by James C. Sherlock
M. Norman Oliver M.D., Virginia Health Commissioner
Updated Jan 19 at 2:55 PM
If you’ve been wondering why Virginia has fumbled its rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, consider this: The Virginia Department of Health. As of one week ago, the Virginia Department of Health had not yet developed a vaccination plan.
From a presentation, “Virginia Department of Health Budget,” to Senate Finance & Appropriations Committee by State Health Commissioner M. Norman Oliver on Jan. 12, 2021:
COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Effort
VDH is leading a Vaccine Unit that has been formed under the Public Health Surveillance and Guidance Workgroup of the Commonwealth’s unified command structure. The Vaccine Unit is currently developing a COVID-19 vaccination plan for the Commonwealth. Additionally, a Vaccine Advisory Workgroup will be formed to provide perspective from varying points of view on actions and policies developed by VDH as it relates to COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccine-preventable diseases.
FY21 – $30,184,899 (General Fund)
FY22 – $59,123,029 (General Fund)
So VDH was “currently developing a COVID 19 vaccination plan” and had not yet formed a vaccine advisory group on January 12, 2021. The citizens of Virginia have known since March of last year that the state would need a vaccination plan.
The same presentation then provided this gem:
GF Match for COVID Grant from CMS for Licensure and Certification.
VDH was awarded supplemental funding by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) through the CARES Act for Survey and Certification (S&C) activities associated with the increased workload due to COVID-19. Activities performed specific to Title 19 (Medicaid) require general fund match in order to receive the funding.
FY22 – $59,288 (General Fund)
FY22 – $474,300 (Non General Fund)
No FTE’s are associated with the one-time grant and match for Licensure and Certification. No other budget amendment funds FTEs to fill the massive shortfalls that VDH itself has defined in its Licensure and Certification workforce… the workforce that inspects hospitals and nursing homes…. which do not like to be inspected.
The Virginia Department of Health continues to disappoint on matters of urgent necessity in protecting the health of Virginians.
It didn’t take anything but reading of the New England Journal of Medicine, to which I suspect VDH has access, to realize in July of 2020 that vaccines were coming and that every Virginian who does not reject the virus would need to get vaccinated.
It doesn’t take anything but common sense to realize that Virginia needed to create last summer a plan to distribute the vaccines a manner that would optimize injections.
It doesn’t take anything but common situational awareness to see chain pharmacies at every major intersection in the state that already give flu shots and understand that they would be the most efficient at mass inoculation.
But instead, Virginia shipped all of its initial doses to the largest hospital in each region and hoped for the best.
Why does the Health Commissioner continue to hold his job?
Do the Governor and General Assembly even notice?
