West Virginia Guard conducts testing at state hospitals

By Maj. Holli Nelson | West Virginia National GuardApril 24, 2020

West Virginia Guard conducts testing at state hospitals
Members of the West Virginia National Guard’s Task Force Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Response Enterprise (CRE) (TF-CRE), sanitize workspaces for the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission in Charleston, West Virginia, April 11, 2020. Utilizing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) environmental cleaning and disinfection recommendations, TF-CRE sanitized workspaces on multiple floors of the building, helping to combat the possible spread of COVID-19 and allowing employees to safely return to work developing and overseeing the public policy agenda for West Virginia’s four-year colleges and universities. (Photo Credit: Edwin Wriston) VIEW ORIGINAL

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia National Guard (WVNG) tested about 500 patients and staff at four state hospitals for COVID-19 April 23.

The WVNG has now tested 1,271 people at seven facilities this week, with another state hospital scheduled for testing April 24.

Task Force CRE also continues to train people at medical and long-term care facilities and stores in the state how to wear personal protective equipment (PPE). Members are also supporting drive-through COVID-19 testing and sanitizing facilities.

Since beginning operations in support of the state’s COVID-19 response 42 days ago, the WVNG has completed 621 missions. More than 704 members of the WVNG are on duty serving West Virginians.

“On behalf of Governor (Jim) Justice, we want to extend our thanks to the many businesses in West Virginia who have donated items to assist in the state’s response to COVID-19, which have included masks, hand sanitizer, material, food, face shields and more,” said Maj. Gen. James Hoyer, adjutant general of the WVNG.

West Virginia Guard members have also sanitized 114 ambulances, police vehicles and public transit buses in Huntington and Charleston.

The WVNG's Task Force Sustainment continues distributing PPE to county emergency managers across the state.

And members of the West Virginia Guard have helped pack and distribute 140,539 meals at food banks and via refrigerated truck deliveries to county boards of education.

In addition, Guard medical personnel are augmenting epidemiology teams with the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) in more than 3,488 contact tracing efforts.

All WVNG missions are part of a coordinated state response to the COVID-19 outbreak, initiated by the governor and led by DHHR.

For more National Guard news: http://www.nationalguard.mil/

National Guard Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNationalGuard/

National Guard Twitter: https://twitter.com/usnationalguard

National Guard COVID-19 Response: https://www.nationalguard.mil/coronavirus/

Coronavirus (COVID-19): https://www.coronavirus.gov/

Latest from the CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/

COVID-19 Response: https://www.flickr.com/photos/thenationalguard/albums/72157713483827538

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