West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice touts falling COVID numbers; explains additions to special Legislative session

Active cases saw a peak on Sept. 16, with 29,744. As of Wednesday's report from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, there were 9,703 active cases.

On Sept. 15, the seven-day average of new cases was 1,964, a peak level for this most recent COVID-19 surge caused by the highly transmissible Delta variant. As of Wednesday, that average was 1,093.

The governor also discussed a proclamation issued Tuesday evening amending the order calling for a special session of the West Virginia Legislature.

The new proclamation added two new items to the session's agenda. One is an additional allocation from the state's General Revenue Fund, earmarking $4 million for the Division of Justice and Community Services, a division of the Department of Homeland Security.

The funding will backfill the Victims of Crime Act grants, Justice said, which is necessary after federal funding for the grants was cut.

The second item relates to COVID-19 vaccine mandates. The new item says that covered employers, as defined under that section of West Virginia Code, who mandate vaccines are required to allow exemptions for medical or religious reasons.

Justice characterized the second item as a clarification of already established guidelines.

"That is the law of the land," Justice said of allowing vaccine mandates, pointing to examples such as the U.S. Military. "This is a common-sense bill, because federal law already says that you have to allow for these exemptions."

West Virginia has at least some laws that are more restrictive than the governor suggested. Per West Virginia Code §16-3-4, the compulsory vaccinations for school children allows for exemptions only for medical reasons, with no exemptions for religious reasons.

This is the section of West Virginia Code that would be amended under the governor's proposal.

Justice went on to reiterate that, with regard to vaccine mandates, he believes businesses should have the right to choose wether or not to implement them.

WVU Medicine issued a statement during the press briefing expressing its opposition to the measure "in its current form."

“WVU Medicine opposes the COVID-19 exemptions bill in its current form. We would urge the Legislature to push the pause button and work with key stakeholders and employers across West Virginia to ensure this bill does not unintentionally derail their efforts to protect their employees and the broader public.”