By Paxton Smith and Sylvia Ghazarian

In a few short weeks many of us will return to college or university. As a junior, I know firsthand the time pressures we face. Classes start early in the morning and some don’t end until 10 pm. Not to mention the sleepless nights writing papers and studying for exams. It’s an exciting – but busy time with barely enough time to eat and little time to prepare for the unexpected.

College is not a 9-to-5 job. Our personal lives and our school lives are deeply integrated, with many of us living on campus or walking distance from it, but only a few campuses have 24-hour access stores open for when we have an urgent need. That’s where vending machines come in, providing snacks, sodas, and yes, even contraceptives.

As a college junior, my friends and other students understand that in the quest for broader access to contraception, vending machines have emerged as a progressive and innovative solution, empowering individuals with greater control over their reproductive health choices. As advocates and federal officials champion broader contraceptive access, the presence of vending machines (which are available 24/7) selling Plan B, condoms, and other essential health products like ibuprofen and pregnancy tests is proving to be a critical lifeline, particularly for students facing the dilemma of choosing a college in a state where abortion is banned and/or the college is located in areas that lack access to reproductive health centers – contraceptive desserts.

In recent years, the fight for reproductive rights has reached a pivotal juncture, with state-level restrictions on abortion and limited access to contraception threatening to undermine hard-won advancements. Recognizing the urgent need for proactive measures, advocates have been tirelessly advocating for solutions that provide individuals with the tools to take charge of their reproductive choices. Vending machines, placed strategically on college campuses and in public spaces, have emerged as a discreet and accessible option to meet these needs.

Moreover, vending machines do more than just provide access; they foster a culture of empowerment and destigmatization. Their public placement not only helps elimate barriers to contraceptives, but also prompts a more open dialogue surrounding sexual health. Despite public placement, however, their very nature allows anonymous purchase of reproductive health products because there’s no cashier. Taking unnecessary interaction out of the access equation helps to reduce the shame and embarrassment that some individuals may feel when seeking out these essential items.

There are now 39 universities in 17 states with emergency contraceptive vending machines, and at least 20 more considering them, according to the American Society for Emergency Contraception. We can thank a number of advocates and organizations for that, including Emergency Contraception for Every Campus (EC4EC), a by-student-for-student organization.

Many of the efforts for the vending machines are student led. We understand our needs more than anyone can, and these vending machines not only help meet our access needs, being open at all times and in central locations, but they also help meet our cost needs. The beauty of a school owned and operated vending machine is that the school can choose the price of products. In the vending machines across the country already, emergency contraception is often sold at a fraction of the price of what drug stores would sell it for. If a school chooses not to fund or subsidize the items in the vending machines, students could potentially work with local reproductive health nonprofits to keep the machines stocked with menstrual products, emergency contraception, and hopefully in early 2024 the new over the counter birth control pill. Ideally the school will take up the responsibility for these vending machines, serving as tangible manifestations of an institution’s commitment to its students’ well-being and reproductive health.

It is vital to acknowledge that vending machines alone cannot address the systemic challenges faced by the reproductive rights movement. Broader access to contraception and abortion requires comprehensive policy changes and legislative efforts that extend far beyond college life. Nevertheless, vending machines serve as a practical and impactful step in the right direction, offering immediate assistance to individuals seeking reproductive health products without judgment or obstacles.

To make vending machines a ubiquitous resource, colleges and universities must take the lead in adopting and promoting this initiative. By partnering with reproductive rights organizations and health providers, institutions can ensure that vending machines are well-stocked, easily accessible, and affordable across campuses. Additionally, public awareness campaigns can be launched to dismantle any lingering stigma surrounding the use of vending machines for obtaining contraceptives and other reproductive health products.

Vending machines selling Plan B, condoms, and other health products represent a powerful stride forward in the battle for broader access to contraception and reproductive health choices. As students grapple with the impact of abortion bans in their life, these machines provide a much-needed lifeline of support and empowerment. By advocating for the installation of vending machines on college campuses and beyond, we take a meaningful step towards creating a society where individuals can make informed choices about their reproductive health without unnecessary barriers.

