Health and Medicine
The need for more medical supplies and protective equipment has reached the local retirement communities as well – Our Lady of the Valley in Roanoke is asking for donations of disposable face masks, gloves and gowns. Protective equipment donations can be dropped off at the North Jefferson Street facility or picked up on request. See the Our Lady of the Valley Facebook page to inquire about donating those items. Executive director Lori Richards Viar says that’s not all:
Meanwhile like many other health care-related organizations, Carilion Clinic is asking for donations of Personal Protective Equipment and other surplus medical supplies, through the end of this week to help protect its staff and patients. The “PPE’s” requested include gloves, masks, nasal swabs, hand sanitizers and gowns. Carilion has established dropoff points for donations – including outside the former JC Penney store at Tanglewood Mall. Habitat for Humanity Roanoke Valley donated face masks this morning. Dr. Steven Nussbaum is the chair of surgery at Carilion Clinic:
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Officials in Lynchburg were fielding complaints Tuesday about the hundreds of students that have returned from their spring break to Liberty University, where President Jerry Falwell Jr. has welcomed them back amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“We could not be more disappointed in the action that Jerry took in telling students they could come back and take their online classes on campus,” Lynchburg City Manager Bonnie Svrcek told The Associated Press.
As college campuses across the country began announcing campus closures earlier this month, Liberty, which is among the nation’s largest and most prominent evangelical institutions, initially planned to continue on-campus instruction. But last week, after Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam restricted gatherings of more than 100, Liberty said it would transition most classes online.
Liberty spokesman Scott Lamb said about 1,100 students were back on campus as of Tuesday morning.
The university said it is providing safe and reliable accommodations and taking extra steps to ensure students’ health, including extra sanitizing measures and changes to on-campus dining.
Falwell, one of President Donald Trump’s earliest and most ardent supporters, has speculated on Fox News that coronavirus may have been the work of North Korea.
The virus causes only minor flu-like symptoms in most people, who recover in a matter of weeks. But it is highly contagious and young people who show no symptoms can infect others. It can cause severe illness or death, particularly among the elderly and people with underlying health problems, and severe cases are already stressing the health care system’s capacity to respond.
Svrcek said the city has fielded concerned phone calls.
“People are saying, ‘This is terrible. What can you do?’” she said.
Dr. Kerry Gateley, a regional health director for the Virginia Department of Health’, said his office had also received calls from worried citizens and parents of Liberty students.
Virginia schools will not re-open for at least five months. And as of midnight tonight, many businesses are now ordered closed until further notice. These are among the latest steps Governor Northam has ordered in efforts to slow the coronavirus spread. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
- Theaters, performing arts centers, concert venues, museums, and other indoor entertainment centers;
- Fitness centers, gymnasiums, recreation centers, indoor sports facilities, indoor exercise facilities;
- Beauty salons, barber shops, spas, massage parlors, tanning salons, tattoo shops, and any other location where personal care or personal grooming services are performed that would not allow compliance with social distancing guidelines to remain six feet apart;
- Racetracks and historic horse racing facilities;
- Bowling alleys, skating rinks, arcades, amusement parks, trampoline parks, fairs, arts and craft facilities, aquariums, zoos, escape rooms, indoor shooting ranges, public and private social clubs, and all other places of indoor public amusement.
- Restaurants;
- Dining establishments;
- Food courts;
- Farmers markets;
- Breweries;
- Microbreweries;
- Distilleries;
- Wineries; and
- Tasting rooms.
- Grocery stores, pharmacies, and other retailers that sell food and beverage products or pharmacy products, including dollar stores, and department stores with grocery or pharmacy operations;
- Medical, laboratory, and vision supply retailers;
- Electronic retailers that sell or service cell phones, computers, tablets, and other communications technology;
- Automotive parts, accessories, and tire retailers as well as automotive repair facilities;
- Home improvement, hardware, building material, and building supply retailers;
- Lawn and garden equipment retailers;
- Beer, wine, and liquor stores;
- Retail functions of gas stations and convenience stores;
- Retail located within healthcare facilities;
- Banks and other financial institutions with retail functions;
- Pet stores and feed stores;
- Printing and office supply stores; and
- Laundromats and dry cleaners.
