Following the Coronavirus

Gov. Jim Justice Details Vaccine Rollout Plan in West Virginia

CHARLESTON — The distribution plan in West Virginia for the vaccine against the COVID-19 coronavirus was further defined by the governor on Friday. Allocation will be in two phases, 1 and 2, Gov. Jim Justice said. Phase 1 in the initial shipments of the vaccine is further divided into A, B, C and D, he said. Phase 1A will include hospital acute care tertiary and Q/ICU/ED/COVID units and airway specialists (ENT, G1, heart/lung), nursing home and assisted living staff and residents and pharmacies. Phase 1B includes community infrastructure, emergency response, public health ...

The Meadows Among Pa. Casinos Closing For Three Weeks for Covid Precautions

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s latest round of restrictions to combat the spread of COVID-19 has closed the doors of the nearby Meadows Racetrack & Casino for a while. The governor on Thursday ordered the closure of Pennsylvania's 12 casinos, including the Meadows in North Strabane Township outside of Washington. The Meadows closed for three weeks beginning at 11 p.m. Friday. Those closures were part of a large menu of measures attempting to stop the virus’ spread. Wolf recently tested positive for COVID-19, though his and his wife’s latest tests had come back negative. Wolf ...

U.S. Panel Endorses Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine

WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. government advisory panel endorsed widespread use of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine Thursday, putting the country just one step away from launching an epic vaccination campaign against the outbreak that has killed close to 300,000 Americans. Shots could begin within days, depending on how quickly the Food and Drug Administration signs off, as expected, on the expert committee’s recommendation. “This is a light at the end of the long tunnel of this pandemic,” declared Dr. Sally Goza, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. In a 17-4 vote with ...

Ohio County Reports Four More COVID-19 Deaths, Marshall County Reports One

Ohio County reported four more COVID-related deaths and Marshall County reported one more such death Thursday evening. According to the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department, one of those who died was hospitalized at the time of their passing, while the other three were residents in long-term care facilities at the time of their passing. The Marshall County Health Department said that county’s latest death was a 69-year-old woman who was hospitalized at the time of her passing. Ohio County has now recorded 29 COVID-related deaths since the pandemic began, while Marshall County has ...

Seven Springs, Snowshoe Ski Resorts Plan for Safe, Snowy Season

Attention, skiers and snowboarders: It’s time to hit the slopes. The arrival of cold weather has allowed the region’s ski resorts to set opening dates, with Seven Springs Mountain Resort opening for the season this weekend, with trails and slopes available from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. ...

W.Va. Agencies Preparing for COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout

CHARLESTON — Planners in West Virginia are preparing for when the first shipments of the COVID-19 coronavirus vaccines will arrive. The Joint Inter-Agency Task Force composed of public health groups and state agencies has been conducting exercises and plans another large-scale drill today, Bo Wriston, a public affairs spokesman for the West Virginia National Guard, said. The National Guard is a key agency in the distribution of the vaccine in the initial phases to vaccinate priority groups. About 16,500 doses were ordered by the state from Pfizer, Gov. Jim Justice said earlier this ...