CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia National Guard trained staff at the Children's Home Society in Romney on the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE), one of 816 missions the Guard has completed during the COVID-19 pandemic.Since beginning operations in support of the state’s COVID-19 response 50 days ago, the number of members of the WVNG involved has swelled to 701.On May 1, Task Force CRE provided PPE training to the Children’s Home Society, as well as area health care facilities and six retail establishments. To date, this team has trained 3,552 people at 684 businesses and 83 medical or long-term care facilities.This team has also conducted COVID-19 tests as a part of their response mission.At a news conference April 30, Maj. Gen. James Hoyer, adjutant general of the WVNG, announced that a pilot project testing the sanitization of HVAC systems through aerosolized hydrogen peroxide was validated at 99.999% effective. Task Force Innovation conducted this test at the Federal Aviation Administration building in Charleston. This team will work to refine the process and do additional testing at long-term care facilities.Members of the West Virginia Guard helped sanitize 274 first responder and public transport vehicles in Huntington and Charleston.The Guard has also helped organize and distribute more than 1 million critical supplies to all 55 counties in the state.Members of the West Virginia Guard helped pack 1,514 box meals at the Mountaineer Food Bank and 5,200 pounds of frozen food at the Facing Hunger Food Bank in Huntington. This team also delivered 4,000 meals to Putnam County. To date, members have packed 103,767 meals and delivered 69,877 meals to those in need.These and other missions performed by the WVNG are part of a coordinated state response initiated by Gov. Jim Justice and led by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.For more National Guard news: http://www.nationalguard.mil/National Guard Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNationalGuard/National Guard Twitter: https://twitter.com/usnationalguardHow the National Guard is helping: https://www.nationalguard.mil/coronavirus/Photos of the National Guard response: https://www.flickr.com/photos/thenationalguard/albums/72157713483827538Latest from the CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/U.S. response: https://www.coronavirus.gov/White House-CDC response: https://www.coronavirus.gov/