together, projecting infected droplets through singing, and many attendees are elderly. Then people will go from church to a store, infecting others and creating a community outbreak.
West Virginia case spikes have made national news, Marsh said, and are tied to the church outbreaks plus people returning to West Virginia from travel to areas with higher infection rates. During the briefing, Justice was handed a news report – which was also reported in The Dominion Post – of a group of Preston County residents who traveled to Myrtle Beach, S.C.; seven have tested positive.
Justice said that anyone in the state who has traveled to Myrtle Beach should go to their county health department and get tested.
Marsh added another anecdote, about 6 young people in Florida who attended a birthday celebration in a bar; none wore masks, all got infected.
On other topics, Justice aid he regularly gets asked about high school proms. They’re still forbidden. It’s impossible to maintain social distancing in those close quarters.
He reported that unemployment has dropped 3% since May and is down to 12.9%, better than the national rate of 13.3%. He commented on the fact we celebrate the figure of 12.9% when in September unemployment stood at 4.6%. “The whole world turned upside down.”
During the press Q&A, Justice took a question on whether it’s time to mandate masks, given the outbreaks.
He answered, “I would be a proponent .” But weighing against that is the rebellion it might cause. “The people have listened and the people have really trusted me. … We’ve stayed together. I don’t want to divide us. I want us all pulling the rope together. … It’s a tough call.” But if the numbers get worse, it might be the next step.
His answer was similar when asked about putting the brakes on youth sports. “This situation is fluid.” But if the numbers go south, “We’ll pull the plug, that’s all there is to it.”
One question veered into politics – on the topic of taking down Confederate monuments.
Removing them from the Capitol Campus, he said, is a legislative decision, not his, he said.
But for his own perspective, “I feel that our Capitol is a place where I want everyone to always feel comfortable and at ease. … This is our Capitol, this is our state, this is our people.”
But he wants to protect the state during the pandemic, provide economic opportunities, bring more goodness to everyone’s life going forward and not look behind. “I never do very well with the rear-view mirror, I’m always looking forward.”
Tweet David Beard @dbeardtdp Email dbeard@dominionpost.com
