Omicron Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Justice Encourages Boosters, Flu Shots As Temperatures Drop

Gov. Jim Justice reported nine more deaths during his COVID-19 briefing Wednesday afternoon.

This brings the total number of in-state deaths to 7,479. The deaths were exclusively among the elderly, with the youngest death being a 65-year-old from Greenbrier County.

Justice continued to urge West Virginians to get their omicron booster shot as the temperatures continue to decline.

“It’s starting to get colder, it’s absolutely going to be more and more and more folks inside,” Justice said. “The chances of this thing spreading even faster are surely more with people gathered together.”

Ret. Maj. Gen. James Hoyer also brought up staffing concerns across the state’s hospitals, with flu season also set to begin.

“This time of year also tends to be a time when we have more people in hospital for a variety of respiratory related issues,” Hoyer said. “So we want to continue to look closely at that. Part of the governor’s task force responsibility is to work with our hospital association and our healthcare system to make sure that we can maintain those capabilities.”

Coronavirus czar Dr. Clay Marsh is optimistic that despite the drops in temperature, this coming season will look better than past pandemic winters.

“Looking at Europe and seeing what’s going on with the level of immunity that we have worldwide, it’s less likely we will see tremendous surges and COVID patients overwhelming hospitals, but hospitals are very full,” Marsh said.

There are 912 active cases in the state as of Wednesday, according to the Department of Health and Human Resources. That includes 310 newly identified cases since the previous update just the day before.

Potential For Combined COVID-19, Flu Season Worries State Leaders

Coronavirus czar Dr. Clay Marsh discussed the emergence of new COVID omicron subvariant BQ1.1, and Ret. Maj. Gen. Jim Hoyer urged West Virginians to also get flu shots to help avoid more strain on the state’s hospital system.

Gov. Jim Justice read 20 more COVID deaths, now totaling 7470 as the state edges closer to 7500 COVID-19 deaths.

Coronavirus czar Dr. Clay Marsh discussed the emergence of a new COVID omicron subvariant, named BQ1.1, that is gaining activity in Europe and starting to take hold in the U.S. as well.

“We know that this variant is a descendant of the omicron BA.5 variant, so it makes it even more important for us to consider getting the new omicron booster shot as soon as you are eligible,” he said.

On Wednesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expanded the use of updated (bivalent) COVID-19 vaccines to children ages five through 11 years.

“Within the next 24 hours we will have updated the vaccine calculator to also make sure that your children five years old or over who might be eligible for the new Omicron booster shot will have that opportunity,” Marsh said.

Marsh went on to discuss recent findings from a Scottish study, which found that about 20 percent of subjects with COVID-19 had symptoms that did not resolve by the end of the study, and about 40 percent of subjects with COVID-19 had symptoms that maintained four to six months after the initial illness ended.

“These are people with mild COVID,” Marsh said. “This study also found that getting up to date COVID booster shots reduced the risk of developing these symptoms, even if you got COVID, by about half.”

Ret. Maj. Gen. Jim Hoyer said state leaders are also watching the upcoming flu season. He urged West Virginians to also get flu shots to help avoid more strain on the state’s hospital system.

“Flu season in Australia, which is kind of a mirror for us, was not not good,” Hoyer said. “In talking to a hospital administrator this morning the concern that we have amongst our hospitals is that combination of omicron and flu and the challenges and the stress that is going to put on our system.”

Justice ended the press conference by highlighting continued vaccination efforts in the state.

“Every day, Gen. Hoyer’s saying somebody else comes and gets their first shots,” he said. “And surely to God above, a whole bunch are coming down getting their booster. We want more, but a whole bunch are coming right now.”

Hoyer: Omicron Booster Recommended, Available

Some initial confusion about who could receive the latest COVID-19 booster vaccine has been cleared up.

Ret. Maj. Gen. Jim Hoyer made a point during Tuesday’s COVID-19 press briefing to clarify that the recently approved Omicron booster is available for all West Virginians over the age of 12 who meet the shot’s prerequisites.

“The COVID-19 Omicron booster is now recommended and available to anyone 12 years of age and older, has completed their primary series, meaning two shots of Pfizer, two shots of Moderna or the Nova Vax or you have taken your booster shots and you are more than at least two months from taking the last shot,” Hoyer said.

While the state’s health apparatus is focusing on boosting those 50 and older and in long-term care facilities, the state is expected to up its allotment to 100,000 boosters over the next week.

