CHARLESTON, W.Va. –
Since beginning operations in support of the state’s COVID-19 response 36 days ago, the WVNG has completed 465 missions through our four lines of effort of operationalizing of the event, stabilizing the population, providing logistical movement of critical supplies and conducting data analysis to combat the virus. Currently, 646 members of the WVNG are on duty serving the citizens of the State of West Virginia.
In conjunction with the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources Bureau for Public Health, the WVNG is preparing this weekend to conduct testing at all nursing home facilities in the state, based on Governor Jim Justice’s Executive Order issued Friday. A survey was sent to the West Virginia Health Care Association Friday evening and the results from this survey will assist with assuring the coordination of resources across the state.
The WVNG’s Task Force Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive (CBRNE) Response Enterprise (TF-CRE) will begin testing on Monday at the Barboursville and Clarksburg veterans’ homes, which consists of approximately 540 patients and staff.
Today, we are expecting to receive 9,000 COVID-19 test kits from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the State Public Health Lab. We continue to receive critical personal protective equipment and are working with county emergency managers to distribute supplies to all 55 counties in the state.
In the last 24 hours, we packed 1,805 food boxes at the Mountaineer Food Bank and 194 meals at the Facing Hunger Food Bank.
TF-CRE will be developing action plans this weekend to test all nursing home facilities in the coming weeks. In addition, they are providing lane assistance as well retail trainings on proper cargo, box handling and PPE wear today at locations across the state. To date, this team has provided training to 589 stores and 2,388 personnel.
The number of personnel supporting the Workforce West Virginia mission remains the same and members will begin processing unemployment claims next week, while assisting the agency in implementation of new software to increase capabilities to assist West Virginians.
Our data analysts working with DHHR’s regional epidemiology teams were able to support 111 contact tracing engagements and four expedited specimen transfers to track the spread of COVID-19 in West Virginia. To date, the seven Epidemiology teams have conducted more than 2,895 contract tracings. At the direction of Governor Justice, this team, in conjunction with DHHR, is refining the COVID-19 dashboard to highlight additional metrics for increased transparency and reporting.
All current and future missions performed by the WVNG are a part of a coordinated state-level public health preparation and response effort for the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, initiated by Governor Jim Justice, and being led by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.
B-roll footage of current and ongoing WVNG missions are available at: www.dvidshub.net/units/wv-ang