Tag: trending

State Registrar Retires After Nearly a Half Century of Service to the Commonwealth

Janet M. Rainey worked to ensure equity in the issuance of vital records, righting wrongs to Native Americans

During her nearly half century working for Virginia’s Vital Records unit, State Registrar Janet M. Rainey has had a front row seat to historical, cultural, societal and technological change impacting the state’s collection and dissemination of information about births, deaths, marriages and divorces. 

Rainey, 66, is retiring from the Virginia Department of Health on January 31. During her tenure, she helped the agency evolve from a paper-based system to one that makes records accessible electronically at dozens of Local Health Departments and DMV offices. She helped fulfill legislative mandates on genealogical research and death reporting. She assisted hundreds of Native Americans who sought to correct birth certificates which labeled them as “Colored” at the insistence of avowed white supremacist Walter Plecker, Virginia’s first State Registrar of vital records. She made sure marriage reporting forms reflected legalization of same sex marriage, helped citizens navigate the process to record unrecorded and home births and found new ways to simplify processes to record all vital records.    

“Ms. Rainey’s dedication to ensuring the integrity and security of Virginia vital records has benefited all Virginians. Hundreds of thousands of vital records requests are processed every year, and she and her team have worked tirelessly to make that process accessible,” said State Health Commissioner Colin M. Greene, MD, MPH. “She has also worked with stakeholder groups and legislators on special initiatives, including a decades-long effort to correct Native American birth certificates. Thank you, Janet, for your service to Virginia, and congratulations and best wishes on your retirement.”  

Her accomplishments include:

• Overseeing a contract with Ancestry.com to, in accordance with legislation, make thousands of records available to people researching their family trees.
• Overseeing the implementation of the issuance of vital records though DMV offices. By the end of 2021, Virginia DMV offices had issued more than a million certified copies of vital records.
• The creation of the state’s Electronic Death Registration System. Rainey worked with funeral directors’ associations and other stakeholders, including medical certifiers and medical examiners to ensure the system met the needs of all who participate in the filing of death certificates.
• Oversaw the creation of Virginia’s electronic birth certificate system, created a process for mothers to request a copy of their child’s birth certificate while in the hospital and bypass the ID requirement.

The Office of Vital Records produces nearly 300,000 copies of vital records a year and there are more than one million vital records issued throughout the entire Virginia system of vital records which includes issuance at Local Health Departments and DMV.

Thanks to Rainey’s efforts, nearly all the records are automated and nearly all are available electronically.

As a young and curious newcomer in 1975 to the then Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics, Rainey worked as a clerk/typist. Her tools were pencils, ink pens and hundreds of record books that had to be searched by hand.

Her curiosity caught the attention of then State Registrar Rusty Booker, who taught her how the office worked. Five years passed before she realized it.

“I didn’t even know it until I got my five-year certificate saying I had been here for five years,” Rainey said. “Knowing myself, if I didn’t have a passion for this job, probably I would have left before five years.”

Rainey eventually went to work in the Special Services Unit, responsible for amending and creating vital records, rising to become the unit’s supervisor. While she was there, she filled in for every other supervisor position in the office.

Rainey went on to become the Assistant State Registrar. In 2004, she became the acting Director and State Registrar and was named State Registrar in 2006. Rainey is only the state’s sixth registrar since 1912.

Thanks to her mentor, Rainey found a passion for the job and advises young people who are seeking a career to do the same. “Know what it is that you want,” Rainey said. “It may take two or three times to find the career you want. But be passionate about it.”

Through the years, Rainey has continued to personally help Virginians find and correct their records, most recently assisting an 88-year-old whose birth was never recorded. She later received a letter of thanks, one of hundreds over the years.

She’s proud of that work and of rising from a low-paid clerk to the title of State Registrar.

“People will chase the dollar more so than the career,” Rainey said. “Sometimes our careers may not pay a top dollar that we want, but it’s something that you can go home saying that you made a difference in somebody’s life.”

A photo of Janet M. Rainey is available upon request by media outlets. Contact Cindy Clayton at cindy.clayton@vdh.virginia.gov. 

Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Vital Records Announces Top Fifteen Baby Names of 2022, Other Interesting Virginia Birth Data

Whether inspired by scripture, royalty, a favorite singer, Disney character, or family heritage, parents are choosing diverse names for their newborns. Today, the Office of Vital Records in the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) unveils its lists of Top 15 baby names for children born in the commonwealth in 2022, perhaps providing some inspiration for stressed-out parents-to-be. 

Topping the list of the most popular names for boys in 2022 was Noah while Charlotte was the most popular for girls. In 2021, there were 95,618 babies born; while the numbers for 2022 are still being counted, the Office of Vital Records estimates there were a similar number of births last year.  

“It’s always fascinating to see the top names for babies in any given year,” said Seth Austin, director of VDH’s Office of Vital Records. “We see names from a number of sources: a movie, religious texts, a family’s personal history. They all represent the commonwealth’s wonderfully diverse cultures.”  

Rounding out the Top 15 for boys in 2022 are James, Liam, William, Henry, Theodore, Oliver, Elijah, Levi, Benjamin, Owen, John, Jack, Asher, and Lucas. For girls, after Charlotte, 2022’s top popular names are Olivia, Ava, Amelia, Emma, Harper, Evelyn, Eleanor, Sophia, Elizabeth, Lilly, Abigail, Riley, Nora, and Chloe. 

Office of Vital Records data also indicate the most popular 2022 baby names for the largest ethnic groups in the state: Asian, Black, Hispanic, and White.  

• Among Asian babies born in 2022, Noah and Sophia were the most popular names. Muhammad, Liam, Kai, and Henry fill out the Top Five list for boys; Chloe, Olivia, Mia, and Charlotte complete the Top Five list for girls.  
• For Black babies born in Virginia in 2022, Noah and Ava were the most popular names. Elijah, Josiah, Amir, and Micah round out the Top Five for boys, while Naomi, Nova, Zuri, and Leilani fill out the Top Five for girls. 
• Liam and Mia were the top names for Hispanic boys and girls born in Virginia in 2022. Mateo, Dylan, Noah, and Lucas fill out the Top Five list for Hispanic boys’ names, while Camila, Isabella, Emma, and Genesis complete the Top Five list for girls’ names. 
• William and Charlotte were the top names for White babies born in 2022, followed by Henry, James, Theodore, and Oliver for boys and Olivia, Amelia, Harper, and Emma for girls. 

Half a century ago in 1972, VDH data shows that Michael and Jennifer were the most popular names for baby boys and girls born that year. James, Christopher, David, Robert, John, William, Brian, Jason, Kevin, Jeffrey, Charles, Richard, Matthew, and Thomas fill out the rest of the Top 15 for boys’ names in 1972. Among girls in 1972, the rest of the Top 15 include Kimberly, Amy, Angela, Melissa, Lisa, Michelle, Tammy, Mary, Stephanie, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Heather, Susan, and Karen. Information about popular names in each of the 50 states going back to 1960 is available from the Social Security Administration by using its Popular Names by Decade tool. 

Office of Vital Records data also reveals other interesting information about 2022 births.  

• The most births occurred in August with 8,917 babies delivered, with Aug. 17 seeing the most number of babies born – 359.  
• Fridays are the busiest day of the week in Virginia delivery rooms: 14,429 babies were born on a Friday in 2022; Sundays, on the other hand, are the slowest days of the week, with only 8,746 born on a Sunday in 2022.  
• There were 1,344 sets of twins born in Virginia in 2022, while there were 19 sets of triplets born in the state.  
• And on New Year’s Day 2022, 178 new Virginians came into the world. 

The Office of Vital Records is Virginians’ one-stop shop for any number of personal records requests including birth and death certificates, name changes, and marriage and divorce records. The Office’s headquarters is located in Richmond at 2001 Maywill Street, Suite #101, Richmond, VA 23230; it is open to the public Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The vital records call center — (804) 662-6200 — is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The public may also apply for a vital record, pay for it, and receive updates on the request’s fulfillment online using this tracking tool. 