Governor Northam announced a new executive order today that will impact every aspect of life in Virginia in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Personal care services that cannot adhere to social distancing guidelines – like barberships and spas must also close says the governor.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia public schools will remain closed for the rest of the current school year and certain types of businesses, like bowling alleys, gyms and theaters, must close in response to the coronavirus outbreak, Gov. Ralph Northam said Monday.
Northam’s order would not apply to businesses deemed essential, including grocery stores, pharmacies, banks and gas stations. State-owned liquor stores will also remain open.
“I know that the next several weeks, the next several months, will be difficult. They will require everyone to change the way that we live, the way we interact with each other,” the governor said.
Northam, who is a doctor, said the closures were necessary to slow the spread of the virus and ensure that the health care system can keep up. As of Monday, there were 254 confirmed cases and six virus-related deaths in Virginia, according to the state health department.
The virus causes only minor flu-like symptoms in most people, who recover in a matter of weeks. But it is highly contagious and can cause severe illness or death in some, particularly the elderly and those with underlying health problems. Severe cases are often only able to breathe with respirators.
The governor had previously ordered a two-week school closure, which was set to end at the end of this week. Many school districts in the state have previously said they will be closed until at least mid-April.
A growing number of states and localities have been shutting their schools indefinitely. Last week Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly closed public and private K-12 schools for the rest of the academic year.
Northam’s order on business closings is similar to what some other states have done. He had previously ordered restaurants, fitness centers and theaters to limit their capacity to 10 customers.
The new changes will take effect statewide at midnight Tuesday and will remain in effect for at least 30 days, Northam said.
The policies mean restaurants will be limited to only carryout, curbside pickup or delivery. All “recreation and entertainment services,” such as bowling alleys, theaters, gyms and racetracks, must close, Northam said.
“Nonessential” retail shops can stay open if they allow fewer than 10 patrons and follow social distancing and increased sanitizing procedures, he said.
Northam acknowledged that the extended school closure would have serious impacts on families of young children, and he called for “an urgent public-private response” to make sure essential workers have access to childcare. The Department of Social Services and Department of Education would be issuing guidance to communities later Monday, he said.
The governor also said he understood the impact the changes would have on the economy, noting that about 40,000 people filed for unemployment just last week. But he said the sooner the health care crisis was brought under control, the sooner the economy could begin to recover.
“We are moving into a period of sacrifice,” he said.
Governor Northam is warning Virginians that the coronavirus crisis is likely to last for months. It comes as the number of confirmed cases jumped by 44% in one day. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the latest:
The governor said confirmed cases statewide rose by 67 in the last 24 hour period, now up to 219. He issued another plea for Virginia residents to stay inside and practice social distancing to slow the disease’s spread – and be ready to do it for the long haul:
Three people have now died from COVID-19 in Virginia. Northam did not order any mandated work from home policies or curfews, as has been done in some other states. He did say he will provide an update Monday on whether – and more likely how long – to extend school closures.
As of today there are now 219 confirmed cases of COVID 19 in Virginia. 6 in the southwestern region. That was the word this morning as Governor Ralph Northam and members of his administration provided an update on Virginia’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. Northam also said there may be an extension on the school closure date. As for a general public lock down, the Governor says state health officials and his office are assessing the Coronavirus spread in Virginia, to see if that type of order – as in some other states or cities – may be warranted. (Hear the Governor’s update Monday, normally live on WFIR at 11am but time is subject to change)
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia health officials have eased COVID-19 testing criteria for doctors and nurses treating coronavirus patients and for nursing home and long-term care home residents, Gov. Ralph Northam announced on Saturday.
