CHARLESTON, W.Va. –
Since beginning operations in support of the state’s COVID-19 response 46 days ago, the WVNG has completed 698 missions through our six lines of effort of operationalizing of the event, stabilizing the population, providing logistical movement of critical supplies, innovation, state surge capacity and capability, and conducting data analysis to combat the virus. Currently, 704 members of the WVNG are on duty serving the citizens of the State of West Virginia.
Today, members of Task Force CRE are providing additional PPE training to the Harrison County Health Department while also supporting area healthcare facilities and retail establishments with PPE training. Members are also providing assistance for COVID-19 drive through testing lanes at three locations. To date, this team has trained 665 businesses, 3,318 personnel and 74 medical or long-term care facilities.
In addition to training, TF CRE and TF Medical will be conducting a COVID-19 testing mission tomorrow at the Weirton Geriatric Center. So far, they have conducted 220 COVID-19 tests for lane support and 2,277 tests as a part of their response mission.
West Virginia Guard personnel assisting in sanitization lanes for first responder and public transport vehicles have sanitized 202 vehicles in two locations – Huntington and Charleston – which includes ambulances, police vehicles and public transport buses.
Task Force Sustainment, our team dedicated to receiving and moving critical supplies across the state, continues their mission of distributing PPE to various county emergency managers. Today, this team will deliver PPE supplies to 12 counties.
In the last 24 hours, West Virginia Guardsmen and women assisted packing 1,400 box meals at the Mountaineer Food Bank and 202 family meal boxes at the Facing Hunger Food Bank in Huntington. In addition, they will deliver 3,405 meals to Mercer, Mason and Wood Counties via refrigerated trailers.
West Virginia National Guard medical personnel augmenting DHHR’s regional epidemiology teams were able to support 182 voluntary COVID-19 mapping engagements and three expedited transfers to the state lab. To date, the state’s seven regional epidemiology teams have conducted more than 4,129 voluntary COVID-19 mappings.
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.