By Erin Beck, The Register-Herald of Beckley
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — In an address to the state Saturday evening, Gov. Jim Justice said that despite public health recommendations to stay at home as much as possible to stop the spread of COVID-19, some West Virginians are continuing to congregate.
“What if tomorrow we’re in a spike and 500 people show up at the Welch Hospital?” he said. “And they don’t have but a very few number of beds. What are we going to do? I’ll tell you what we’re going to do. We’re going to lose a lot of people. And from that standpoint, as your governor, I am here to ask you, in every way, shape or form or fashion, for those that are still out there, that are not trying in every way, who are not taking this as seriously as they should, who are not realizing what really could happen.
“I want you, each and every one of you, to search your soul and tell yourself the truth,” he said. “Tell yourself really and truly, do you really believe this is possible? Do you believe it’s possible that we could waken to thousands of our own that we lose?
“You know that we’re absolutely the state that is most vulnerable of all states, a state that is at the highest risk,” Justice said. “You know we’re an elderly state and we’ve got all kinds of other health issues.”
In Charleston Saturday, parking lots were full at grocery stores and pharmacies. People also gathered at a roadside yard sale. The governor noted West Virginians are still gathering “in an unsafe way,” including at stores and bingo halls. …
