WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. (WSAZ) – The head of the National COVID-19 Task Force, Vice President Mike Pence, met with members of West Virginia’s Task Force Saturday morning.
At the Greenbrier Resort, owned by West Virginia Governor Jim Justice, Vice President Pence told the members of the team he appreciated their hard work and leadership during this unprecedented time.
“We are with you, and we will stay with you until the day comes to put COVID behind us once and for all,” Pence said in a public roundtable discussion.
The Vice President says while he and the White House grieve the lives of West Virginians lost, leadership by the state government and health officials have saved lives.
“Thank you for your leadership during this extraordinarily challenging time,” Vice President Pence said to Gov. Justice. “I truly do believe, Governor, that because of your leadership and because of this team you have assembled and because of the cooperation of the people of West Virginia, you have saved lives in this state.”
On Friday, Gov. Jim Justice announced the color-coding system for reopening schools, to which the Vice President complimented the plan to get students back in school.
“Very soon, West Virginia will be going back to school and we’re absolutely determined to partner with you until we bring West Virginia all the way back.”
He also confirmed Dr. Deborah Birx, with the White House Coronavirus Task Force will be in West Virginia on Wednesday.
West Virginia COVID-19 Czar Dr. Clay Marsh, West Virginia National Guard Major General James Hoyer, Republican Senator Shelley Moore Capito, Republican Congresswoman Carol Miller and Congressman Alex Mooney joined the Governor and Vice President along with the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, and the administrator for the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Seema Verma.
Saturday morning the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources reported three new COVID-19 related deaths bringing the total to 160. The total number of positive COVID-19 cases since March now stands at 8,457.