VIRGINIA HEALTH DEPARTMENT

Bright blue or teal water at Smith Mountain Lake is due to algae bloom, according to the Virginia Health Department.

The Berglund Center is hosting a vaccination clinic Monday morning from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Anyone ages 12 and up can stop by and get the shot.

ROANOKE, Va. – Seeing a rise in child hunger during the coronavirus pandemic, the Virginia Health Department is recognizing the effort of a program that provides for the most vulnerable. This week is National Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Week. The national campaign aims to raise awareness of how USDA’s CACFP works within communities to combat hunger and promote accessibility of nutritious meals to those in need. According to the Federation of Virginia Food Banks, about 275,000 more Virginians experienced food insecurity because of COVID-19. AdVirginia CACFP provides over 24.8 million meals and snacks to over 59,000 participants daily.

ROANOKE, Va. – The City of Roanoke is relying on international connections to help Latinos locally during the coronavirus pandemic. One of the biggest issues Latinos face when trying to get vaccinated is asking themselves where should they go. Country consuls will be able to target specific zip codes in the Roanoke area and reach out to their clients to help explain vaccination information to Latino families. “I do want people to know you don’t need to have a driver’s license,” Bradbury said. “You don’t need to give your papers.

ROANOKE, Va. The city of Roanoke and the health department will hold a COVID-19 information session, aimed at getting information to the Hispanic and African-American communities. Dr. Molly O'Dell from the Virginia Health Department will talk about the virus, with the goal of understanding the needs of the LatinX and African American communities, caused by the pandemic. Water services could be interrupted in parts of Lynchburg today. From 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., people living on parts of Pawnee Street and Navajo Street could see interruptions as the city replaces water valves. The New River Valley Health Department will be there to answer questions about COVID-19 and its impact on reopening schools.

The only treatment the food and drug administration has approved to help hospitalized COVID-19 patients is in short supply in Virginia. The Virginia Health Department says who gets it is largely a matter of luck. According to state health commissioner Dr. Norman Oliver, the health department has set up a random selection process to determine which of the close to 1,500 currently in the hospital with COVID-19 will get remdesivir. The health department also says there are concerns about local testing in order to prevent future outbreaks. Northam is expected to address both the remdesivir shortage and increased testing during his news conference today.