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COVID roundup: 1 year into pandemic, Va. makes headway with vaccinations
A year after the first COVID-19 cases in Virginia were recorded, the state is making significant headway in vaccinating residents. As of Monday, March 8, 1.49 million Virginians — or 17.5% of the state’s population — have received at least one shot. Meanwhile, the number of COVID-related deaths in Virginia was still higher than average […]
Prince William company to expand manufacturing of COVID-19 test products
Prince William County-based Ceres Nanosciences Inc. will increase manufacturing of its reagent product used in COVID-19 tests, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday. The project will create 50 jobs in engineering, advanced manufacturing and materials science during the next three years. “This expansion will enable Ceres Nanosciences to vastly increase production of its patented technology to [&[...]
Lawmakers pass COVID-19 workers’ comp bills
RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia General Assembly passed multiple bills allowing health care workers and first responders to receive workers’ compensation benefits if they are disabled or die due to COVID-19. “We did it!” Del. Chris Hurst, D-Blacksburg, said in a Twitter post. “Health care heroes who got COVID on the job will get the […]
Virginia could get 400K+ COVID vaccine doses for first week of March
Virginia could receive up to 433,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine doses for the first week of March, depending on the timing of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot vaccine, according to Dr. Danny Avula, the state’s vaccine coordinator. During a Friday news conference, Avula said the state expects to […]
Delegate celebrates passage of limited paid leave bill
RICHMOND,Va. — After four years and multiple bills, Del. Elizabeth Guzmán, D-Woodbridge, is on the cusp of being able to secure paid leave for some Virginia workers. “It feels really good,” Guzmán said. “I think about the amount of people who are going to get this benefit and how they will have peace of mind […]
Lawmakers advance bills to compensate first responders hit by COVID-19
RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia lawmakers have passed bills that allow certain first responders to file workers’ compensation benefits for being disabled from COVID-19, but still need to reach agreement on some differences. The measures would make COVID-19 an occupational disease for firefighters, emergency medical services personnel and law enforcement or correctional officers and allow thes[...]
Va. vaccine doses will get ‘big bump’ next week
Virginia’s vaccine coordinator, Dr. Danny Avula, said Friday he expects about 213,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses to come to the state weekly, beginning next week. That’s an increase of about 60,000 doses from the past week. Last week, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the federal government would up weekly national distribution from 11 million […]
U.Va. Health System to buy out Novant Health in NoVa partnership
The University of Virginia Health System has signed a letter of intent to buy out Novant Health U.Va. Health System, a Northern Virginia regional health system owned by the two institutions through a joint operating company that formed in 2016. Financial terms of the proposed acquisition have not been disclosed. Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based Novant Health […]
Bon Secours, Sentara join 12 health care organizations forming data company
Bon Secours and Sentara Healthcare announced Thursday they have joined a group of 12 additional health care providers to form a new company, Truveta, which will offer data insights for patient care. Spurred by the rapid research needed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, Truveta will create a new data platform using artificial intelligence and machine […]
12 Va. hospitals rank among top in the nation
Healthgrades released its 2021 list recognizing the top 250 hospitals in the United States, and 12 Virginia hospitals made the cut — with two breaking the top 100. The 12 Virginia hospitals are among the top 5% of the nation’s hospitals in terms of rankings. The only Virginia hospitals to earn a spot in the top […]
Sentara Norfolk General Hospital names new president
Norfolk-based Sentara Healthcare announced Wednesday it has hired Liisa Ortegon as the new president of Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, one of the state’s largest hospitals. She replaces Carolyn Carpenter, who left to join Johns Hopkins Health System as its capital region president. Ortegon most recently served as senior vice president of operations and chief nursing […]
Carilion Clinic to form diversity, equity, inclusion office
Roanoke-based Carilion Clinic announced Monday it will establish an Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and has named Nathaniel L. Bishop, the former Jefferson College of Health Sciences president, to lead it. The office will work with community leaders to address equity and social justice as it relates to health care in the Roanoke region […]
