MORGANTOWN – West Virginia is ready to start vaccinating 12- to 15-year-olds once the CDC approves it, Gov. Jim Justice said Wednesday.
When the OK comes down, they’ll set up clinics in schools, he said. The DOE estimates there are 78,000 eligible children in that age group.
And the clinics will be open to all eligible residents, he said.
Justice said children will need parental or guardian permission. State schools Superintendent Clayton Burch said the schools are equipped to get the permission forms sent out.
The $100 savings bond/swipe card program to motivate those ages 16-35 to get vaccinated still isn’t ready to roll, he said. They’re still working out the details.
But he encouraged residents in that age group not to cancel their vaccination appointments and wait for the roll-out – they will get $100 if they get the vaccine.
So far, the Department of Health and Human Resources coronavirus dashboard shows that 123,549of an estimated 400,000 in that age group have been vaccinated.
Justice praised the West Virginia Broadcasters Association for forming a partnership with his office to run messages on TV and radio urging people to get vaccinated. “This is what it takes, it takes all of us pulling the rope together,” he said.
Regarding the mask mandate and other preventative measures, Justice said he’ll be providing a percentage number – he wasn’t specific but the context was vaccinations – on when things can start being lifted, based on advice from his medical team.
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