Governor Jim Justice warns about UK variant

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - During a press conference Monday morning, West Virginia Governor Jim Justice says Dr. Clay Marsh, the Coronavirus Czar, confirmed the UK variant from England is attacking the younger population.

The governor says we need to watch and be concerned about this.

He urges everyone to get vaccinated.

“This is just the beginning of a shot across your bow if you happen to be a younger person. You really need to know that you need to be vaccinated,” said Governor Jim Justice.

Dr. Marsh said the United Kingdom variant, which experts predict would be the dominant variant and it’s doubling every week in most states. He says this is making children and young adults sick.

The experts, Dr. Tony Fauci and Michael Osterholm, said we should consider this variant like a new COVID-19 virus because its tendency to hit people that are younger.

According to Dr. Marsh, West Virginia has done really well as a state and has lead the way during the coronavirus pandemic. He says the key is to wear your mask, socially distance and continue to wash your hands. But the most critically important thing to do is for everyone to get vaccinated. Dr. Marsh says the vaccines are very effective against the variant.

Dr. Marsh says they are also seeing increased number of the California variant, which is less deadly.

The governor also talked about the death of Ronald Lee Jones, Jr. He was the Executive Director of the W.Va. Human Rights Commission. He passed away at 48 years old.

This is a developing story.

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