CHARLESTON, WV – Gov. Jim Justice joined West Virginia health leaders and other officials yesterday for his latest daily press briefing regarding the State’s COVID-19 response.

SWIMMING POOLS & CERTAIN INDOOR AMUSEMENT FACILITIES ADDED TO WEEK 5 REOPENINGS 
Yesterday, Gov. Justice announced that swimming pools, as well as bowling alleys, pool halls, roller rinks, and other places with indoor amusement will all be allowed to reopen on Saturday, May 30, provided that all additional guidelines are followed to help keep West Virginians as safe as possible.
Guidance documents will be provided on The Comeback page of the Governor’s Office website as soon as they become available.
Gov. Justice previously announced that limited video lottery retailers, as well as spas and massage businesses will also be able to resume operations on May 30 as part of the Governor’s Week 5 phase of business reopenings.

MOVIE THEATERS ADDED TO WEEK 6 REOPENINGS
Also today, Gov. Justice announced that movie theaters will be permitted to reopen on Friday, June 5, provided that all additional safety guidelines are followed.
Guidance documents will be provided on The Comeback page of the Governor’s Office website as soon as they become available.
Gov. Justice previously announced that casinos will also be able to resume operations on June 5 as part of the Governor’s Week 6 phase of business reopenings.

REMAINING WEEK 4 REOPENINGS NOW UNDERWAY
Additionally, Gov. Justice reminded West Virginians that several additional businesses are now permitted to reopen, provided that all safety guidelines are being properly followed.
Businesses permitted to resume operations today, Thursday, May 21, include:
•Indoor dining at restaurants
•Large/specialty retail stores
•State park campgrounds for in-state residents only (Guidance for ALL campgrounds)
•Hatfield McCoy Trail System
•Outdoor recreation rentals (Kayaks, bicycles, boats, rafts, canoes, ATVs, and similar equipment)
•Outdoor motorsport and powersport racing with no spectators
•Tanning businesses
•Whitewater rafting
•Ziplining
•Indoor malls and similar facilities
Also yesterday, the executive order requiring out-of-state travelers to self-quarantine was lifted. In accordance with this change, additional guidance documents are available for hotels, motels, condo hotels, rental properties, and cabins.

HEIGHTENED ALERT SYSTEM ACTIVATED IN BERKELEY, JEFFERSON COUNTIES
Gov. Justice announced that Berkeley and Jefferson have triggered the State’s new Heightened Alert System.
Over the past 24 hours, Jefferson County had 20 new cases, while Berkeley County had 15 new cases.
As a result, the Governor has ordered the West Virginia National Guard to travel to these two counties immediately to assess the needs of county health officials, to provide them with resources, and to work alongside state medical experts in efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19.
“The National Guard is going to report back to me in the morning,” Gov. Justice said. “It may very well be that we have got to take more stringent guidelines than what we have today there. And, if we do, we’ll do that tomorrow.
“My first and foremost responsibility is to protect you and that’s what I’m going to do. I take that responsibility very seriously,” Gov. Justice continued. “I would urge all West Virginians – especially those in Berkeley and Jefferson counties – you have got to wear a mask when you go out in public.
“We’re doing exactly what I said we were going to do; we’re running to the fire. We’re absolutely going to take care of this to the best of our ability. We can’t just step back and let it go. Because, if we just step back and let it go and do nothing, it’s going to brew into something that’s not going to be good.”

TESTING CONTINUES FOR MINORITY, VULNERABLE POPULATIONS
Once again today, Gov. Justice urged West Virginians who are at particular risk for COVID-19 to take advantage of the State’s new initiative to provide free testing in minority and vulnerable communities.
The DHHR and local jurisdictions, with support from the WVNG, will be conducting the next round of these testing efforts in Cabell, Kanawha, Marion, and Monongalia counties this Friday and Saturday.

GOVERNOR URGES SCHOOLS TO SAFELY CELEBRATE GRADUATING SENIORS
Additionally, Gov. Justice announced that he has asked officials with the Department of Education to continue looking into options for being able to safely celebrate graduating seniors across the state.
“Let’s find a way for our graduates to be able to walk up on the stage and accept their diploma some way, even if it’s not traditional,” Gov. Justice said. “I absolutely want to be able to do that so badly.
“Our Department of Education is going to be reaching out to the counties and the superintendents and see if they can come together to find a way to be able to have some form of graduation where these kids and these families are able to come – maybe wearing masks, maybe spreading out all over the place – but they’d be able to see these kids. And our kids deserve it in every way.”

DHHR URGES WEST VIRGINIANS TO UTILIZE VACCINES FOR CHILDREN PROGRAM
During his remarks today, Department of Health and Human Resources Secretary Bill Crouch offered a reminder to parents who may have recently lost their insurance benefits that the State offers an option for certain children to receive free vaccines.
“Some residents are experiencing hardships and loss of insurance coverage,” Sec. Crouch said. “We want to remind residents that DHHR’s Bureau for Public Health provides free vaccines to eligible children, from birth through age 18, through the Vaccines For Children (VFC) program.
“If children fall behind on their vaccines during this pandemic, we could face a second crisis with an outbreak of vaccine-preventable disease,” Sec. Crouch continued. “Uninsured and other eligible children may receive free vaccines at more than 420 participating provider sites.”
Eligibility requirements for the VFC program (must meet one of the below criteria):
•Medicaid-eligible
•Uninsured
•American Indian or Alaskan Native
•Underinsured (children with insurance which does not cover vaccines)
More information is available at oeps.wv.gov and at 1-800-642-3634.

CITY AND COUNTY GRANT APPLICATION REMINDER
The Governor once again offered a reminder that, on Friday, the State sent out the application for cities and counties throughout West Virginia to apply for CARES Act money.
Gov. Justice also reiterated that a new web portal is now available for city and county government officials to apply for this grant funding, at grants.wv.gov. Interested parties can also call the helpline: 1-833-94-GRANT.
Gov. Justice also expressed his thanks to West Virginia State Auditor JB McCuskey and his office for their assistance in evaluating these applications.
“The job that they’re doing is, oftentimes, unheralded. These people are behind the scenes, doing stuff every day to help us,” Gov. Justice said. “But they have always done and continue to do phenomenal work and I just can’t thank them enough.”