CHARLESTON — West Virginia residents between 16 and 35 years old who are fully vaccinated may be given the option to apply for a $100 savings bond or receive a $100 gift card.
Gov. Jim Justice said Monday during his pandemic briefing that is what is in the process now after initially trying to obtain savings bonds for those who get vaccinated.
“We are working a lot of ways on this,” he said, after learning earlier the savings bond option for up to 200,000 or more people may not be doable. “We are working with both of these (savings bonds and $100 gift cards) now. We are going to give flexibility to get it two ways.”
So far, according to the state COVID-19 DHHR dashboard, about 125,000 residents in that age group have had at least one dose and all who get fully vaccinated will receive the $100.
Justice’s goal is for at least 275,000 of the total 380,000 in that age group to get vaccinated, at a cost of about $27 million, which will come from CARES Act funding that was set aside last year for pandemic related expenses.
“We have to get you vaccinated,” he said of that age group, which has seen more spread and more cases, lowering the average age of a positive test to 34.
On Monday, the FDA also authorized the use of the Pfizer vaccine for the 12 to 15-year-old age group.
“There are 78,000 of them (in that age group) in West Virginia,” Justice said. “We are ready to go (with offering the vaccine in schools).”
Retired Maj. Gen. James Hoyer, director of the Joint InterAgency Vaccine Task Force, said Friday that as soon as that approval comes, “We will start that day or the next day with the delivery of the vaccine to those who are going to open up school clinics.”
Hoyer said those vaccines will be available to students as well as families and the task force has been working with the state department of education, local school boards and health departments to be ready.
Justice has established June 20, West Virginia’s 158th birthday, as a “set in stone” date to end the mask mandate, barring a major surge in cases.
By June 20, he wants 65 percent of the eligible population to have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine (that number now stands at about 55 percent). Other goals include 85 percent of those 65 and older with at least one dose (80 percent currently) and 75 percent of those 50 and older.
“I think we can get to 65 percent, that’s only 10 percent more,” Justice said. “We’re close, and I know we’ll be plenty more close by June 20th when we get rid of the masks.”
If these numbers fall a little short, the June 20 end of the mask mandate will still be in place, he said.
“We can get there,” he said of the goals, adding that it is time to end the requirement to wear the masks, which was mandated in public buildings about 14 months ago.
Hoyer said a plan to bring the vaccine to the people is in place, with clinics set up at fairs, festivals, at businesses, with community groups and other entities, making it as convenient as possible.
Free COVID-19 vaccination clinics will also be held at all West Virginia State Parks and State Forests between now and Memorial Day. Several state park and forest locations will host clinics prior to Memorial Day. Then, on Memorial Day weekend, all West Virginia State Parks and Forests will offer vaccines to employees, employees’ families, and park guests. Further details will be posted at wvstateparks.com as they become available.
Primary care providers will also have the vaccine, Hoyer said, as well as hospitals, which can offer the vaccine when a patient is discharged.
He said that, in 14 months, more than 160,000 more Americans have died from COVID (a total of 581,000 so far) than the total number of Americans killed during the entire four years of World War II (about 420,000).
Hoyer said the WWII generation of Americans stepped up to the plate and everyone took on the responsibility to help out with the war effort.
“What we are asking you to do is take on the responsibility that the greatest generation took on and get a vaccine,” Hoyer said. “Protect yourself and everyone in the community.”
Justice echoed the analogy.
“We stepped up, America because we were threatened…” he said. “All we are asking you to do to help stop this war is to get vaccinated. Absolutely be patriotic like all of those who came before you.”
Justice also announced that the West Virginia State Parks system will host an on-site and virtual job fair at Pipestem Resort State Park Tuesday from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. to recruit people for jobs at the park.
The job fair is hosted in partnership with the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources and Workforce West Virginia.
The on-site job fair will be held at 46 Canyon Way, Pipestem.
Contact Charles Boothe at cboothe@bdtonline.com
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