VDH COVID-19 Data Dashboard Updates |
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The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) announced this week that changes are being made to its COVID-19 dashboards. 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. These changes will better highlight current COVID-19 trends in Virginia and inform action.
The changes include two dashboard retirements, one dashboard with notable changes, five with minor changes, and four with a new reporting schedule.
Dashboards that are being retired or consolidated into other pages:
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Case and Testing Data by Zip Code: The corresponding dataset available on the Virginia Open Data Portal will continue to be updated weekly.
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Locality: Most of the data previously located on the locality page will now be available on the Cases Dashboard. Hospitalizations and deaths by report date have been discontinued on this page. The corresponding dataset is available on the Virginia Open Data Portal and will continue to be updated Monday through Friday.
- This page now shows cases by report date (previously on Locality dashboard).
- Hospitalizations by event date (date of hospital admission) has been removed as a filter.
- Weekly cases (by date of illness onset) and deaths (by date of death) can now be viewed at the locality, health district, health region, or state level; date range selection has been expanded (past 13 weeks, past 26 weeks, one year, all reporting).
Dashboards with minor changes include the Demographics, Health Equity, Outbreaks, Variants, and VHHA Hospitalizations pages. For more detailed information about the changes on each dashboard, please view the Website Change Log. VDH is also considering changes to its Community Transmission dashboard to align with CDC’s new Community Levels. VDH is in the process of ensuring that CDC’s new model is reflecting Virginia COVID-19 data correctly, and updates will be available soon.
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Trust the Results
If you test positive for COVID-19 with an at-home antigen test, trust the positive result just as you would with a PCR test. Immediately take steps to protect yourself and those around you by:
- Staying home and avoiding contact with people in your household
- Notifying any close contacts of your positive test results
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Monitoring your symptoms and following CDC recommendations
If your symptoms have significantly improved or resolved five days after testing positive, you can leave isolation as long as you continue to mask around others for an additional five days. If your symptoms still haven’t changed five days after your positive result, continue to isolate until there is noticeable improvement or it has been ten days since you tested positive.
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Order More At-Home Kits
Did you already order your 4 free COVID-19 test kits? You can now order 4 more! U.S. households can place a total of 2 separate orders for free, at-home COVID-19 rapid tests (4 tests per order). If an order was previously placed for your address, you can place a second order now.
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Healthy Thursdays:
Free Services at Jefferson School City Center
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We offer free COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, blood pressure checks, voter registration, A1C screenings, Medicaid enrollment, and more. You won’t need to make an appointment for any of these services, simply walk in and see us.
If you have questions about COVID-19 vaccines, call the BRHD Hotline at 434-972-6261. For questions about other Starr Hill Health Center services, call 434-984-5350.
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Free Smoking and Tobacco
Cessation Classes Starting Soon!
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There is no shortage of stress these days and for many tobacco and nicotine users, stress is a trigger to smoke, dip, or vape. Nicotine is a mood-altering drug that tricks the brain into thinking it has a calming effect. In reality, however, nicotine raises stress levels and leaves the body feeling worse than before the initial rush of nicotine.
Another side effect that is currently important to note? The use of tobacco increases the likelihood of more severe outcomes from a COVID-19 infection. Tobacco use lowers the lungs’ ability to fight off and heal from infection and disease.
While the journey to get there is often challenging, quitting tobacco actually reduces stress in the long-term, and, especially during a pandemic, helps improve overall health outcomes. Join the Tobacco Free Community Coalition for free, virtual Quit Smoking classes to learn more about how you can quit using tobacco and nicotine products successfully! These groups are informative and supportive, and can help you successfully quit smoking or using tobacco and nicotine products. Register in advance by emailing facilitator Scott Mein or calling 862-432-0490.
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Free Birth and Baby Talks |
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Get ready for birth, baby, and postpartum recovery with this free, fast-paced series hosted by the Blue Ridge Health District. Each virtual session provides you with practical information, straightforward talk, and local resources to help you prepare for birth and baby.
Sign up for as many or as few sessions as you like:
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All About Labor: Monday, April 18 from 6:30-8:30 PM
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All About Birth: Monday, April 25 from 6:30-8:30 PM
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OMG- Baby in the House! Monday, May 2 from 6:30-8:30 PM
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Preparing for Postpartum: Monday, May 9 from 6:30-8:30 PM
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The Blue Ridge Health District (BRHD) has a number of opportunities for you to join our team! If you have a passion for public health, consider applying for one of the following positions currently open for applications:
Close Date: 3/23/22
Close Date: 3/25/22
Close Date: 3/24/22
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Free STI Testing: Tuesday, March 15 |
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This week, Norman Dorise, BRHD’s Community HIV Testing Coordinator, shared some staggering statistics about the increase of sexually transmitted infections. Fortunately, we’ve made it easier than ever to get free STI testing!
Our next Test & Go is Tuesday, March 15 from 4:30-6:00pm at the Cville/Albemarle Health Department (1138 Rose Hill Drive, Door 1). Here you will receive free, fast, and friendly services to test you for a full panel of sexually transmitted infections like HIV, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Hepatitis B and C, and Syphilis. We do not offer treatment at these clinics, but will schedule a follow-up for treatment if needed.
There is no ID or appointment necessary, but capacity is limited, so don’t wait too late to come. Have questions? Give us a call at 434-972-6269.
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BRHD's March 2022
COVID-19 Testing Schedule
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BRHD hosts free COVID-19 PCR testing in each locality one day every week from 4:30-6:30pm. Appointments are not required, but may be made by calling the BRHD COVID-19 Resource Hotline (434-972-6261, open M-F 8am-4:30pm) or self-registering on the BRHD website. BRHD has also added an additional Friday testing site at JCPenney for the month of March:
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Mondays: Louisa County Health Department
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Tuesdays: Greene County Health Department
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Wednesdays: Nelson County Health Department
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Thursdays: Fluvanna County Health Department
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Fridays: Yancey Community Center (in Esmont) & JCPenney parking lot
In addition to the above testing options, UVA Health offers free COVID-19 PCR tests:
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Mondays: The Church of the Incarnation, 6:00-7:30pm
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Tuesdays: Mt. Zion African Baptist Church, 5:30-7:00pm
Next Molecular offers free PCR tests at the former JCPenney parking lot in Charlottesville on Thursdays from 2:00-6:00pm and Fridays from 9:00am-1:00pm.
The Blue Ridge Community Testing Center (CTC) located at Pantops Shopping Center will end operations on Tuesday, March 15, 2022. Until then, the site continues to offer free COVID-19 PCR testing for ages 3 months and older, by appointment and walk-ins. Routine COVID-19 testing will continue to be available throughout the community, and can be found on the BRHD COVID-19 testing webpage.
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Vaccination is only one tool to end the pandemic. We need to use them all in order to return to normal day-to-day activities:
Wear face masks, maintain physical distance, wash hands frequently and properly, and limit indoor social gatherings.
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