Paxton Smith is a pop musician, abortion rights activist, and a UT Austin college junior. She currently serves on the board of directors at WRRAP. Sylvia Ghazarian is executive director of the Women’s Reproductive Rights Assistance Project (WRRAP) and works with and mentors students.

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A screening of the film Go On, Be Brave, will be presented at The Paramount Theater in Charlottesville on Sept. 23, at 7 p.m.

The documentary screening is presented by The Team Drea Foundation.

There will also be a special screening of the short documentary, Who Is A Runner, featuring Charlottesville’s own Prolyfyck Run Crew.

Go On, Be Brave begins when Andrea Lytle Peet receives the death sentence of an ALS diagnosis at age 33. The life expectancy for ALS is two to five years. She is told her disease is rapidly progressing and to get her affairs in order. She does.

And like a true athlete, she decides to do one final triathlon before she dies. She walks across the finish line with trekking poles, her husband, David, by her side.

And then she waits. And waits. Until one day, she gets tired of waiting to die. She decides to live.

At the five-year anniversary of her ALS diagnosis, Peet sets an ambitious goal: be the first person with ALS to complete a marathon in all 50 U.S. states. An “attempt at the impossible,” shares her neurologist Dr. Bedlack; a goal even Andrea doesn’t think she will reach. But she wants to try.

As we follow Andrea’s story for more than three years, we see that her journey is not at all what we expected. It is not solely an epic sports tale nor is it a sobering depiction of a patient with ALS preparing to die.

Instead, it is a story of hope that transcends sport and disease. What starts out as one woman’s individual quest towards 50 marathons evolves into a story of community. It is about the quieter moments between races where Andrea brings hope and joy to people with ALS as they fight for a cure together.

Go On, Be Brave is a meditation on life – of how each one of us chooses to live.

Pre-signed copies of Peet’s memoir, Hope Fights Back, will be available for purchase from New Dominion Bookshop.

Tickets to the documentary screening start at $17. There is also a package for $42.50 which includes the memoir. To purchase tickets online, click here.

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A group of health care systems, institutions of higher education and others have united to launch the Virginia Coordinated Clinical Research Network, or VCCRN.

Participating organizations include Carilion Clinic, Eastern Virginia Medical School, George Mason University, Inova Health System, James Madison University, Old Dominion University, Sentara Health, the University of Virginia, Virginia Bio, Virginia Commonwealth University, the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association, Virginia Tech and William & Mary.

The VCCRN will facilitate relationships between these organizations and others across the Commonwealth to create a statewide network for research and clinical trials.

“The Virginia Coordinated Clinical Research Network marks a transformative step for our state’s health care landscape,” said Virginia Health and Human Resources Secretary John Littel. “Through collaboration with renowned institutions, we are positioned to unlock the full potential of clinical research in Virginia. I look forward to seeing the ways this initiative will make Virginia best-in-class.”

The VCCRN was established with support from the Virginia General Assembly. Its mission is to strengthen collaboration among clinical, academic and biotechnology and life sciences organizations to accelerate clinical research and trials across the Commonwealth to address health disparities, improve outcomes and support economic growth.

Virginia is home to more than 1,400 life sciences companies. The sector contributes $8 billion to the state economy and employs more than 26,500 people.

“Investment in collaborative research opportunities will be an economic driver to the Commonwealth, attracting additional life sciences innovation and commercialization and providing patients with access to new treatments and cures,” said Virginia Economic Development Partnership President and CEO Jason El Koubi. “We look forward to supporting the Virginia Coordinated Clinical Research Network’s groundbreaking work.”

Some examples of academic research in Virginia include the study of MRI-guided focused ultrasound to use sound waves on the brain to address Parkinson’s disease symptoms, the development of an artificial pancreas system to support diabetes patients, Remdesivir antiviral drug trials to support treatment for COVID-19 patients and the study of gut microbe transplantation as a means to combat alcohol addiction.

“Virginia’s hospitals and health systems are excited to support groundbreaking clinical research to develop next generation treatments for disease and infirmity,” said Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association President and CEO Sean T. Connaughton. “Strengthening collaboration between hospitals and our bioscience partners through the Virginia Coordinated Clinical Research Network is an opportunity to put Virginia at the forefront of cutting-edge medicine that improves lives and patient outcomes.”

