CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Members of the West Virginia National Guard (WVNG) tested workers at the Pilgrim’s Pride poultry processing plant in Moorefield for COVID-19 this week.
The Guard worked with Pilgrim’s Pride, the Hardy County Health Department and the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health. The Guard also supported the Hardy County Health Department with a community drive-through test lane where more than 160 citizens were tested.
The WVNG provided 48 members for COVID-19 testing – 37 from Task Force CRE, 10 from Task Force Medical and one Spanish language interpreter from the WVNG’s State Partnership Program office.
The WVNG also transported tests to three labs in the state for expedited processing.
On Tuesday, Gov. Jim Justice visited the state’s distribution center in Poca to recognize and thank WVNG members, WVDHSEM staff, Mountaineer Food Bank, Facing Hunger Food Bank and WVVOAD volunteers for supporting the state’s COVID-19 response efforts.
Since beginning COVID-19 operations two months ago, the WVNG has completed 973 missions. More than 700 WVNG members are on duty serving the people of West Virginia.
Over the weekend, members of the WVNG communications staff provided a children’s home society in Elkins with emergency broadband connectivity to facilitate telemedicine visits for residents of the facility.
The Guard continues to assist area food banks, packing and delivering meals to residents in need. On May 12, 3,480 meals were delivered to Braxton, McDowell, Tyler and Webster Counties via refrigerated trailers.
Task Force CRE is continuing to provide personal protective equipment training for children’s home society facilities and area health care facilities and retail establishments. This team has trained 3,807 people at 719 businesses and 89 medical or long-term care facilities.
Task Force Sustainment, the WVNG team dedicated to receiving and moving critical supplies across the state, delivered PPE to 52 out of 55 counties May 11 through local emergency managers.
Guard members have also sanitized 345 first responder and public transit vehicles in Huntington and Charleston, including ambulances, police vehicles and buses.
West Virginia National Guard medical personnel augmenting DHHR’s regional epidemiology teams also supported 199 voluntary COVID-19 mapping engagements. The state’s seven regional epidemiology teams have conducted more than 6,399 voluntary COVID-19 mappings.
For more National Guard news: http://www.nationalguard.mil/
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National Guard Twitter: https://twitter.com/usnationalguard
How the National Guard is helping: https://www.nationalguard.mil/coronavirus/
Photos of the National Guard response: https://www.flickr.com/photos/thenationalguard/albums/72157713483827538
Latest 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/
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