Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signed an executive order to bolster the health care workforce to prepare for a surge of coronavirus cases.
Officials estimate the state will need up to 30,000 more workers in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and public health departments.
“While we are seeing promising signs in our ongoing fight against COVID-19, we must continue to prepare for all scenarios, and that includes making sure we have the necessary staff to confront a potential medical surge,” Mr. Northam said in a statement. “This pandemic is placing extraordinary demands on our doctors, nurses and nurse practitioners, and these policies will enable us to expand our health care workforce so more trained medical professionals can step in and help.”
The order allows health providers with licenses in other states to practice in Virginia, including for telehealth, and gives flexibility to hospitals in the supervision of interns, residents and fellows, and empowers hospitals to allow fourth-year medical students to provide care.
Mr. Northam said the state received its first shipment of gloves, gowns and 24,000 N95 masks through its contract with Northfield Medical Manufacturing and said the national supply chain still remains a problem.
In the last 24 hours, Virginia saw 602 more coronavirus cases and 23 deaths.
Health department officials attributed the high number to an outbreak in nursing homes in the central Shenandoah area.
In a population of 8.5 million, 7,491 Virginians have tested positive for the coronavirus and 231 people have died.
• Sophie Kaplan can be reached at skaplan@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.