Image: Penn State
April 20, 2021
MCKEESPORT, Pa. Penn State Greater Allegheny’s signature program, The Crossing Bridges Summit, held its final installment of a four-part series discussing Black Women’s Health. The event was held on April 15. The panel focused on political and policy influences and was sponsored by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and Allegheny Health Network. Recordings of this installment and the entire 2020-21 series are available at watch.psu.edu/crossingbridges.
Johnathan White, assistant teaching professor at Greater Allegheny, moderated the event that featured panelists Morgan B. Cephas, Pennsylvania House of Representatives - 192nd District; Rikell S. Ford, Allegheny County Department of Human Services and school board member for the Clairton City School District; Rochelle L. Jackson, director and founder, Black Women s Policy Agenda; and Stella Onuoha-Obilor, vice president, Clinical Quality Highmark Health.
Though college students are known to have an affinity for shots, leaders at area colleges and universities aren t mandating they receive a COVID-19 vaccination this fall.
Members of Gov. Tom Wolf s administration announced earlier this month that the state will not require COVID-19 vaccinations for college and university students but are highly encouraging the vaccine, and local schools, both public and private, are following suit and only recommending the shot.
For state schools, like Slippery Rock University, recommendation is the only option. As part of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), they can t require the vaccine. The state system has always recommended vaccination, but not required it beyond meningitis, said Kristina Benkeser, the director of Health and Wellness and Student Health Services at SRU. So, it s a little bit different at public universities.
Southwestern PA chief medical officers: Please get vaccinated - Pittsburgh Business Times bizjournals.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from bizjournals.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Nate Smallwood | Tribune-Review
In March 2020, the sculpture of George Washington and Seneca leader Guyasuta, atop Pittsburgh’s Mt. Washington, was adorned with faux air-filtration masks.
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Health experts in Western Pennsylvania said it’s no surprise outdoor mask-wearing is no longer part of federal health guidance. From the beginning of the pandemic, data has shown outdoor transmission of covid-19 to be a rare event.
“I think that this was a long overdue step, but it was completely supported by the science,” said Pittsburgh-based Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. “It was an important move … in order to really show people the value of vaccinations and how vaccinations do change things.”
Western Pennsylvania Health Care Partners Announce Scholarship Program for Long-Term Care Infection Prevention Specialists
April 26, 2021
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Infection prevention in long-term care facilities has never been more vital than during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this unprecedented year, facilities across the world have been on the front lines battling the deadly virus.
To support their efforts to care for one of the most vulnerable populations, the Regional Congregate Care Assistance Teams (RCATs) have launched a scholarship program to help nurses, nurse practitioners, medication technicians and other clinicians in Western Pennsylvania long term care facilities to become certified infection preventionists.
“Infection prevention specialists are so important to the care of residents in long-term care facilities,” said April L. Kane, a social worker with UPMC Community Provider Services. “As part of this state collaborative, UPMC is thrilled to provide aid to further the