Hoyer emphasized that work had been done over the weekend to update the Department of Health and Human Resource’s vaccine calculator, and encouraged West Virginians to use the tool to determine when and where to receive the latest shot.

“Getting that booster shot is going to be exceptionally important,” he said.

Gov. Jim Justice echoed Hoyer to end the press briefing.

“From the Omicron standpoint, get your shots that are available to you, especially if you’re 50 and older, please get your shots,” he said. “Twelve and older are all eligible if we have supply.“

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Charleston Area Medical Center and Marshall Health.

Omicron Boosters Arrive In W.Va. After CDC Approval

Gov. Jim Justice and his advisors took time during the Friday COVID-19 briefing to talk through the distribution and requirements of the recently approved booster.

On Thursday evening, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved a new COVID-19 booster.

Gov. Jim Justice and his advisors took time during the Friday COVID-19 briefing to talk through the distribution and requirements of the recently approved booster.

In a prerecorded message, Ret. Maj. Gen. Jim Hoyer reaffirmed that the state’s initial order of 50,000 boosters — which began arriving Thursday — will go to West Virginians over the age of 65, in long-term care facilities, and frontline workers.

“Anyone who wants to get the COVID-19 omicron booster, which is the current booster now approved for those over the age of 12, will have to have had the primary series,” Hoyer said. “Meaning either the first two doses of Pfizer and Moderna or a dose of the Novavax vaccine. They have to have those before they can get the booster and the guidance is two months after that primary series.”

Hoyer said the state could receive as many as 100,000 boosters in the coming week to 10 days.

Justice took the opportunity Friday to remind West Virginians that the booster is necessary because the pandemic is not over.

“This basically comes at a critical time when kids are getting ready to go back to school,” Justice said. “I’ll promise you this thing’s not gone. We just read another 20 names today. And absolutely at the same time, we’re finding ways to live with it.”

FDA Authorizes Omicron Specific COVID-19 Booster Shots

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday authorized new COVID-19 booster shots from Pfizer and Moderna that are omicron specific.

The newer omicron A.4 and BA.5 variants make up 99 percent of new cases in the U.S.

The fast approval by the FDA of the booster shots that target the dominant BA.4 and BA.5 omicron sub variants was highly anticipated amid government efforts to roll out a fall vaccination campaign.

The bivalent vaccine (targets two strains) also protects against the original version of the virus included in all previous shots.

With the number of COVID-19 infections predicted to rise as fall and winter approaches, it’s hoped that the new omicron specific boosters will provide protection against serious illness and death.

The new Moderna booster has been cleared for use as a single dose in anyone aged 18 or older. The new Pfizer-BioNTech booster is authorized for people aged 12 years and up. The omicron specific booster will also be available to anyone two months out from completing their initial vaccination series or last booster shot.

The boosters are expected to be made available to the public starting next week, pending approval by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

New Booster Approval, Distribution Expected Early Next Month

State leaders are eyeing early September for the approval of the latest COVID vaccine boosters.

During Thursday’s pandemic press briefing, state coronavirus czar Dr. Clay Marsh gave a potential timeline for the approval and distribution of a bivalent COVID vaccine booster, designed to target the virus’ omicron subvariants.

Bivalent refers to the vaccine’s ability to target two strains of COVID-19: the original variant, as well as the omicron strain.

“The omicron variant of COVID-19 is the critical form of COVID-19 that is causing cases in West Virginia as well as in the country,” Marsh said.

He said the drug’s approval is expected after the Food and Drug Administration meets in early September, with approval from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention following shortly after.

“Therefore, fairly soon after Labor Day, we should start to see the availability of the new omicron-specific booster shots that will be available,” Marsh said. “At least at this point, it looks like for the first wave the indications will be West Virginians and Americans over 65 years old.”

However, in response to a question later in the press conference, Marsh said that distribution could expand to other age groups depending on federal guidance.

“We understand the demographic, important age grouping and the impact of age, pre-existing health problems, immunosuppressed status has in having a higher risk of getting severely ill, hospitalized or dying with COVID-19,” Marsh said. “Of course we will try to make sure we adhere 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.”

During Tuesday’s press briefing, Ret. Maj. Gen. Jim Hoyer said West Virginia placed its first order for the bivalent vaccine on Monday, and expected to place another order next week.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Charleston Area Medical Center and Marshall Health.