Governor scolds his residents

The number of coronavirus infections and people hospitalized for COVID-19 in West Virginia have set new highs as GOP Gov. Jim Justice scolds residents who continue to balk at getting vaccinated. At least 40% of the state’s people older than 12 have not received all doses. The governor said this week that “this is a pandemic of the unvaccinated.” Yet he has balked at issuing either a vaccination or mask mandate.

Officials confirmed virus cases statewide totaled about 8,860 last week, breaking the previous weekly high of about 8,200 set in early January. A record 852 people were in hospitals Monday for COVID-19.