Author: James A. Bacon
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Canterbury Needs a Federal Audit
by James C. Sherlock The patient population of the Canterbury Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, site of nearly 50 COVID-19 deaths, consists primarily of Medicaid recipients. The facility recently changed ownership and was previously known as Lexington Court Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center. Nursing Home Compare Five-Star Quality Rating System A nursing home is a place for…
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Unexpected Bonus: No Flu
by James A. Bacon The verdict is still out on how well Virginia’s social-distancing measures are working to contain the COVID-19 virus, but it’s sure working against the flu. The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) tracks the spread of influenza in order to “provide situational awareness, inform prevention strategies, and prepare for a potential pandemic.”…
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Uh, Oh…
by Dean Wortmier Because the panacea bonfire of the “New Abbott Labs Test” is being stoked, I have been forced to revive some brain cells that have been comfortably soaking up rum for the past 8 years. How much help is testing for CoV2 going to be in deciding to ‘Open Up’ Virginia? Let’s use…
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COVID-19 Update: Time to Re-Evaluate Usefulness of “Confirmed Cases” Statistic
by James A. Bacon The latest Virginia Department of Health (VDH) data continues to look alarming: 562 new reported cases yesterday, 75 new hospitalizations, and 27 new deaths. However, I’m sticking by my argument that the epidemic in Virginia is close to peaking. Here’s the nub of my argument, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases…
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VDH Responsibilities Regarding Nursing Homes
by James C. Sherlock I have been asked an excellent question: What are the Virginia Health Commissioner’s responsibilities under federal and state law to regulate nursing homes? I will provide what I hope is a sufficiently complete answer. The question is relevant because we need to ensure that episodes like the Canterbury Rehabilitation tragedy don’t…
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Why Was Canterbury Short of Staff?
by James C. Sherlock The image above captures financial information about Canterbury Rehabilitation (known as Lexington Court until new ownership this year) published on the Virginia Health Information website for the fiscal year ending Oct. 31, 2018. That is the most recent data available to the public. Canterbury, to refresh your memory is the privately…
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COVID-19 a New Excuse for Racial Preferences
by Hans Bader Government officials are handing out tax dollars based on race and gender in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. One example is in Arlington, where I live. The Arlington County government announced that it will hand out grants to small businesses based on “considerations” such as whether the business is “women and/or minority-owned.”…
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Richmond Assault Stats Up — Cabin Fever or Random Variation?
Some people of my acquaintance have wondered what the COVID-19 epidemic might do to the thin veneer of civilization that we Americans take so for granted. When people are living cooped up for weeks on end — with the prospect of social distancing extending for several months more — how will they behave? Will we…
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COVID-19 Update: Don’t Panic!!
The number of COVID-19 confirmed new cases and hospitalizations spiked higher yesterday, based on the latest Virginia Department of Health data. New cases marked a record for Virginia at 601, while one-day hospitalizations also hit a high. But these numbers are volatile, often due to reporting delays, and yesterday’s jump was not sufficient to change…
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Nursing Home Horror
by Kerry Dougherty One of the saddest aspects of what’s being called the “new normal” is that nursing homes are closed to visitors. It’s necessary, of course, to keep COVID-19 away from the elderly. But it is wrenching for families. I have a friend whose mother is on the first floor of a local nursing…
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The Canterbury Tragedy and the Failed Virginia Department of Health
by James C. Sherlock One of the issues we are facing with the decline of regional newspapers is the decline of investigative reporting. The few reporters left in Virginia covering the Northam administration are printing press releases as stories and reporting press conferences for what is said, not what is unsaid or wrong. The national…
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COVID-19 Update: Yup, the Virus Has Plateaued
One hundred and ninety-nine COVID-19 patients were discharged from Virginia hospitals yesterday, exceeding the 66 patients admitted, according to the latest data from the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association (VHHA). The excess of discharges over admissions represents a major milestone in the fight against the deadly disease. Perhaps it…
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The U.S., and Virginia, Soon Will have COVID-19 Testing Out the Wazoo
by James C. Sherlock The Washington press corps has aggressively questioned President Trump about the need for aggressive nationwide testing before reversing social distancing measures and opening up the economy. Many have pointed to public health experts and other advisors who say the U.S. needs more testing first. The media gave considerable attention, for example,…
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In a Virtual Learning Environment, Public Schools May Need to Extend the School Year
by James A. Bacon A story I missed yesterday in all the excitement… Two days ago the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) announced a major expansion of Virtual Virginia, the state’s online learning platform to help teachers host virtual classes while schools are closed due to the COVID-19 epidemic. The initiative will enable public school…
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COVID-19 Testing at Urgent Care Clinics
by James C. Sherlock This information on Urgent Care Clinic testing in Virginia is a follow-up to yesterday’s information on testing in general. It was developed by web searches in about two hours. It is representative, but not necessarily complete. The Governor can direct his staff to provide compete information updated daily on a virginia.gov…