W.Va. Guard update on COVID-19 response

CHARLESTON, WV, UNITED STATES

06.02.2020

Story by Maj. Holli Nelson 

West Virginia National Guard

Since beginning operations in support of the state’s COVID-19 response 81 days ago, the WVNG has completed 1,326 missions through our six lines of effort of operationalizing of the event, stabilizing the population, providing logistical movement of critical supplies, innovation, state surge capacity and capability, and conducting data analysis to combat the virus. Currently, 561 members of the WVNG are on duty serving the citizens of the State of West Virginia.
Yesterday, TF CRE supported the testing of cadets, using the mobile testing lab, from the West Virginia State Police in preparation their first academy training class since the start of the COVID-19 response. In addition, Guard personnel are also assisting in testing Mountaineer ChalleNGe Academy cadets in order for them to take their end of course exam in person for graduation from the program.
This weekend, June 5th and 6th, Task Force CRE and Task Force Medical will once again assist with COVID-19 testing lanes in McDowell, Ohio and Harrison Counties. To date, Task Force CRE and Task Force Medical have conducted 106 COVID-19 lane support missions testing 8,980 individuals and 3,862 tests as a part of their rapid response mission.
Task Force CRE is continuing to provide PPE training for various businesses, state agencies and first responders and has 13 restaurants scheduled for today in the Eastern Panhandle. To date, this team has trained 793 businesses, 4,508 personnel and 101 medical or long-term care facilities.
In the last 24 hours, West Virginia Guardsmen and women maintained the missions at the Clarksburg and Huntington Food Banks, and delivered 1,800 meals to Lincoln County and 300 meals to Mason County via refrigerated trailers.
Task Force Sustainment, the team dedicated to receiving and moving critical supplies across the state, delivered PPE to state agencies, assembled 1,200 COVID-19 test kits and verified over 1,000 pre-made test kits delivered to the facility.
West Virginia Guard personnel assisting in sanitization lanes for first responder and public transport vehicles have sanitized 509 vehicles in two locations – Huntington and Charleston – which includes ambulances, police vehicles and public transport buses.
West Virginia National Guard medical personnel augmenting DHHR’s regional epidemiology teams in place conducting data entry into the state disease surveillance system and conducting COVID-19 mapping which resulted in 310 engagements. To date, the state’s seven regional epidemiology teams have conducted more than 9,605 voluntary COVID-19 mappings.

All current and future missions performed by the WVNG are a part of a coordinated state-level public health preparation and response effort for the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, initiated by Governor Jim Justice, and being led by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.
B-roll footage of current and ongoing WVNG missions are available at: www.dvidshub.net/units/wv-ang

• Date Taken: 06.02.2020
• Date Posted: 06.02.2020 15:57
• Story ID: 371302
• Location: CHARLESTON, WV, US