CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice wants to amend the state’s metric for reopening schools a week after classes reopened for face-to-face instruction in most counties.
Justice said at a press conference on Monday the state’s color-coded map may need a new category to allow counties that have between 10 and 13 coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents in-person classes and sports competitions.
He said he would discuss the matter with his administration officials.
The state’s map currently has four colors: green, yellow, orange and red. The latter two levels require schools to go virtual and end most extracurricular activities.
Justice suggested a new “gold” color could apply to counties that are “only so slightly into the orange category,” which currently applies to counties with 10 to 24.9 cases per 100,000 people.
Seven counties are orange, and Monongalia County is red in the state’s map latest map released on Saturday for public schools.
