Valley Health, which operates hospitals and clinics in the area, has longstanding partnerships with both the Lord Fairfax Health District and Shenandoah University, which allowed them to hit the ground running in setting up the mass vaccination site.
“We said, ‘You know, gee, we could use a big venue.’ And SU said, ‘We’ve got our gym. You can use our gym.’ Valley Health said, ‘Great, we got the people,’ and I said, ‘Great, I’ll find the vaccines,’” said Dr. Colin Greene of the Lord Fairfax Health District.
Tracy Fitzsimmons, Shenandoah University’s president, believes that the fact they’re in a semi-rural community actually gives them an advantage.
2 months ago in Local fwilt Photo: clipart.com
Valley Health officials say despite a fluctuating supply of available COVID-19 vaccine, the Lord Fairfax Health District is currently vaccinating more individuals, per capita, than any other district in the Commonwealth.
Valley Health reports that Shenandoah Memorial Hospital is vaccinating at a rate of nearly 10,600 per 100,000 while Page Memorial Hospital is vaccinating at a rate at almost 10,500 per 100,000.
The healthcare provider is currently vaccinating high risk individuals in Phase 1-A and Phase 1-B and a statewide vaccination registration platform allows folks to reserve a time slot for their vaccination at one of four sites, including Shenandoah Memorial Hospital in Woodstock and the Luray V-F-W.
More than 1,400 vaccinations administered at Virginia high school on Friday Friday afternoon, U.S. 340 was backed up for miles in both directions, as many people were trying to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at Page County High School. (Source: WHSV) By John Hood | WDBJ | January 22, 2021 at 7:17 PM EST - Updated January 22 at 7:46 PM
Page County, Va. (WHSV) Friday afternoon, U.S. 340 was backed up for miles in both directions, as many people were trying to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at Page County High School.
Bumper to bumper, cars moved slowly into the parking lots of the middle and high school as the Page County Sheriff’s Office guided drivers on where to receive the vaccine.
By Chris and Rosie
Jan 22, 2021
The Page County Health Department, Lord Fairfax Health District, will offer no-cost COVID Vaccines, Friday, January 22 from 9 a.m. until 1p.m., at the Page County High School, 184 Panther Drive, Shenandoah, VA, to those 65 and older.
“With the continued outstanding collaboration of our community partners, we in the northern Shenandoah Valley have made substantial progress in Phase 1b of the COVID vaccination campaign,” said Lord Fairfax Health District Director Colin Greene. “This newest effort follows the Governor’s recent directive to ‘put shots in arms,’ and will offer vaccines to an area of the Health District distant from large healthcare facilities. It will complement the ongoing vaccine clinics conducted by Valley Health Systems at Page Memorial Hospital, and is part of a continuing series of vaccine offerings through the winter and spring.”
Marco Mantovani/Getty Images News/Getty Images
Public colleges in West Virginia and Florida are among the first in the country to begin administering the coveted COVID-19 vaccines to certain faculty and staff who do not work in health care.
The University System of West Virginia began administering COVID-19 vaccines to faculty and staff age 50 or over late last month. In Florida, where individuals age 65 or older are eligible for the vaccine, the University of Florida has been administering them to faculty and staff aged 65 or over since last week. Florida State University is expected to begin vaccinations for faculty and staff age 65 or over as early as this week.