The public may also access Office of Vital Records services through their local health district offices and Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) offices. Use this Health Department locator tool to find your local health department office; please call ahead to ensure your local office offers the services you need to access. Use this DMV office locator tool to find a DMV office near you; DMV offices are open for walk-ins and appointments. 

Virginia Department of Health Updates Reporting Schedule for COVID-19 Dashboards and Other Retirements

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) continues to streamline information on its COVID-19 data dashboards to better highlight current COVID-19 trends in Virginia and inform action. As of December 27, 2022, VDH will report weekly to align with the CDC’s current reporting frequency. The COVID-19 Cases Summary page was updated to better display trends in Virginia. Access to currently available data will be maintained in the Virginia Open Data Portal.  

 The COVID-19 Cases Summary dashboard has been updated as follows: 

• Created an overview page for the data dashboards that best shows the impact of COVID-19 in Virginia. 
• Graphs will replace the numbers currently listed for each metric. Each dashboard and dataset will be linked to more data to further explore the metric. 
• Data will be categorized by the trend (indicator) they represent. The categories are: 
  • Incidence Indicators: understand the current trend of disease.
  • Severity Indicators: understand the burden of disease.
  • COVID-19 in Virginia: understand community transmission and who is affected
  • Vaccination: level of immunity in the community.
  • Surveillance of Variants: track changes in the virus that may impact how the disease spreads or responds to treatments and vaccines.

 The following dashboards have been retired or moved from the main landing page: 

• PCR Percent Positivity: The PCR Percent Positivity dashboard will be retired because this measure no longer captures what is happening in the community. While the testing encounters PCR only results are accurate, it is not fully representative of all testing in Virginia. The associated dataset on the Virginia Open Data Portal will continue to be updated weekly. 
• Testing data: Testing data will no longer be available on the COVID-19 Cases Summary dashboard. The associated dataset on the Virginia Open Data Portal will continue to be updated weekly. The Testing dashboard was retired on October 24, 2022. 
• Outbreaks: Outbreaks will no longer be available on the COVID-19 Cases Summary dashboard. The Outbreaks dashboard will still be available and updated weekly. 
• MIS-C cases and MIS-C deaths: MIS-C cases and deaths will no longer be available on the COVID-19 Cases Summary dashboard. The associated dataset on the Virginia Open Data Portal will continue to be updated weekly. The MIS-C dashboard was retired on October 24, 2022. 

 The changes are intended to streamline the information that is most helpful in tracking COVID-19 and its impacts on Virginia at this point in the pandemic. The VDH COVID-19 dashboards are available here. 

Virginia Department of Health Announces Availability of Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccines for Pediatric Patients Ages Six Months and Older

Parents of young children in Virginia are now able to seek a free bivalent pediatric COVID-19 vaccine for their children aged six months and older, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) announced today, following the recommendation of the vaccines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on December 9.

The Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent vaccine, previously available only to persons aged five years and older, is now available for children aged six months through four years as a third primary series dose. At this time, children aged 6 months through four years who received three doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to complete their primary series are not authorized to receive a booster dose of bivalent vaccine. The Moderna bivalent vaccine, previously available for persons aged six years and older, is now available for children aged six months through five years as a booster dose at least two months after completion of a Moderna primary series.

Both bivalent vaccines target the original strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that first emerged in Wuhan, China in late 2019 and the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of the Omicron variant that emerged in the United States in November 2021.

VDH advises parents to discuss this option with their child’s healthcare provider. Vaccination opportunities may be found at Vaccinate.Virginia.gov. Information about all the COVID-19 vaccines authorized for administration in the U.S. is available at the VDH COVID-19 vaccine website. The Vaccinate Virginia Call Center is an additional source of information; call (877) VAX-IN-VA – (877) 829-4682 – Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Information is available in English, Spanish and more than 100 other languages. TTY users should call 7-1-1.