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A new COVID-19 vaccine to combat the Omicron variant XBB.1.5 and other Omicron variants, should be available in coming days at pharmacies and doctors’ office throughout Virginia, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

The 2023-24 COVID-19 vaccine was endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Sept. 12.

Everyone aged 6 months or eligible is eligible to receive the vaccine, made by Pfizer and Moderna. Persons aged 65 years and older and people with compromised immune systems are at higher risk for severe illness, hospitalization and death associated with COVID-19.

COVID-19 vaccines will now also be available on the commercial market.

According to CDC, most Americans should still get a COVID-19 vaccine with no out-of-pocket cost. People with insurance will likely pay nothing out of pocket for the vaccine.

Those who are uninsured or underinsured can access free COVID-19 vaccines through two federal programs, the Bridge Access Program for adults and the Vaccines for Children program. These vaccines will be available to eligible persons at local health departments and participating pharmacies and healthcare providers.

According to VDH, vaccination is one of many strategies to prevent COVID-19.

Other steps to combat COVID-19

• frequent handwashing
• good respiratory hygiene that includes coughing and sneezing into your elbow
• getting tested if you’re feeling sick
• staying home if you are sick
• consulting with your healthcare provider to see if you are eligible for treatment

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As a licensed counselor working with families, Dustin Wright’s clients often ask him for recommendations for workbooks and tools to use at home.

Frustrated with the lack of creativity of materials on the market, Wright decided to start his own book company to introduce a series of books aimed to help children, ages 5 to 12, and families with their mental wellness.

Wright, whose independent practice is based in Staunton, created Happy Hobble Books to help families navigating the emotional wellness of their children, a genre he calls “family help.”

“I’m picky. I would always find things I didn’t like about something,” he said. “I’d find things I wish were different. And the more and more those thoughts kind of piled up in my head, it got to the point, where I was like I’m just going to create this workbook.”

Wright said he recognized all these different ways that he could teach mental health to youth – and they weren’t being utilized. Also, he said, the kids he worked with seemed to get bored with many of the workbooks on the market already.

“When they go home, they have all these video games with elaborate graphics and what they’re used to in their culture is so much more advanced than what we’re used to from our childhood,” Wright said. “Yet, the workbook genre hasn’t changed since we were kids. And it hasn’t progressed with the youth culture.”

Until now.

Wright has developed a series of books and workbooks which go on sale this week through Amazon.

The first, a workbook with activities for families titled “My Temper Taming Workbook … For Us”; the second, a workbook that combines learning handwriting with emotional wellness; and the third, a rhyming storybook series titled “The Adventures of Chad” which starts with “The Feelings of Glad, Mad and Sad.”

Wright’s brand of publishing incorporates YouTube videos, for example.

He said the workbook gives families lots of options for activities to do together including magic tricks, science experiments like an exploding volcano and DIY craft projects including making a monster puppet so they child can share their feelings through the use of the puppet.

“They learn through doing these activities,” Wright said.

While the workbook might be new on Amazon, for Wright, it’s been years in the making.

“To the world, they’re going to see it for the first time,” Wright said. “But in my practice, it’s like the fifth edition. It’s just because it’s gone through so many edits and changes.”

Wright has been working with his own clients for years – replacing activities until he felt he had all the right pieces in place – to help families work together to find a happy middle ground.

Enter The Happy Hobble.

The publishing company is named after one of his characters, Herbert, The Happy Hobble, a name he admits is a mouthful, even for his four-year-old.

Wright, the father of two, has dozens of works in progress, that he and his wife share with his own children.

The inspiration for his lead character and publishing name came in part from his love for his alma mater – James Madison University. Herbert has purple skin and gold hair, the main two colors associated with the Harrisonburg university.

A rhyming game he played with a roommate in college also inspired him to create the storybook with a Dr. Seuss-like feel – with rhymes.

“In college, my roommate and I used to listen to hip hop, and we would text rhymes back and forth,” Wright said. “We’d freestyle back and forth on text and have these unspoken competitions, like who could come up with the best metaphor or a double rhyme in the same line or whatever.”

