West Virginia will be able to 'internally prioritize' access to new booster, Marsh says

“As we have done with other vaccines, we understand the impact of age, pre-existing health problems, immunosuppressed status has in having a higher risk of getting severally ill, hospitalized or dying with COVID-19,” Dr. Clay Marsh said. “So, of course, we will try to make sure we are adherent to FDA and CDC guidelines, but we also will internally prioritize the groups that we want to make sure have immediate access to the vaccine.”

James Hoyer, who leads West Virginia’s vaccine distribution efforts, earlier this week said the state plans to offer the boosters to the state’s most vulnerable populations first.

“Our focus will be, based on the number of West Virginians we’ve lost in these age categories, we’re going to focus on long-term care facilities, persons over the age of 65, those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised and then also health care workers and first responders,” Hoyer said.

Drug manufacturers have asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to authorize their new bivalent booster shots — meaning the vaccine has been formulated to protect against the original coronavirus strain, as well as its BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants.

After the FDA grants the authorization, only a few regulatory steps remain before the rollout can begin.

The state has placed an order for around 49,400 doses of the booster in the first two ordering periods, Hoyer said.

“We have no indication that we will have any challenges with availability of that booster going forward,” he said.

Residents must receive the normal series of vaccines before getting the new booster, said State Health Officer Dr. Ayn Amjad.

“People will need to have their primary series, or two doses, before they get the booster,” she said. “This is a booster dose, so in order for it to be able to work, you do have to complete that primary series of either Pfizer or Moderna, whichever you prefer, before you can get the booster.”

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources reported four additional COVID-19 deaths Thursday morning.

DHHR confirmed the deaths of an 81-year old female from Tyler County, a 76-year old female from Greenbrier County, a 94-year old female from Kanawha County, and a 74-year old female from Wayne County.

“If you have been hesitant to receive your COVID vaccine or booster, I encourage you to discuss your concerns with a trusted medical provider,” said DHHR Secretary Bill Crouch. “It is important to make informed decisions and take advantage of all precautions to prevent severe effects of this deadly virus.”

A total of 7,261 deaths attributed to COVID-19 have occurred in West Virginia since the start of the pandemic.

There were 307 COVID-19 patients hospitalized statewide, including 44 patients in ICU units and 13 patients on ventilators. There were also 12 pediatric COVID-19 patients hospitalized statewide, including four patients in ICU units and one patient on a ventilators.

West Virginians ages 6 months and older are recommended to get vaccinated against the virus that causes COVID-19. Those 5 years and older should receive a booster shot when due. Second booster shots for those age 50 and over who are 4 months or greater from their first booster are recommended, as well as for younger individuals over 12 years old with serious and chronic health conditions that lead to being considered moderately to severely immunocompromised.

Visit the WV COVID-19 Vaccination Due Date Calculator, a free, online tool that helps individuals figure out when they may be due for a COVID-19 shot, making it easier to stay up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccination. To learn more about COVID-19 vaccines, or to find a vaccine site, visit vaccinate.wv.gov or call 1-833-734-0965.

To locate COVID-19 testing, please visit dhhr.wv.gov/COVID-19/pages/testing.aspx.