Gov. Jim Justice discusses the need for COVID-19 vaccinations. (File Photo)

CHARLESTON — West Virginia is nearly 16 beds away from reaching the state’s peak ICU usage for COVID-19 patients in January, according to recent hospitalization data.

According to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, hospitalizations for COVID-19 as of Friday was 640 with ICU bed usage at 203.

The state is nearing hospitalization and ICU numbers not seen since January, but while it took eight months for West Virginia to reach a peak of 818 hospitalizations on Jan. 5, it only took the state less than two months, from July 4 to end of August, to reach 640 hospitalizations.

According to hospital data provided to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 76.6 percent of inpatient beds were in use between 63 West Virginia hospitals as of Sunday, with 10.18 percent of inpatient beds being used for COVID-19 patients across 59 hospitals. West Virginia’s inpatient hospital numbers put it in the middle of most states and put it higher than all surrounding states except for Kentucky, whose rate was nearly double West Virginia’s.

But ICU bed usage in West Virginia was 74.86, with 28.44 percent of ICU beds in use for COVID-19 patients. Out of 692 staffed ICU beds, 518 beds were in use with 183 beds in use for COVID-19. West Virginia joins a majority of states with high ICU bed usage for COVID-19 patients, with several northeastern states and states along the Canadian border keeping their ICU bed usage lower.

During his COVID-19 briefing Monday in Charleston, Gov. Jim Justice said 82 percent of COVID-19 hospitalizations in West Virginia are unvaccinated residents, while 74 percent of those who died from COVID-19 over the last seven days were unvaccinated.

State officials said 26 percent of COVID-19 deaths have come from fully vaccinated people with underlying health conditions over the last 60 days. Justice said the state is continuing to push for booster shots, particularly for older West Virginians and residents with pre-existing medical conditions.

“We can really move that needle by getting our folks vaccinated,” Justice said. “People in West Virginia have many underlying health conditions … from that, a great amount of these people were vaccinated. Their vaccinations are wearing off. We’re seeing the math absolutely move and telling us we need to give these people booster shots. We’re pushing the federal government as hard as we can.”

James Hoyer, leader of the state joint interagency vaccine task force, said state officials were meeting with U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy today regarding the status of booster shots. Hoyer said he hopes a meeting later today of the U.S. Center for Disease Control’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will result in additional guidance for states.

“We will continue to press the governor’s message that we must have booster doses immediately,” Hoyer said. “We cannot wait in West Virginia.”

Justice announced a new incentive to get eligible children vaccinated, focused on children raised by grandparents. The state will offer $150 to grandfamilies to use for needed school supplies if they get themselves and their children vaccinated. There are an estimated 35,000 grandfamilies in West Virginia. The enrollment period will open Tuesday, Sept. 7, with more information forthcoming.

“This is a really big announcement for the grandparents of West Virginia,” said Bonnie Dunn, project co-director for Healthy Grand Families at West Virginia State University. “Our whole goal is to encourage our grandfamilies to get the family as a whole vaccinated. We want you to stay happy and healthy and well so you can continue to raise these grandchildren until they become functioning adult citizens.”

Steven Allen Adams can be reached at sadams@newsandsentinel.com.