 

Patients are Already Flooding into Doctors’ Offices, Hospital Emergency Departments, and Pediatric ICUs During Early Days of Flu and Respiratory Illness Season; Taking Precautions such as Getting a Flu Shot, the COVID-19 Vaccine, and Practicing Basic Health and Safety Behaviors Helps Reduce the Risk of Illness

The Virginia healthcare community is encouraging Virginians who haven’t done so to get vaccinated against flu, get vaccinated or boosted against COVID-19, and to take personal prevention steps as we enter the flu and respiratory illness season. This year’s flu season is already showing early, concerning signs that it may be worse than in recent years. There are also increasing numbers of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) cases, which may cause serious illness and hospitalization in children and older adults. If these trends continue, this could strain healthcare systems in some communities. 

Some Virginia doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare providers are already seeing very high volumes of patients with respiratory illnesses seeking care, filling hospital beds, and in many cases requiring longer hospital stays. Emergency department and urgent care clinic visits involving patient diagnoses of RSV have quadrupled since early September and remain significantly elevated. Visits for flu-like illness are also rising – for the week ending November 5, such visits are at least four times as high than in the same week for each of the past four years. Virginia Immunization Information System data from July 1-November 9, 2022 indicates that flu vaccine uptake in children under 12 years old is lower this year as compared to the same time period during the previous three years.

These conditions are occurring even as COVID-19 remains a significant concern – Virginia hospitals continue to treat an average of 486 hospital inpatients each day. The continued presence of COVID-19 combined with the rapid spread of flu and other respiratory illness poses a heightened risk of developing medical complications from COVID-19 or the flu among older Virginians, individuals with weakened immune systems or other medical conditions, and younger children.

The holiday season is just around the corner. To protect yourself and your family against flu,  RSV, and other respiratory illnesses, the healthcare community recommends taking the following steps:

• Make an appointment to get a flu vaccine as soon as possible. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advise that “everyone 6 months and older, including pregnant women, should get a flu vaccine every season with rare exceptions.” Flu vaccines are available at many doctor’s offices, pharmacies, local health departments, and community health clinics, among other locations. Contact your healthcare provider, local health department or find out where you can get a flu vaccine in your community here.
• Get vaccinated against COVID-19 if you have not done so already. Get boosted if you have been vaccinated but it has been at least 2 months since your last vaccine dose. Bivalent booster doses are available for vaccinated individuals five years and older. VDH advises parents to discuss this option with their child’s healthcare provider. Find out where you can get a COVID-19 vaccine or booster in your community by visiting vaccinate.virginia.gov or call (877) VAX-IN-VA or (877) 829-4682.
• Parents of sick children are encouraged to keep them home from school and other activities to help limit the spread of infection. Parents with sick children are also advised to initially contact a pediatrician or family physician for medical guidance unless your child is in medical distress, in which case seeking hospital care may be warranted. Taking this approach helps ensure that hospital beds and emergency departments are open and available to patients with critical medical needs.
• Adults who become ill are also encouraged to stay home to limit the risk of spreading illness and to contact their healthcare provider for evaluation, testing and/or guidance on the appropriate course of treatment depending on the severity of symptoms and other risk factors. There are some treatment options for both COVID19 and influenza; people are encouraged to seek care quickly and talk to their health care provider about the right treatment options for them. 
• People are also encouraged to take simple but powerful prevention steps- wash their hands regularly,  avoid touching their faces with unwashed hands,  cover their mouths when they cough or sneeze, and  limit the time children spend in large group settings with other contagious individuals when possible.
• Individuals with symptoms, or those who test positive, are encouraged to contact their healthcare providers to determine the treatment option that is right for them. This is especially true for high-risk individuals. Because treatment is often most effective when taken within five days of the onset of symptoms, people are advised not to delay seeking medical advice and starting prescribed treatment. It is also important to remember that prescriptions such as antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections are typically not appropriate or indicated for treating viral infections like flu and RSV.

Increases in respiratory illnesses and related hospitalizations are a good reminder to Virginians to get vaccinated, take simple prevention steps, and seek appropriate medical care and guidance if you become sick. These actions can help you and your family stay safe and healthy this holiday season.

