With omicron boosters now available in the state, Gov. Jim Justice and his advisers continue to press West Virginians to get vaccinated.
At Friday’s press briefing, they urged residents to take advantage of the newly approved omicron booster shots, highlighting the state’s vaccine due date calculator as the best way to locate and schedule a shot.
“There are some inconsistencies in deliveries throughout the state,” Ret. Maj. Gen. Jim Hoyer said. “They may be dependent upon when a pharmacy or an entity ordered under the ordering process, or just some inconsistencies in the federal pharmacy delivery system. But the best way to identify where to get the vaccine is vaccinate.wv.gov.”
Hoyer also said the state will continue to closely monitor hospital and COVID-19 case numbers as a delayed, post-Labor Day bump is expected.
Coronavirus Czar Dr. Clay Marsh used the discussion around vaccination to share new findings on the impacts of long COVID.
“We’re starting to get a picture that maybe long COVID is a hyper immune response to a persistent level of COVID-19 that the body is recognizing,” Marsh said. “That low level of persistence of the virus might stimulate the immune system to cause all the problems.”
Marsh reiterated that vaccination improves protection against long COVID complications including blood clots and inflammation, including inflammation of vital organs like the heart.