Virginia’s COVID-19 testing capacity is improving, Northam says
With more tests becoming available and faster turnaround for results, Virginia expects to soon be able to test more people — including those with lower-grade symptoms — for COVID-19, Gov. Ralph Northam said in his Monday news conference. State, hospital and private labs are testing between 2,000 and 3,000 people per day, sai[...]
Wise annual pop-up clinic is canceled till 2021, organizers say
Wise County’s free, three-day clinic held annually in July has been canceled, organizers announced Monday. Previously known as the Wise Remote Area Medical clinic, the Health Wagon’s Move Mountains Medical Mission, offering free vision and medical treatment, was set to take place July 10-12 at the Wise County Fairgro[...]
Report: 78% of Va. restaurant workers have been laid off since March
More than 237,000 restaurant employees in Virginia have been laid off or furloughed since March — 78% of all workers who were employed in February, according to the National Restaurant Association, and the Virginia restaurant and food services industry stands to lose $1.3 billion in revenues for April. More than 8 million rest[...]
Virginia approaches 9,000 COVID-19 cases
As of Monday, April 20, Virginia has 8,990 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 300 deaths and 1,500 Virginians hospitalized from the disease, according to the Virginia Department of Health. The state identified 1,046 new cases since Friday. Northern Virginia has the most confirmed cases statewide, with 1,925 cases in Fairfax County,�[...]
Virginia is ‘pivoting away’ from field hospitals
Virginia is “pivoting away” from needing field hospitals to handle patient overflow because health systems believe they’ll be able to manage any surge in COVID-19 cases, said Dr. Danny Avula, the director of Richmond and Henrico County’s health departments, Friday evening. “We have not seen any significant increase in [...]
SBA Paycheck Protection Program loaned nearly $9B to Va. businesses
Before the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) $349 billion Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) relief fund ran out Thursday morning, Virginia banks processed more than 40,000 applications totaling nearly $9 billion, the Virginia Bankers Association announced Friday evening. Small businesses that received the forgivable loans are allowed to use the funds to meet payroll costs and pay […][...]
Va. Tech gears up to produce PPE for Carilion
Although the Roanoke and New River Valley health districts are seeing fewer confirmed COVID-19 cases than health districts in Northern, Eastern and Central Virginia, the Roanoke-based Carilion Clinic health care system has asked Virginia Tech to help it stockpile personal protective equipment (PPE) in the event of a surge in cas[...]
Survey shows 24M jobs lost since labor market stats last released
Approximately 24 million jobs have been lost since the last United States Department of Labor market statistics were released in mid-March, according to a survey conducted by economists at Virginia Commonwealth University and Arizona State University. “[This is] an unheard of loss in any economic downturn since the Great Depression,” said Adam Blandin, a VCU […]
Roanoke County laying off 287 part-time workers
Roanoke County announced Friday it will lay off 287 part-time employees, many of whom work in the parks and recreation department. The layoff will start April 24 and “is intended to be temporary, pending future economic conditions,” according to a news release. The cuts affect 232 parks and recreation workers, 50 in public libraries and […]
Northam issues order to expand state health care workforce
With an estimated 30,000 medical workers needed in the event of a surge of COVID-19 cases in Virginia, Gov. Ralph Northam has issued an executive order aimed at making it easier for nurse practitioners, fourth-year medical students, residents, interns and out-of-state doctors to assist hospitals and long-term care facilities wit[...]
Stafford office building sells for nearly $15M
An office building in Stafford sold for $14.725 million, real estate company Colliers International announced Wednesday. The buyer is confidential, according to Colliers, and Stafford property records have yet to release the updated ownership. Golden Eagle Group was the previous owner, having bought the building in June 2018 f[...]
VMFA furloughs 221 part-time staffers, effective April 26
In an email to Virginia Museum of Fine Arts members, Director and CEO Alex Nyerges said Friday that all part-time wage staff members who are “not performing mission-critical services” will be furloughed, effective April 26. The furlough will affect 221 people, a spokesperson said. This will give the employees an oppo[...]