Pointing to consistent improvement in COVID-19 data, Gov. Jim Justice on Friday announced an executive order relaxing restrictions on businesses and social gatherings across West Virginia.
The order, which Justice said would take effect at midnight, will lessen restrictions on bars and restaurants from 50% of available capacity to 75% as long as social distancing can be maintained and physical seating is available for every patron.
Justice also said live, indoor music performances will be allowed except for those incorporating vocals and/or wind instruments.
“I truly believe, in the next very few weeks, we’ll be able to move that to 100%,” Justice said, noting the number of active cases in the state has dropped for 34 consecutive days and now stands below 10,000 (9,624) for the first time in three months.
As for small businesses and grocery stores, the order will double capacity limitations from two to four people per 1,000 square-feet for small businesses and from three to six per 1,000 square-feet in grocery stores.
The number of people allowed at a social gathering will be bumped from 25 to 75 as long as face coverings are worn and social distancing is observed.
Asked why now, Justice said the reality of the situation is the state can’t stay locked down indefinitely, explaining at some point, “we’ve got to live with it until we get through it.”
COVID-19 Czar Dr. Clay Marsh explained further.
“We are really in a wonderful position to do these openings right now. We don’t have the variant viruses we’ve detected. We’ve been very much on top of the vaccinations …” Marsh said, adding, “I think it’s the right time for West Virginia to try to move forward and to try to get back to the privileges we enjoy, but with lots of very intense watching and with the real need for every West Virginian to follow all of the other parts of our strategies.”
Justice said if the data and medical advice calls for it, “We will reinstate additional restrictions back if, in fact, we get in a situation where we’ve got another surge.”
Also Friday, Justice said he planned on signing a second executive order calling on the state board of education to make it mandatory that all counties send their students in grades K-8 back to school full-time.
He said all teachers and service personnel over age 50 who opted to be vaccinated will have received both shots by the end of next week.
He went on to say that he’s asked the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission to work with all county school boards to ensure winter sports occupancy and attendance limitations are in place and align with social distancing requirements.
Even so, Justice noted the order is little more than a recommendation.
“All the data shows, especially with all the teachers 50 and above getting their second shots, all the data shows go to school. That’s all there is to it. We ought to be back in school,” he said. “The board of education is going to have to make that call.”
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