The Journal on the number of deaths in West Virginia due to the coronavirus pandemic:
For a few months last spring, we West Virginians looked on in horror as many of our fellow Americans died by the thousands in what to us was still only a threat - COVID-19. By April 30, we felt lucky that our state had recorded the comparatively very low total of only 40 deaths from the disease.
Now we are part of the horror. It is likely that by the end of this week, more than 1,000 West Virginians will have succumbed to COVID-19.
Help is on the way, in the form of vaccines against the virus. Most people, even those most vulnerable to the disease, will not get access to the life-saving immunizations until spring, perhaps early summer, however.