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Health official: Masks key to lower numbers

ELKINS — The Randolph Elkins Health Department is continuing its work fighting the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but officials said further assistance is needed from residents to make sure guidelines are being followed.

“We need to be more careful,” Bonnie Woodrum, the infectious disease specialist for the department, said during a COVID-19 conference call for county leaders on Monday. “If we can get this under control, students may be able to return to school in the fall.”

During the call Woodrum said there are several local businesses not following safety guidelines and that residents need to start wearing masks when in public.

Gov. Jim Justice issued a state wide indoor face covering requirement on July 7. According to the order, face coverings must be worn in all public indoor places where social distancing cannot be maintained. The order does not apply to children under the age of 9 or anyone who has trouble breathing or is otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.

Woodrum said there are local restaurants that are also not following the guidelines.

“If we could get everyone to wear masks we could possibly send our students back to school,” she told The Inter-Mountain Monday afternoon.

Delegate Cody Thompson, D-43rd District, said during the call that following the mask order is extremely important. He said Justice highlighted outbreaks in the state coming from church services on Monday.

“The governor announced there were more outbreaks from church services,” he said. “We all need to be wearing masks when attending services.”

Woodrum also spoke during the conference call about an individual from out-of-state who tested positive while in Randolph County.

She said the REHD is still gathering information and is working to complete contact tracing for the case.

According to information provided during Monday’s call, there have been 198 confirmed cases in Randolph County since the beginning of the pandemic; 184 of those have recovered and there are currently nine active cases in the county, with one person hospitalized. There have been no COVID-19 deaths reported in Randolph County.

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