Hepatitis Awareness Month

By virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution of Virginia in the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, there is hereby officially recognized:

Hepatitis Awareness Month

WHEREAS, viral hepatitis-including hepatitis A (HAV), hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and hepatitis D (HDV)-affects millions of Americans causing inflammation of the liver potentially leading to serious illness, liver cancer, and death; and

WHEREAS, hepatitis A and hepatitis B are preventable through safe and effective vaccination, hepatitis B and hepatitis D can be managed with appropriate medical care, and hepatitis C is curable with highly effective therapies; and

WHEREAS, hepatitis remains a significant public health concern in the Commonwealth with an estimated 39,000 Virginians living with hepatitis C, and approximately 2,000 hepatitis B cases are reported annually; and

WHEREAS, undiagnosed hepatitis continues to pose a significant threat in the Commonwealth as many Virginians living with viral hepatitis remain unaware of their infection, increasing their risk for preventable complications, including cirrhosis and liver cancer; and

WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all adults aged 18 years and older be screened for hepatitis C at least once in their lifetime, encourages routine screening for hepatitis B, vaccination for hepatitis A and hepatitis B according to age and risk, and support public and professional education to increase awareness, prevention, testing, and treatment; and

WHEREAS, the ongoing opioid and substance use epidemic continuously contributes to increased transmission of viral hepatitis in communities across the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Hepatitis Coalition is a statewide, multi-sector collaborative comprised of healthcare providers, nurses, pharmacists, public health professionals, community health workers, harm reduction partners, community-based organizations, and individuals with lived experience, all working to advance viral hepatitis prevention, testing, treatment access, and elimination efforts throughout the Commonwealth; and