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Dear friends and neighbors,
UVA Health recently administered our 100,000th vaccine dose, a significant milestone in our effort to protect our community from COVID-19. That number continues to rise steadily. As a result, more than 50,000 people in Central Virginia have been fully vaccinated by our team.
The Virginia Department of Health's goal is for all adults to have at least one COVID-19 vaccine by the end of May. Alongside our partners with the Blue Ridge Health District, UVA Health is doing our part. Now, we encourage you to do yours. If you haven't been vaccinated, please sign up for an appointment by calling our vaccine call center at 434-297-4829 or scheduling online. If you're hesitant, rest assured that COVID-19 vaccines are safe. I encourage you to understand the facts by reading our
FAQ about the vaccines. Also, read this Q&A with Dr. Bill Petri, one of our nationally recognized infectious disease specialists, about the recent restart of the J&J vaccine and why the benefits outweigh the risks.
Safe and effective vaccines are already making a difference in our community. You can see it with the reduced COVID-19 numbers and in the easing of public health restrictions and more people out and about. I'm proud of the role UVA Health has played in vaccine distribution — particularly the 65 outreach clinics that have provided more than 8,500 doses of vaccine to residents of underserved neighborhoods and communities. We've also begun to work on vaccinating homebound patients and those who have mobility or other barriers to accessing a vaccination site.
As we slowly come out of the pandemic, UVA Health is poised to strengthen our partnership with our neighboring communities. I'm excited to introduce you to Dr. Tracy M. Downs, who will serve as our inaugural Chief Diversity & Community Engagement Officer and help us with these initiatives. Tracy is a leader of integrity who is passionate about community health advocacy and the work of diversity, equity, and inclusion. He comes to us from the University of Wisconsin and will start at UVA on July 1. Read this article to learn more about him and this important new role.
In that spirit, I encourage you to continue reading below to learn more about some of the important community health work that is currently underway through our UVA Children's team and how you can support their efforts.
Wishing you and your loved ones health and happiness,
K. Craig Kent, MD
Executive Vice President for Health Affairs, University of Virginia
Chief Executive Officer, UVA Health |
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Dr. Amy Wrentmore, Dr. Jeffrey Gander, and Tegan Medico |
We have an incredible pediatrics team at UVA Health. This month, I'm proud to highlight the outstanding work of Dr. Jeffrey Gander, Dr. Amy Wrentmore, and pediatric nutritionist Tegan Medico. Responding to food insecurity in the Charlottesville area, Gander, Wrentmore, and Medico created a healthy food initiative
for UVA Health's pediatric patients and their families.
There is a 20% incidence of food insecurity in Charlottesville — and for many patients, lack of access to healthy, nutritious food can exacerbate preexisting health conditions. Gander, Wrentmore, and Medico want all of our pediatric patients to access the food and resources they need to stay happy and healthy, and, thus, they have teamed up with the Local Food Hub, a not-for-profit organization whose goal is to increase community access to local food.
Pediatric patients and their families facing food insecurity are identified through the UVA Health Pediatrics Clinic and are offered fresh food deliveries on a bi-weekly basis. Eventually, Gander, Wrentmore, and Medico would like to expand this initiative across UVA Health — to connect all our patients with the food resources that they need. To learn more about the program and how you can help, visit the giving page for the Fresh Farmacy Program. |
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UVA Health
1215 Lee Street
Charlottesville, VA 22903
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