Virginia vaccination coordinator steps down from his job

By The Associated Press
January 9, 2022 | 4:19 PM

RICHMOND, Va. — Dr. Danny Avula has stepped down from his position overseeing Virginia’s vaccination efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that Avula said he has taken on other responsibilities in the Virginia Department of Health and returned to his position as director of the Richmond City and Henrico County health districts.

Christy Gray, the Virginia Department of Health’s Director of the Division of Immunization, will now oversee vaccinations in Virginia.

A year ago, Virginia was behind other states in vaccine distribution. Now Virginia is ranked ninth in percentage of residents fully vaccinated.

Unemployment claims tick up to 206,000 but remain at historically low levels

By The Associated Press
September 4, 2026 | 3:05 AM

WASHINGTON (AP) — More Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week, but layoffs are still rare and jobless claims remain at historically low levels. The Labor Department reported Thursday filings for benefits ticked up to 206,000 last week from a revised 204,000 the week before. The four-week average of claims, which smooths out week-to-week volatility, rose modestly to 207,250 last week. Claims for jobless benefits are a proxy for layoffs, and economists watch them because they can be a sign of where the job market is headed. For the past year, claims have mostly stayed within a historically low range of 200,000 to 230,000 a week.

Related Stories