Youngkin announces details of his ‘COVID-19 Action Plan’

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin wants the nearly 1.6 million Virginians who aren’t vaccinated against COVID-19 to get the initial series of shots and boosters when eligible, and he’s directed the state’s Health and Human Resources department to prioritize vaccine education and outreach efforts toward the communities in the state that are disproportionately unvaccinated.

As part of his vaccination efforts, Youngkin also is directing state officials to host 120 COVID vaccination events statewide and deploy mobile vaccine units to rural communities.

The announcements came Thursday as part of Youngkin’s COVID-19 Action Plan, which also prioritizes COVID testing for people who have symptoms but discourages it for those who are asymptomatic.

Youngkin ordered the HHR to expedite pending orders of rapid tests and directed officials to work with the Biden administration to speed the distribution of federally acquired tests to Virginia, if possible.

As part of his plan, rapid tests will be prioritized for:
• students who were potentially exposed to COVID;
• essential healthcare workers or other essential workers who need to be tested in order to return to work;
• “vulnerable citizens” such as those 65 and older or those who living in long-term care communities;
• people with serious medical conditions and their caregivers;
• people who need to be tested after having consulted with healthcare providers.

Youngkin is urging healthy people with mild COVID symptoms to stay home and use their discretion about testing.

His plan also includes eight actions from his Executive Order No. 11, aimed at providing flexibility for healthcare providers who are battling staffing shortages.

Among those:
• the creation of “appropriate exemptions” to scope of practice requirements to allow health care providers to care for patients;

• allowing hospitals and nursing homes to rapidly expand bed capacity by temporarily waiving regulations;

• expanding flexibility, overtime hours, and availability for personal care workers;

• providing flexibility for licensed out-of-state nurses and health care professionals to practice in Virginia;

• ensuring “appropriate reimbursement for innovative treatment solutions” for people, including telemedicine and at-home programs that allow those with mild symptoms to receive care remotely;

• deploying the state’s supply of PPE (personal protective equipment).

“Through two years and five surges, Virginia hospitals and their staff have borne the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic, having treated and discharged more than 86,000 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, administered millions of vaccines doses, and conducted even more tests," said Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association President and CEO Sean T. Connaughton. "In the past month, Virginia hospitals have encountered some of the most challenging circumstances seen since the pandemic began. A rapidly escalating surge has led to record-setting hospitalizations that are straining the capacity of the health care delivery system, its staff, and resources. Governor Youngkin’s Executive Order is a welcome and necessary step to grant important flexibilities to frontline providers and Virginia hospitals as they continue to battle this pandemic surge.”