Announcements
Mask guidance updated for WVU Medicine employees located at Health Sciences Campuses
WVU Medicine recently updated masking guidance for all employees who work at non-clinical, administrative sites, including the Health Sciences campuses in Morgantown, Eastern and Charleston. Individuals who are employed by the WVU Health System, including WVU Hospitals and University Health Associates, are required to resume wearing masks when working at the Health Sciences campuses, regardless of whether the employee is vaccinated or not. The Delta variant, now the predominant variant in the United States, is highly contagious, much more so than the original virus and some of the earlier variants. The best protection against the Delta variant however remains the available vaccines: initial studies indicate that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was 88% effective against symptomatic disease and 96% effective against hospitalization from Delta, while Oxford-AstraZeneca (which is not an mRNA vaccine) was 60% effective against symptomatic disease and 93% effective against hospitalization. The studies tracked participants who were fully vaccinated with both recommended doses. All employees are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated – they’re free; they’re readily available at Employee Health and through the Monogalia County Health Department or local health departments in areas around the State; they’re safe; and they work. WVU is hosting a series of pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinics this weekend for all students, faculty and staff on the Morgantown campus as well as members of the community. Questions may be directed to Health Sciences Incident Command at HSIC@hsc.wvu.edu.
Application for Rural Community Health Scholars now open to WVU health professions students
The West Virginia Area Health Education Centers (WV AHEC) are pleased to announce that applications are open for the Rural Community Health Scholars program.
WVU to distribute 2021-22 emergency grants to students
Based on the latest guidance from the U.S. Department of Education, West Virginia University will distribute $27,271,733 in emergency grants to eligible students during the 2021-22 academic year.
Voting open: Proposed SPH Bylaws and Promotion, Tenure, and Evaluation Guidelines
During the past month we were pleased to share the penultimate drafts of revised and updated WVU SPH By-Laws and WVU SPH Promotion, Tenure, and Evaluation Guidelines. Both documents were revised in accordance with WVU Board of Governors rules and regulations and with oversight and input from the Dean.
BeWell Blog — "Try This Tuesday: Strengthen that Funny Bone"
The BeWell team is offering a series of helpful tips for mental health and wellbeing called "Try This Tuesday." This week, Layne Hitchcock discusses the power of laughter. Research says that laughing can help with improving overall wellbeing, reducing unpleasant emotion, and directly impacting our mental health. It also assists with decreasing pain, promoting muscle relaxation, and reducing stress hormones.
Undergraduate public health program poised for growth, approved by BOG for five more years
After receiving approval from the West Virginia University Board of Governors, the Bachelor of Science in Public Health program is poised for continued growth.
Vice President’s Awards 2021
WVU Health Sciences is recognizing 10 individuals and two teams with Vice President’s Awards, as well as two individuals with WISH (Women in Science & Health) Awards, for their significant contributions to the mission of the Health Sciences Center.
HSC Faculty Development Zoom session: "Navigating Mentoring Relationships in an Academic Setting"
All faculty are invited to attend the WVU Health Sciences Center Faculty Development Program presentation "Navigating Mentoring Relationships in an Academic Setting" Tuesday, August 24, 2021, from noon to 1 p.m.
WVU in the News: Drop in the bucket: U.S. infrastructure plan may fall short on water
Out of sight, out of mind: Problems with decades-old pipes and sewers across American cities and towns are largely hidden and tend to be neglected for years before exploding into public crisis.
Alumna grows public health career through CDC fellowship
Gabrielle Bevan chose West Virginia University for the opportunities she knew wouldn’t be provided anywhere else. Her willingness to take a chance and be open to those new experiences offered by the School of Public Health has made all the difference in her career, even after graduation.