Like his workbook, his story book, and knack for rhyming, helped him create a tale perfect for kids with a mental health twist.

“Whenever their feelings get to be too much, or past the threshold of being unhealthy, they morph into the entity of that feeling (in the book). So if he got mad, and he starts to kick or yell, or scream or hit, then he’d let his Mad Monster out, and he becomes the Mad Monster,” Wright said. “The whole premise is to maintain health and wellness and also using coping as a way to keep these characters away and to maintain being a Happy Hobble.”

Another thing that Wright said sets his workbook apart is the adult education piece of the book.

He said the book includes skills that parents can use to counter their child’s behavior and helps the adult develop a six-step action plan for kids who may be struggling.

“You have all these really creative, engaging activities to teach different mental health components and coping skills,” Wright said. “And by the end of it, they’ll have designed their complete coping skills toolbox.”

The workbook isn’t for professionals or other therapists necessarily. He wrote it for parents, like him.

“I wrote the book for them, the butchers and the bakers. And with them in mind when I was writing it, I was pretending they were sitting right in front of me, and I was speaking directly to them.”

It can be frustrating for parents who love their child but feel hopeless and helpless not knowing what to do or how to help, he said.

“By creating the environment of ‘hey, we’re gonna make this exploding volcano together, because that’s the next thing in chapter seven,’ that’s a fun activity,” Wright said. “We reconnect and reengage. We do fun things together, and we learn together.”

Wright is working to put together a trainer package which would be an all-in-one kit complete with props including a stuffed Herbert – and include all the necessities for each activity – so you could walk into a church or school or use it as a parent – and not need any additional supplies.

He’s also busy planning a launch party complete with stations so those who attend may experience some of the activities firsthand.

“I love tapping into my creative side,” Wright said. “I love just trying to be creative and seeing what I come up with. And seeing how I can help with my knowledge and experience in the mental health world and working with kids.”

There’s no question that Wright has put his heart and soul, time and money into this publishing company, and he admits, he’s a little terrified now that the books are finally for sale.

Seeing the finished product – “it’s definitely emotional. At the end of the day, you know what, if my friends and family are the only people to buy my book, and if they like it and it helps out a couple of kids, it will be worth it.

“But I have a feeling it’s going be a little bit better.”

Wright plans to donate 5 percent of book sales to Mental Health America of Augusta.

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Study findings published Friday in Cell Reports are the result of the work of a team of scientists at VCU Massey Cancer Center.

The team discovered a previously unknown interaction between proteins that is responsible for supplying energy to tumor cells and could hold significant implications for the development of future treatments for colon cancer.

“This study is really exciting because we may be able to use these findings to inform the development of an entirely new cancer drug right here at Massey,” study author Dr. Can Senkal, a member of the Cancer Biology research program at Massey and an assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the VCU School of Medicine, said.

A class of fatty compounds known as ceramides may hold the answer. Ceramides regulate a number of vital cellular functions, and many cancer drugs stimulate ceramide generation to help fend off disease. When the production of ceramide is cut off, cancer cells can survive and grow more efficiently.

The scientific team began extensively screening cells in the lab to identify what proteins regularly interact with ceramide-producing proteins to identify potential patterns that could warrant further investigation. Ceramide synthases, the enzymes responsible for the generation of ceramide, come in a variety pack of six different flavors: Ceramide synthase 1-6.

Senkal’s team’s research observed that the first flavor, ceramide synthase 1 (CerS1), was highly interactive with a particular protein known as heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27). Heat shock proteins act like chaperones for other proteins to retain their full function; however, an overabundance of them can tip the scales and prevent ceramide synthases from doing their job. They also noticed that Hsp27 activity was higher in many colon cancer cells while at the same time CerS1 activity was significantly lower, prompting Senkal and his team to consider if the absence of one was connected to the presence of the other.

“There is this yin-yang kind of relationship, which gave us the idea to follow it,” Senkal said. “Hsp27 is like the bad guy holding back the good guy, CerS1.”

