Connect to End Covid
Although the Public Health Emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic has formally ended as of May 11, 2023, the potentially deadly virus continues to threaten the health and well-being of millions of Americans. While many residents have been and continue to receive vaccinations to protect themselves and others, other people have not for a variety of reasons, despite the demonstrated safety of the vaccines and their high degree of effectiveness in preventing severe illness and death.
Social workers, as professionals who provide services in a wide range of community settings and who are trusted messengers, are in a unique position to promote COVID-19 vaccine confidence, access, and uptake. This is especially important when social work professionals are working with populations with low vaccination rates and higher vulnerability to severe forms of infection.
NASW and the NASW Foundation have partnered with the Health Behavior Research and Training Institute (HBRT) at The University of Texas at Austin Steve Hicks School of Social Work in a $3.3-million initiative funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded (CDC). The initiative aims to support social workers and their clients in informed vaccine decision-making.
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The NASW Virginia Chapter is proud to be part of this initiative and to help its members save lives. The multi-year campaign includes complimentary, CE-qualifying, on-demand trainings; state COVID-19 resources; and Virginia data, trends, and analysis related to special populations and their COVID-19 risks. The latter include rural residents, minority populations, children, and others who are disproportionately not vaccinated against COVID-19.
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Please explore all of the resources and trainings on this microsite, and contact Executive Director Debra Riggs, CAE, at driggs.naswva@socialworkers.org if you have questions.
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CDC/HHS Funding
This project and microsite are supported by the CDC of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of a financial assistance award totaling $3.3 million with 100% of the funding provided by CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, CDC/HHS or the U.S. government.
Join NASW’s national Connect to End COVID-19 effort, a CDC-funded initiative to support social workers and their clients in informed vaccine decision-making. Complimentary webinars and CEUs available.
Learn about Connect to End COVID-19
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In the News
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“Severe Lung Infection During COVID-19 Can Cause Damage to the Heart.” National Institutes of Health, March 20, 2024.
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COVID vaccines found to cut risk of heart failure, blood clots following virus infection: Study. ABC News, March 19, 2024.
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4 years later, experts are just beginning to 'scratch the surface' of understanding long COVID. ABC News, March 20, 2024.
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Virginia Adds Long COVID-19 Information to Its COVID-19 Site (and tips on symptoms, prevention, and treatment for residents), 2024.
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Virginia Department of Health Emergency Preparedness Update, data as of Feb. 22, 2024. Reports COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide are “low.” “The CDC forecasts a continued national decrease in COVID-19, flu, and RSV hospital admissions. The agency expects rates will remain high through February. In Virginia, hospital admissions for both flu and COVID-19 decreased for the sixth week in a row. Models expect hospital admissions to continue to decrease.”
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Availability of New 2023-2024 COVID-19 Vaccine in Virginia. Staunton News, Sept. 18, 2023.
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The Unequal Toll of the Omicron Wave. March 18, 2022. By Rebecca Tan, John D’Harden, and Michael Brice-Saddler. The Washington Post.
COVID-19 Resources
Social workers support informed decision making about important healthcare choices, provide health information from credible sources, and address mental and behavioral health concerns arising as a result of this public health crisis.
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