Fans attending Super Bowl LVI will receive free KN95 masks to wear during the game, in today's bite-sized hospital and health industry news from California, Ohio, and Virginia.
- California: Los Angeles County Department of Public Health director Barbara Ferrer on Tuesday announced that fans attending Super Bowl LVI would be given free KN95 masks to wear during the game. According to Ferrer, the NFL is also planning to distribute over 60,000 test kits at its interactive football theme park, known as the NFL Experience, which will launch on Feb. 5. Free rapid testing will also be available at SoFi Stadium and the LA Convention Center. (Vakil, The Hill, 1/26)
- Ohio: Cleveland Clinic has appointed Rohit Chandra as its chief digital officer, a newly created role, effective Feb. 14. As chief digital officer, Chandra will oversee the information technology division and lead the clinic's global digital innovation. Chandra, who brings over 25 years of digital technology and engineering experience, most recently served as VP of engineering for technology startup Sunshine Products. "New technologies are reinventing how we access, deliver and experience the best possible care," said Tom Mihaljevic, Cleveland Clinic president and CEO. He added that Chandra "has proved himself a visionary in applying these tools and technologies. His fresh perspective will benefit our patients, caregivers and organization as Cleveland Clinic grows to touch more lives around the world." (Coutré, Modern Healthcare, 1/28)
- Virginia: State Attorney General Jason Miyares on Friday ruled that Virginia public colleges could not enforce Covid-19 vaccine mandates for students as a requirement for admission or in-person attendance. The ruling came after Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) requested a review of the vaccination requirements. Miyares determined that even though Virginia schools require vaccination against other diseases, they do not have the authority to implement a Covid-19 vaccine mandate since Virginia's General Assembly has not approved it. "Although the General Assembly specifically authorized public institutions of higher education to assist the Department of Health and local health departments in the administration of the Covid-19 vaccine, the legislation did not grant such institutions power to impose vaccine requirements," Miyares said. (Knutson, Axios, 1/28)