Through the study, they identified a specific biological mechanism through which Hsp27 interacted with and inhibited the function of CerS1 in colon cancer cells. By deliberately blocking the activity of Hsp27 in these cells, the researchers confirmed the decreased presence of Hsp27 led to a heightened reactivation of CerS1, which in turn forced a reduction in mitochondrial function.

“Cancer cells rely on mitochondria to have the energy to multiply. Without it, the cancer cells can no longer sustain the amount of energy they need and die,” Senkal said.

By blocking the function of the heat shock proteins, the team was able to reactivate the cellular hand that could pull the plug on the power source connected to the cancer, according to Senkal. The revelation led the study authors to suggest that Hsp27 could be a primary target in the creation of novel therapies for colon cancer.

“We can really go after these protein-protein interactions and precisely reactivate certain enzymes while we don’t touch others,” Senkal said.

The findings come after a decade of research by Senkal and his team, in an area which he noted isn’t really being explored by anyone else. He said he knows the discovery will not be an overnight achievement, but hopes to collaborate with other scientists at Massey in a long-term effort to apply findings to in-house novel drug development at the cancer center.

The study showed encouraging results in colon cancer, but the hope is to broaden the scope of research to additional solid tumors in which the overexpression of Hsp27 has been observed, including lung, pancreatic and prostate cancers.

“We hope to demonstrate this connection in other tumors as well, which might better represent the patient population in Massey’s catchment area,” Senkal said.

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The Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act would expand access to home and community-based services (HCBS) for aging veterans.

U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committees, joined Sens. Jerry Moran of Kansas, Jon Tester of Montana and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire in cosponsoring the legislation, which honors former Sen. Elizabeth Dole’s passion for supporting veterans and their caregivers.

HCBS includes long term services and supports (LTSS). The goal is to improve the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)’s support for veterans and caregivers of all ages.

Many veterans covered by a VA health plan are in need of HCBS but such services are unavailable in their community. The bill would require the VA to coordinate with local Programs for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), which provide HCBS in local communities. HCBS allows veterans to remain in their homes and communities.

“Our veterans have sacrificed so much for us, and we owe it to them to ensure they have access to the high-quality care and services they need,” Kaine said. “The Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act would do just that by improving access to home and community-based services, sharing resources, addressing the shortage of direct support workers, home health care providers and supporting caregivers.”

Specifically, the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act would:

• Expand access to home and community-based alternative care programs to veterans at all VA medical facilities, including veterans living in U.S. territories and Native veterans enrolled in Indian Health Service (IHS) or tribal health programs;
• Increasing the amount the VA will pay for health care from 65 percent to 100 percent for alternatives to nursing home care, such as home health care, adult day care, and assisted living;
• Create a centralized website to share information and resources related to home and community-based programs and help veterans and caregivers determine their eligibility;
• Require the VA to review staffing and resource needs, accessibility, and other aspects of the Office of Geriatrics and Extended Care and Caregiver Support Program Office to ensure they are appropriately serving veterans and caregivers;
• Create a pilot program to provide home health aide services for veterans that reside in communities with a shortage of home health aides; and
• Require the VA to establish a warm handoff process — a transfer of care from one health care provider to another in front of a patient, their family members, and/or caregiver — for veterans and caregivers who are discharged from or ineligible for the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers. This improves communication and the relationship between patients and providers.

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Staunton, Waynesboro and Augusta County is facing a major mental health crisis – with more than 60 temporary detention orders issued per month, a process where a magistrate requires an individual to be held in a psychiatric facility for up to five days.

In the SAW area, the numbers of suicides are almost double the state and national average. In SAW, there are 22.7 deaths per 100,000 people, compared to 13.4 in Virginia, and 13.9 in the United States.

Despite the need, there is no crisis stabilization unit in the immediate area – and nearby options including Harrisonburg, Charlottesville, Lynchburg, etc., are often full, leading to long waits in emergency rooms until a treatment facility has an opening.

“We don’t really have the capacity to do what we need to do with our folks in crisis here,” said Kimberly K. McClanahan, the executive director of the Valley Community Services Board in Staunton. “The goal is to try to relieve the emergency department of some of its burden so that it can actually function in the way it’s intended, which is not to have mental health crises up and down the halls all the time.”

There is hope that this may soon change with a proposal on the table for both a Crisis Receiving Center and Crisis Stabilization Unit to be located near Augusta Health in Fishersville.

“Getting the help people need, when they need it, where they need it and meeting them where they need it, is imperative,” said McClanahan.

The proposed building would house two different programs: the first, the receiving center, which operates as a 24-hour observation unit where someone may check themselves in on a voluntary basis or a TDO. When someone arrives at the center, they would be greeted by a peer support specialist, someone who has lived experience, which has been proven to be very successful at the intervention level. They would also receive a medical evaluation.

For those who aren’t ready to be sent home after observation, they would move to the stabilization unit, which is generally a five- to seven-day stay, but it can be longer. They will continue to get peer support as well as individual or family therapy and their medication may be managed to get them stable and in a position to go home.

“What we are hoping for is kind of bridging the gap between the emergency department and hospital and a mobile crisis or an outpatient experience. Virginia is talking about the crisis continuum. And this is a piece of that crisis continuum that we do not have here in this area,” said McClanahan.

Beyond the statistics, research also backs up the need in the area – with mental health and substance abuse both in the top five needs identified by a community needs assessment report completed by Augusta Health in 2022, with mental health ranking #1 and substance abuse ranking #5.

The bottom line is money. Is there enough support financially to move forward? The price tag for the center would run an estimated $25 million.

McClanahan has met with and given presentations to local governments who she said generally support the idea, but they aren’t sitting on $20 million to fully fund the project, either. Some funding has been secured through the American Rescue Plan Act – but it will be up to the Department of Behavioral Health as well as localities to help bring the idea to fruition. While the state budget has been passed, McClanahan said she is unsure how much money might be allocated to the project at this time.

Despite the monetary challenge, McClanahan said she is confident this will get done.

“I know that Valley Community Services Board, our board of directors, has already committed money toward this project,” she said. “And I believe they’re amenable to committing more. But you know, nobody has $25 million just hanging around.”

McClanahan said that it’s important to reinforce the need to destigmatize mental illness and substance use.

“It’s an addition. It’s a disease. You can’t just say, Oh, I’m done today. Once you’re addicted, it just doesn’t work that way. And our mental illnesses are, you know, biological. They’re not things that you would choose.”

Once the funding is secured and a location is found, getting the Receiving Center and Stabilization Unit up and running will take approximately two years.

In the meantime, VCSB has a couple of more immediate lifelines in the works – both for those in crisis and those who respond to those in need.

Mobile Crisis Unit

In larger cities throughout Virginia, a Mobile Crisis Unit is often deployed when a call is made for someone in a suicidal or psychological crisis. In other areas, first responders such as police or fire and EMTS are usually called to the scene which can prove to be traumatic if the person in crisis is put in handcuffs or removed from their home by a police car.

While many emergency professionals are trained in Crisis Intervention, there is some thought that being approached by a mental health professional vs. someone in a uniform, may lead to less lethal outcomes in some circumstances.

McClanahan said that VCSB has a proposal in to its regional office to start a mobile crisis unit in as little as six months, and she’s very confident it will happen.

“We have a proposal that over a five-year period, it will become completely functional 24/7, fully staffed. So we’re really excited about that,” she said. “We think that’s going to be up and coming fairly soon.”

Staffing will be a big issue, McClanahan said, so the idea would be that they would start with staff they have now in the emergency services department and ramp things up over a five-year period.

In general, a team of mental health professionals would show up when someone reports a crisis … sometimes alongside local police in a co-responder model.

Interim relief to police

In the more immediate future, VCSB is working with local police to get them some relief now.

As it stands now, when someone is in crisis, and a police officer responds and takes the person to the hospital, an officer must remain with that person until a bed is found for them at a treatment facility, which can take a considerable amount of time.

“They (police officers) do not want to sit in an emergency department for five or seven days, when somebody is not able to get treatment. That’s not their role,” McClanahan said. “That’s not the emergency department’s role. But there’s a shortage of beds. It is very frustrating for our law enforcement professionals.”

