Pressroom
Statewide VDH-VHHA Video Campaign Features Frontline Virginia Health Care Providers Answering COVID-19 Vaccine Questions
March 25, 2021
Vaccination Videos Arrive as Additional COVID-19 Doses Flow to Virginia and More Virginians Become Eligible for Vaccination; Approximately 1 in 3 Adults in Virginia Have Received At Least One Dose, More Than 3 Million Doses Have Been Administered Statewide
RICHMOND, VA – As COVID-19 vaccinations continue as part of the effort to ultimately achieve herd immunity in the Commonwealth, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association (VHHA) have partnered on the production of four newly-released videos that feature health care providers answering common questions and offering insight about vaccinations.
Each of the minute-long videos feature Virginia health care providers answering commonly asked questions about: the process of developing the vaccines now being administered, vaccine safety and effectiveness, common side effects, concerns and skepticism among communities of color regarding vaccine equity, vaccine prioritization among designated populations of vulnerable Virginians and essential workers, vaccine availability, the public and personal health importance of getting the vaccine, the importance of continuing to abide by safety precautions such as mask wearing even after being vaccinated, and more. The videos can be accessed online here, here, here, and here. The videos are also highlighted on the VDH COVID Community Ambassadors Program website.
“As people look for reliable answers to questions about the COVID-19 vaccines, they turn to reliable sources such as the VDH and CDC websites, but often they put the most trust in what their doctors say,” said State Health Commissioner M. Norman Oliver, MD, MA. “These videos show trusted medical community members answering some of the most common questions about COVID-19 vaccine in easy-to-understand language. We invite everyone to share these videos with their family members and friends, and we urge everyone who is eligible and able to get vaccinated when it’s their turn.”
“The hospital community is proud to join in sharing these videos that provide vaccine facts and information as we continue our work with Governor Northam and his Administration in what is now the thirteenth month of the COVID-19 pandemic response,” said Carilion Clinic Chief Operating Officer Steve Arner, the VHHA Board of Directors Chairman. “Partnering with the Commonwealth, hospitals have supported the ongoing vaccination effort by administering more than 1 million doses so far and have treated and discharged nearly 51,000 COVID-19 patients in the past year – more than 1,000 patients are currently receiving hospital care. While the past year has been challenging, there has been an encouraging decline in COVID-19 hospitalizations across the Commonwealth since late January. Our goal is to support the work of achieving a fully vaccinated Virginia so we can all get back to normal life, and sharing these videos is part of that process.”
The videos feature representatives from several Virginia hospitals and health systems, including: Michael Hooper, MD, Vice President of Medical Affairs at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital; Toy Coffey-Perkins, Manager of Patient Care Services at the Sentara Ambulatory Care Center; Jeffrey M. Feit, MD, Population and Community Health Officer with Valley Health System; Mavis A. Agyeiwaah, MD, of Valley Health’s Winchester Family Practice; Yvette Johnson-Threat, MD, Chief Medical Officer with Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center; Cassie Lewis, DNP, ACNP-BC, Chief Quality Officer with Bon Secours; Anthony Baffoe-Bonnie, MD, Medical Director for Infection Prevention and Control at Carilion Clinic; and Chad Alvarez, PharmD, Senior Director, Retail Pharmacy at Carilion Clinic.
As of March 24, a total of 3,226,713 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in Virginia. Some local health districts have begun the transition to Phase 1c vaccinations, with all communities expected to move into this phase by mid-April. Before moving to 1c, local health departments must have made strong efforts to reach all those eligible in the 1a and 1b populations, particularly communities that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, such as communities of color. Anyone over age 16 who lives or works in Virginia will be eligible for a vaccine in Phase 2, which is expected to begin by May 1.
Virginians who want to be vaccinated should pre-register for an appointment by visiting https://vaccinate.virginia.gov/ or by calling 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682) from 8 a.m.-8 p.m., seven days a week. Representatives are available in English and Spanish, and translation is available in more than 100 languages. TTY dial 7-1-1. Those who have pre-registered should check online or through the call center to ensure their submitted information is accurate. Incomplete or inaccurate information could result in individuals not being contacted for an appointment. Those who have pre-registered are encouraged to check their e-mail and answer incoming phone calls because they could be an invitation to schedule an appointment. For more information about Virginia’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts, click here.
About VDH: The mission of the Virginia Department of Health is to protect the health and promote the well-being of all people in Virginia. Learn more at https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/.
About VHHA: The Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association is an alliance of 110 hospitals and 26 health delivery systems that develops and advocates for sound health care policy in the Commonwealth. Its mission is to achieve excellence in both health care and health. Its vision is through the power of collaboration to be recognized as a driving force behind making Virginia the healthiest state in the nation. Connect with VHHA through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Julian Walker Maria Reppas
Vice President of Communications, VHHA Director of Communications, VDH
(804) 297-3193 office maria.reppas@vdh.virginia.gov
(804) 304-7402 mobile
jtwalker@vhha.com