Northam also said the state was seeking more health-related supplies. A shipment of protective gear for health-care workers was distributed Friday, he said.
Health care workers “are literally are front line of defense, and they need our support and our protection,” the governor said at a news conference.
The lower testing thresholds were announced as Virginia health officials said the number of positive cases for the new coronavirus in the state was now over 150, an increase of nearly 40 from Friday. There have been two reported deaths. Nationwide, the deaths exceed 250.
To address the anticipated surge in individuals needing care, Northam said he had issued an executive order that would give nursing homes and hospitals more flexibility to add beds. Currently they must comply with Virginia’s certificate of need laws to expand capacity, so the order will reduce the red tape to do that, he said.
Positive cases in Virginia have already been reported at two long-term care facilities and at a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.
Virginia’s public schools and about 20 percent of the state’s licensed day cares are closed. Northam warned that owners of movie theaters, gyms and other establishments subject to a 10-customer cap set in an emergency order can face misdemeanors and the loss of their business licenses if they don’t comply.
Attorney General Mark Herring issued an opinion late Friday making clear that Virginia law lets local governments and other public bodies conduct meetings electronically when a meeting’s purpose is to address an emergency.
But government leaders should delay electronic action on items that aren’t essential to the emergency response, and they still must comply with accountability measures like proper public notice and access, roll-call votes and recorded minutes, Herring said.
From State Health Department:(ROCKY MOUNT, Virginia) —The West Piedmont Health District announced today its first case of COVID-19 illness in a resident of the district. The patient is a female in her 60s. She is isolated at home and monitoring her health. To protect patient privacy, no further information will be provided.
[The district covers Franklin, Henry and Patrick Counties along with cities and towns within, including Rocky Mount, Martinsville and Stuart. The patient is a Franklin County woman who is isolated at her home. Her health is being monitored.]
“The Virginia Department of Health and our healthcare partners are working together around the clock to identify cases of COVID-19 in our communities and across the Commonwealth,” said Kerry Gateley, M.D., interim director, West Piedmont Health District. “We work to identify potential contacts of each case, assess their risk of exposure and recommend appropriate public health and medical measures, as needed.”
Most patients with COVID-19 have mild to moderate symptoms. However, in a small proportion of patients, COVID-19 can lead to more severe illness, including death, particularly among those who are older or those who have chronic medical conditions. Symptoms include fever, cough and difficulty breathing. Symptoms most often appear within 14 days of being exposed to an infectious person. COVID-19 spreads primarily through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
“With new cases arriving this week in central and western Virginia, we all are reminded of the steps each of us can take as individuals to protect ourselves and each other. It boils down to maintaining effective hygiene and social distance,” said Dr. Gateley. “Everyone should reconsider any plans to gather together in large groups this weekend, and every day.”
To lower the risk of spreading respiratory infections, including COVID-19, the Virginia Department of Health encourages everyone to:
· Stay home when you are sick;
· Avoid contact with sick people;
· Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing;
· Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available;
· Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth;
· Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces;
· If you are experiencing symptoms, call your doctor;
· Practice social distancing. Maintain at least six feet of space between yourself and other individuals when out in public; and
· Avoid crowds of more than 10 people.
If there is any business that comes close to being impossible to shut down during a pandemic, it is the funeral home. But like everyone else, they are making sudden changes in many ways they do business in light of the coronavirus. Funerals are usually times of large family gatherings — with plenty of hugs all around. At Oakey’s Funeral Services, Sammy Oakey says they now recommend a graveside service with family only for now and a larger memorial service when circumstances permit. He says some of their adaptations include putting funerals in larger chapels than might otherwise be needed to provide more social distancing and breaking up lines if they get too long. In Oakey says families of the the deceased may have to become more patient if the pandemic becomes noticeably worse, as WFIR’s Evan Jones reports: