The United States

The bigger picture:

The United States reported more than 1,000,000 new coronavirus cases in the last seven days for the first time since February 2, according to data from @CNN and Johns Hopkins University.

— Ryan Struyk (@ryanstruyk) August 21, 2021

West Virginia

The most recent WV dashboard from the WVDHHS also shows an increase:

And from the New York Times's database, here is the status of local ICU units on Friday:

On Friday, WV Governor Jim Justice reacted to the worsening conditions in the state by announcing another round of prizes as vaccination incentives:

Gov. Jim Justice announced the launch of a second vaccination incentive sweepstakes, and took offense at those suggesting the first $10 million sweepstakes was a failure. https://t.co/jU4Bk8SDl7

— Gazette-Mail (@wvgazettemail) August 20, 2021

Here are the prizes for the second round of “Do It For Babydoll”:

A $150,000 wedding package? As Gazette-Mail reporter Phil Kabler tweeted:

That Jim Justice is using taxpayer dollars to give away $150,000 dream weddings when his Greenbrier resort is the only place in the state capable of staging such expensive fetes might be the most Jim Justice thing ever.

— Phil Kabler (@PhilKabler) August 20, 2021

Nothing to see here -- please keep moving.

Other covid issues

Racism

Texas’ lieutenant governor, Dan Patrick, has apparently found a scapegoat for his state’s dramatic increase in covid cases:

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick blames unvaccinated Black people for Covid spread in his state pic.twitter.com/CfwajqECLM

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 20, 2021

Explaining why masks are not needed

Birmingham, Michigan:

Board of Education meeting on mask mandates.

This parents says, “If God wanted us to cover our mouth and nose — he would have made us that way.” pic.twitter.com/wlsv8dOiK4

— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) August 19, 2021

(Note that the woman is wearing glasses.)

And from Jim Bakker, who says that God won't hear you if you're wearing a mask:

“How can you go to church and pray when you’re wearing a mask? Do you think God can hear your prayers through a mask?”
---- Televangelist Jim Bakker

— Deacon Blues (@DeaconBlues0) August 20, 2021

Finally:

Let me get this straight: People who’ve been OK forcing our kids to do active shooter drills are suddenly concerned with trauma caused by…masks?

— Rep. Steven Woodrow (@WoodrowForCO) August 21, 2021