In addition to the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association, the following organizations and institutions endorse this statement: Access Now, the American Academy of Pediatrics – Virginia Chapter, Ballad Health, Bon Secours Richmond and Hampton Roads, Carilion Clinic, Centra Health System, Chesapeake Regional Healthcare, Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters, Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, HCA Virginia, LewisGale Hospital – Alleghany, LewisGale Medical Center, LewisGale Hospital – Montgomery, LewisGale Hospital – Pulaski, Mary Washington Healthcare, the Medical Society of Virginia, the Richmond Academy of Medicine, the Richmond Ambulance Authority, Riverside Health System, Sentara Healthcare, UVA Health, Valley Health System, the Virginia Academy of Physician Assistants, the Virginia Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists, the Virginia Association of Community-Based Providers, the Virginia Association of Nurse Anesthetists, the Virginia Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, the Virginia College of Emergency Physicians, the Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners, VCU Health, the Virginia Health Care Association-Virginia Center for Assisted Living, the Virginia Health Care Foundation, VHC Health, the Virginia Network of Private Providers, the Virginia Nurses Association, the Virginia Orthopaedic Society, the Virginia Pharmacists Association, the Virginia Podiatric Medical Association, the Virginia Public Health Association, Virginia Rural Health Association, and the Virginia Section of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

On Saturday, November 12, the 2022 Governor’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Award recipients were announced during the 42nd Annual Virginia EMS Symposium and Governor’s EMS Awards ceremony in Norfolk, Virginia. These awards, given in Governor Glenn Youngkin’s name, recognize EMS providers and organizations from across the Commonwealth for their outstanding level of excellence and dedication to the EMS system.

Presented in conjunction with the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) Office of Emergency Medical Services’ Annual EMS Symposium, the awards ceremony caps off the week-long training event. The symposium offers attendees the opportunity to earn up to 26 hours of continuing education credits for recertification as an EMS provider via more than 300 class sessions and various course tracks. 

“Each year, many talented and dedicated EMS providers and organizations are recognized for their exceptional contributions to Virginia’s EMS System,” said Gary Brown, director, Virginia Office of EMS. “It’s an incredible honor to be recognized at this level, and we greatly appreciate all of the nominees and award recipients for their hard work and dedication to responding to the call for help and providing the best prehospital emergency care in Virginia.”

“Virginia is blessed to have an outstanding network of highly-skilled EMS providers and organizations, who stand ready 24/7 to provide life-saving care within minutes of a 911 call,” said State Health Commissioner Colin M. Greene, MD, MPH. “My congratulations to the individuals and organizations being recognized this year, and a sincere thanks to those who strive every day to make emergency medical services in Virginia the example for others to follow.”

The 2022 Governor’s EMS Award winners are:

• The Governor’s EMS Award for Excellence in EMS – Gary Samuels, Bon Secours, Rappahannock General and Mary Immaculate Hospitals
• The Governor’s EMS Award for Outstanding Contribution to Leadership in EMS (The Kent J. Weber Trophy) – Jon Henschel, Winchester Fire and Rescue Department
• The Governor’s EMS Award for Physician with Outstanding Contribution to EMS (The Frank M. Yeiser Trophy) – Michel Aboutanos, M.D., VCU Health
• The Governor’s EMS Award for Nurse with Outstanding Contribution to EMS – Lou Ann Miller, R.N., Riverside Regional Medical Center
• The Governor’s EMS Award for Outstanding EMS Prehospital Educator – Penny Kelly, Fairfax County Schools
• The Governor’s EMS Award for Outstanding EMS Prehospital Provider – Tyler Reid, York County Department of Fire and Life Safety
• The Governor’s EMS Award for Outstanding Contribution to EMS Health and Safety – Jennifer Collins, Lynchburg Fire Department
• The Governor’s EMS Award for Outstanding Contribution to EMS for Children – Peninsulas EMS Council Pediatric Care Committee
• The Governor’s EMS Award for Outstanding EMS Agency – Nightingale Regional Air Ambulance
• The Governor’s EMS Award for Outstanding Contribution to EMS Telecommunication – Adriane Heiden, Loudoun County Fire and Rescue
• The Governor’s EMS Award for Outstanding Contribution to EMS Emergency Preparedness and Response (The James A. Nogle, Jr. Trophy) – Kenneth Smith, CJW Medical Center
• The Governor’s EMS Award for Innovation Excellence in EMS – Old Dominion EMS Alliance

An additional award is presented at the ceremony to recognize the outstanding contributions to EMS by a high school senior. This is a scholarship award provided by the Virginia Office of EMS in conjunction with the State EMS Advisory Board.

