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West Virginia Governor Justice: Bureaucratic hurdles delay launch of vaccine booster effort

By David Beard, The Dominion Post

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Gov. Jim Justice expressed frustration over federal bureaucratic delays in getting out vaccines boosters as West Virginia’s active cases passed 10,000 and breakthrough cases surge.

“We need to move, and we can’t get past the legalities of Washington to move right this second,” he said. The federal government has set Sept. 20 as the date for boosters for all those six to eight months out from their second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

In the past eight weeks, Justice said, the state has seen a 26% increase in positive cases for those fully vaccinated, a 21% increase in breakthrough cases requiring hospitalization for the fully vaccinated, and a 25% increase in deaths among the fully vaccinated.

Justice said he had been prepared to announce the launch of the booster program for those age 60 and older but learned just before Monday’s briefing of some issues, including federal arrangements with pharmacies.

He’d like to offer boosters for those 60 and older who are not just six or eight months out from their second shots, but even four months…

To read more: https://www.dominionpost.com/2021/08/23/justice-bureaucratic-hurdles-delay-launch-of-vaccine-booster-effort/

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