Since the more permanent solution for a Receiving Center and Stabilization Unit would take two years to build out if funding was secured today, VCSB has an interim solution in mind.

“We have space here at Valley, where we will be able to provide police officers with some relief. We could see up to three people at a time with one police officer observing them – while we’re finding them a bed and doing all those good things that do when people are in crisis,” McClanahan said.

Then, the person could be dropped off, and the law enforcement officer could go back to their regular job.

“It’s not a full solution,” she said, “but it’s my understanding that our law enforcement officers and the chiefs and sheriff are very much wanting this to happen. So we’re moving in that direction, pretty much immediately, to try to get some relief.”

If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org

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A new COVID vaccine is available and is recommended for all people over 6 months of age. The new vaccine comes on the heels of a late summer increase in COVID-19 related hospitalizations and the emergence of new coronavirus variants.

“The data showed clear benefits of vaccination in reducing serious illness, hospitalizations, and deaths. This is especially important for persons at high risk for severe COVID: young children, older adults, people with chronic conditions including obesity, and people with compromised immune systems,” said Lisa M. Lee, a professor of public health at Virginia Tech, who worked for 14 years with the CDC. “CDC recommends that everyone over six months of age get this year’s new COVID vaccine, as it is effective against the newer variants we are seeing in circulation this year.”

Lee said if you’ve recently had COVID or recently gotten a different version of the vaccine, to check with your healthcare provider about the best time to get the updated shot.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show the recent surge remains far beneath peak pandemic numbers.

“COVID-19 remains a risk this fall and winter season, especially for people with less robust immune systems – people 65 and older, people undergoing chemotherapy, folks with chronic illness and conditions that create a compromised immune system,” said Lee. “It is also a risk for people who have not been vaccinated and have not had COVID. While there are far fewer hospitalizations today than we had this time last year, it is in large part because of the protective effect of vaccine and previous infection.”

The new variants appear to be more contagious and could evade existing immunity, Lee said.

“Although we have not yet seen it, the major concern with new variants is that they could cause more severe disease or make the virus more likely to cause death,” said Lee.

The new vaccine should be available next week at most pharmacies, hospitals and doctor’s offices.

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Health professionals have long attempted to resolve a challenge in caring for patients when it comes to boosting them safely when they slide down in their hospital beds.

Augusta Health has adopted technology that operates like a conveyor and effortlessly boosts the patient back up in bed, often without their even knowing it.

The technology is called the Hercules Patient Repositioner, and includes a unique drive, mattress and sheet combination that allows a single caregiver to safely boost a patient back up in bed to a comfortable position with the push of a button.

“Boosting using Hercules is very comfortable and allows one caregiver to safely boost by pushing a button,” Vickie Taylor, RN, Augusta Health Assistant Vice President of Nursing, said. “The Hercules positioner improves patient experience and comfort while saving valuable nursing time.”

The purchase of the technology is made possible with gifts to Augusta Health Foundation. Augusta Health’s Shenandoah House received four Hercules Repositioners in 2022, and additional donor funds made it possible for Augusta Health to install 42 more Hercules Repositioners: 30 in the Medical Unit, six for Skilled Nursing and six for the Intensive Care Unit. This is phase one of a three-phase project to install repositioners in all inpatient units in the hospital, to benefit patients and team members.

“Seeing, firsthand, the difference this technology makes in the patient and team member experience is powerful. Knowing the generosity of our donors made it possible is truly inspiring,” Shirley Davis Carter, CFRE, Augusta Health Foundation Executive Director and Vice President of Philanthropy, said. “A patient may need to be repositioned in bed as many as 10+ times daily. Conventional repositioning methods, such as slide sheets and lifts, are disruptive. Patients don’t have to worry about that unpleasant experience when caregivers use Hercules.”

The leading cause of injury for bedside caregivers is patient-boosting methods. The physically demanding, time-consuming task contributes to job dissatisfaction and burnout and is a significant reason nurses leave bedside care.

“Hercules has had a big impact on our Augusta Health Shenandoah House team members,” Joey Mooneyham, RN, Augusta Health Hospice of the Shenandoah, Clinical Coordinator, said. “Staff feel safer using the unit because there is less strain on them physically.”

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