• The Governor’s EMS Award for Outstanding Contribution to EMS by a High School Senior (The Dr. Carol Gilbert $5,000 Scholarship) – Michael Lansing, Tuckahoe Volunteer Rescue Squad

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has announced the immediate availability of a free booster dose of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine, following authorization by the Food and Drug Administration and recommendation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on October 19.

The booster dose is authorized for persons aged 18 years and older who, for medical or accessibility issues, cannot take one of the mRNA bivalent COVID-19 vaccines or who would not take a booster otherwise. The Novavax vaccine is based on a technology different from the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.

The Novavax booster vaccine may only be used as a first booster, meaning that anyone who has already had one or multiple booster doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech and/or Moderna vaccines may not receive the Novavax booster at this time. It is to be administered at least six months after a person has completed a primary COVID-19 vaccine series.

The Novavax monovalent booster targets the original strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that first appeared in Wuhan, China, in late 2019, while the bivalent boosters from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna also target the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of the Omicron variant that emerged in the United States in November 2021. Novavax has a bivalent booster in testing.

Free vaccination opportunities may be found at Vaccinate.Virginia.gov. Information about all the COVID-19 vaccines authorized for administration in the U.S. is available at the VDH COVID-19 vaccine website. The Vaccinate Virginia Call Center is an additional source of information; call (877) VAX-IN-VA – (877)-829-4682 – Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Information is available in English, Spanish and more than 100 other languages.

Today, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) announced that this year’s flu season is already showing concerning, early signs that it may be worse than in recent years. More people are seeking care in hospitals and urgent care centers for influenza-like illness than at this point in previous years, particularly young children aged 0-4 years. Virginia health officials encourage everyone aged six months and older to get a flu vaccine this fall, with rare exception.

“The best way to reduce the risk of flu and its potentially serious complications is to get vaccinated each year” said State Health Commissioner Colin M. Greene, MD, MPH. “This is why I am encouraging Virginians to receive their annual flu shot and practice preventive healthy habits. These include staying home when sick, using your elbow to cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze, and frequently washing your hands. Parents should help their children learn healthy habits and discuss vaccination with their children’s pediatric caregiver.”

The 2022-2023 seasonal flu vaccine is designed to protect against the influenza viruses that research indicates will be most common. For most people, September and October are generally good times to be vaccinated against flu. However, even if you are not able to get vaccinated until November or later, vaccination is still valuable because flu most commonly peaks in February and significant activity can continue into May.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports it is safe to get both a COVID-19 vaccine and a flu vaccine at the same time, if you are eligible and the timing coincides. The updated COVID-19 bivalent boosters provide targeted protection against the original virus strain and the circulating Omicron sub variants (BA.4 and BA.5).

Another respiratory illness circulating in Virginia is the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). Emergency department and urgent care visits with diagnosed RSV have quadrupled and have been rapidly increasing in Virginia’s syndromic surveillance system since early September. RSV is common and usually causes mild to moderate symptoms in most people but can be very dangerous for young infants or those who are immunocompromised. Practice preventive health habits to reduce chance of infection and call your healthcare provider if you or your child is having difficulty breathing, not drinking enough fluids, or experiencing worsening symptoms.

Both the flu shot and COVID-19 vaccines are widely available in Virginia at many different locations, including pharmacies and health departments. To learn more and to get help finding vaccines, contact the Call Center at 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682, TTY users call 7-1-1). Assistance is available in English, Spanish, and more than 100 other languages. Visit www.vaccinate.virginia.gov or www.vaccines.gov to find a vaccine near you.

