Gov. Ralph Northam announced on May 2 that Virginia was approved by FEMA to receive three Battelle Critical Care Decontamination Systems which can collectively sanitize 240,000 PPE each day.
The systems are at no cost to Virginia for the first six months of use, and their decontamination services are free to hospitals and healthcare workers.
The systems are being installed in the Marching Virginians Center on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, a warehouse in the Hampton Roads Sanitation District, and the Vietnam Veterans Pavilion at the Chesterfield County Fairgrounds near Richmond.
“This innovative new technology will extend the life of critical PPE like N95 masks, giving our medical facilities and first responders greater access to much-needed supplies and helping the Commonwealth manage our resources amid a nationwide shortage,” Northam said.
The newly installed decontamination systems could potentially decrease not only Virginia’s demand for PPE, but also West Virginia’s, as the system in Blacksburg is being shared with the state.
More systems are also being made available to Washington D.C., Maryland, Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina.
The decontamination process is powered by concentrated vapor-phase hydrogen peroxide that the respirator masks are exposed to for 2.5 hours.
The process rids the masks of biological contaminants, including SARS-CoV-2, the contaminant that causes the new coronavirus, according to a press release from Battelle.
Battelle was awarded a $400 million contract by the Defense Logistics Agency on behalf of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and FEMA to provide healthcare workers free decontamination services for N95 respirator masks.
“The contract awarded to Battelle will allow us to staff additional systems to provide a continuous buffer against current and future N95 supply chain challenges,” said Matt Vaughan, Battelle’s Contract Research President.
The United States currently lacks adequate amounts of PPE and will need far more than are currently available to battle this crisis, according to The New England Journal of Medicine.
Recent Stories
We’re excited to share our latest Potomac Local podcast episode featuring Barbara Biddle, the owner of District Hemp.
Manassas City Hall has reopened after significant renovations.
On Wednesday, June 26, at 9:07 p.m., officers responded to a domestic dispute at the Elevations One Apartments in the 14300 block of Bellona Road in Woodbridge. The investigation revealed…
The Manassas Park Veterans Dinner was held at 6:30 p.m. at the Manassas Park Community Center.
On June 22, 2024, the Ira Dorsey Scholarship Ball, hosted by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Xi Alpha Lambda Chapter, seated in Prince William County, VA, awarded $73,000 in scholarships to 17 students through the chapter’s foundation, the Ira Dorsey Scholarship Endowment Fund. These scholarships will support their college journeys at prestigious universities such as Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, Purdue University, Howard University, Shenandoah University, Old Dominion University, Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Virginia, Cornell University, Spelman College, North Carolina A&T State University, and Norfolk State University. The event highlighted the commitment of the Ira Dorsey Scholarship Endowment Fund to fostering academic excellence and supporting the educational aspirations of young scholars in our community.
FREE Leadership Sessions will be conducted at the George Mason University –Arlington Campus for High School Latinas. The program runs from Monday 7/15 through Friday 7/19 from 10:00AM to 3:00PM EST each day (1-week).
Las sesiones de liderazgo GRATUITAS se llevarán a cabo en el campus de George Mason University – Arlington para latinas de secundaria. El programa se desarrollará desde el lunes 15 de julio hasta el viernes 19 de julio, de 10:00 a.m. a 3:00 p.m. EST cada día (1 semana).
Our goal is to equip students with the fundamentals of self-promotion and guide them in shaping their personal brand for future success. What sets this program apart is its integration of self-awareness activities and mentorship by seasoned professionals.
Sessions begin with a thorough assessment of leadership dynamics on July 15th, participants delve into the intricacies of personal branding and etiquette on July 16th, followed by practical guidance on crafting compelling LinkedIn profiles and resumes on July 17th. July 18th emphasizes the art of storytelling through personal statements, while July 19th culminates in portfolio presentations, allowing participants to showcase their newfound skills. The program concludes on July 20th with a memorable graduation ceremony, celebrating the accomplishments of the ELITE Academy’s graduates and their journey towards leadership excellence.
