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Here’s a recap of the top stories on the morning of Tuesday, October 5, 2021:
Hospitals across the country and Virginia are facing an influx of COVID-positive patients, the majority of whom are unvaccinated. As VPM’s Megan Pauly reports, it’s taking a toll on nurses and other frontline workers.
Hundreds of Virginia healthcare workers have been suspended or fired for not following hospital COVID-19 vaccination mandates. Reporting by the Washington Post found hospitals in rural areas lost more employees than urban and suburban hospitals, because of lower staff numbers and higher rates of layoffs due to noncompliance with vaccination rules. Hospital officials say hesitancy among staff reflects worries from their larger communities, including historical distrust in medical institutions and concerns about how the vaccine was developed.
Virginia’s new redistricting commission is hearing feedback this week on new political maps for the General Assembly. The group still hasn’t come to any agreements and the clock is ticking. Ben Paviour has more.
The deadline for Virginians to register to vote in the November election is a week from today. Voter information must be updated if you have moved to a new address or changed your name. To register, go to your local registrar's office or the Virginia Department of Elections website. Voter information can also be changed through the Dept. of Motor Vehicles. Election Day is November 2.
Christopher Newport University is creating a new public-facing center to examine crime, equity and justice issues. Steven Keener, the center’s director, says a key part of their work is to connect community groups and researchers to better understand the policy issues creating inequities.
Two Virginia climate researchers have been named as lead authors in the federal government’s Fifth National Climate Assessment. Jessica Whitehead of Old Dominion University will lead efforts on a chapter focused on the Northeast U-S. Jeremy Hoffman of the Science Museum of Virginia will fill the same role in the Southeast. Their chapters will assess the impacts of climate change in those regions - covering sea level rise, extreme heat, major rain events and more. Initial drafts will be available for public comment in January 2022. The final report is slated for late 2023.
