W.Va. Gov. Issues 'Stay Home' Order, Shuts Down Nonessential Businesses

Gov. Jim Justice issued a “stay home” order Monday and shut down all nonessential businesses, including cabins and restrooms at state parks. State and local park trails will stay open as well as golf courses. 

The order is similar to what was also announced in Maryland today and Ohio yesterday.

The governor said the stay home order is not martial law and that the national guard and police would not be called in for enforcement. 

However people should not visit family and friends unless there is an urgent need, visit loved ones in the hospital or nursing home or go to work unless your work is deemed an essential service. 

West Virginians will be able to leave their homes to perform essential services such as going to obtain food, medicine or necessary medical care. Justice also said people can go check on family members, go out to walk pets, or go to the vet. 

The governor also announced a positive case has been found in a West Virginia nursing home. As MetroNews reports, that was at the Sundale Nursing Home in Morgantown.

CEO Michael Hicks, who also is president of the home’s management company, said in an interview with West Virginia Public Broadcasting the resident is currently in an isolation room at Ruby Memorial Hospital, in Morgantown.

Hicks said the resident was tested early Sunday morning and received her results Sunday afternoon. The National Guard is helping to collect testing samples from all staff who had contact with the resident, Hicks said, and all of the residents in her wing of the two-story facility. 

Hicks said the tests were sent to WVU Medicine, from which he’s hoping to get any positive results back within 10 to 12 hours. He adds the facility continues to follow CDC guidelines and instructions from the governor. 

West Virginia currently has 16 confirmed cases of the virus with one pending. To date, it’s the fewest cases of any state.

Editor’s Note: In our original post of this story we misspelled “martial law”. That has been corrected. Thanks to all the keen readers and copy editors out there helping us out!

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