Contact your healthcare provider or your local health department for additional information on how to prevent flu, COVID-19 and RSV. Weekly reports on influenza activity in Virginia are posted on the VDH influenza surveillance webpage.

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association (VHHA) have launched a new portal that will dramatically improve access to health data for public health, health care providers, and community partners.

VDH and VHHA partnered with the Center for Applied Research and Engagement (CARES) to develop this portal. The Virginia Community Health Improvement Data Portal is a tool that provides users with comprehensive information on the health status of their communities.

“The key to obtaining meaningful results is starting with meaningful, measurable data,” said State Health Commissioner Dr. Colin Greene. “The new portal allows access to a broad array of such information, spanning the spectrum of social determinants of health, along with crucial health outcomes. I look forward to the portal’s role in improving health outcomes and reducing disparities.”

The portal allows users to track health-related data and analyze specific areas of concern, such as infant mortality, chronic disease or injuries. Users can identify trends and analyze data at a granular level and can visualize data on maps that meet the specific needs of a project. The portal can be accessed at vdh.virginia.gov/data/ and phvi.wpengine.com/data-portal/.

“Improving health in Virginia begins with communities coming together to review health data and identifying concerning trends and disparities,” said Dr. Lilian Peake, Virginia’s state epidemiologist. “I am excited about this new resource that will make that exponentially easier. It will allow local health departments, hospitals and community partners to spend more of their time developing local interventions rather than data gathering.”

The Partnering for a Healthy Virginia (PHV) Initiative coordinates efforts between VHHA and its member hospitals and health systems, VDH, local health departments, local jurisdictions, the medical community, and other stakeholders to address community health improvement. VDH and VHHA worked together to develop a core set of indicators that can be readily accessed via the Virginia Community Health Improvement Data Portal. Additional data indicators will be added as the project continues.

“Our approach to strengthening public health and wellbeing in Virginia takes many forms, including the Partnering for a Healthy Virginia Initiative. On projects such as PHV, we work with our member hospitals and health systems along with other partners and stakeholders as part of our ongoing effort to make Virginia the healthiest state in the nation,” said VHHA President and CEO Sean T. Connaughton. “No matter the project, our efforts are informed by data and what the metrics tell us because that information helps us understand the scope of particular health challenges and identify optimal improvement strategies. This new Virginia Community Health Improvement Data Portal is a prime example of pursuing a data-informed approach to enhancing public health and we are delighted to partner with VDH on this worthwhile project.”

CARES is an affiliate of the University of Missouri, with more than 200 years of combined experience in geographic information systems, programming, and data analysis and visualization.

For more information about community health improvement in Virginia, visit virginiawellbeing.com/. For more information about the Partnering for a Health Virginia Initiative, visit phvi.wpengine.com/. For more information about CARES, visit careshq.org/about/.

Parents of young children in Virginia are now able to seek a free bivalent pediatric COVID-19 booster vaccine for their children aged five years and older, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) announced today, following the recommendation of the booster vaccines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on October 12.

The Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent booster, currently available for persons aged 12 years and older who have completed their primary series or received their last monovalent booster at least two months ago, is now available for children aged 5 years to 11 years with a dosing of a third of the adult dose. The Moderna bivalent booster, currently available for persons aged 18 years and older who have completed their primary series or received their last monovalent booster at least two months ago, is now available for children aged 6 years to 11 years with a dosing of a half of the adult dose and for children and adolescents aged 12 years through 17 years with a dosing identical to Moderna’s adult vaccine.

Both bivalent boosters are targeted at the original strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that first emerged in Wuhan, China, in late 2019, and at the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of the Omicron variant that emerged in the United States in November 2021.

VDH advises parents to discuss this option with their child’s healthcare provider. Vaccination opportunities may be found at Vaccinate.Virginia.gov. Information about all the COVID-19 vaccines authorized for administration in the U.S. is available at the VDH COVID-19 vaccine website. The Vaccinate Virginia Call Center is an additional source of information; call (877) VAX-IN-VA – (877)-829-4682 – Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Information is available in English, Spanish and more than 100 other languages.