Veteran health official Sharon Lewis has been named interim director of DC Health, following the recent resignation of Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt.
Veteran health official Sharon Lewis has been named interim director of DC Health. after the last resignation of Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt.
Lewis, a registered nurse who holds a doctorate in health care administration, was appointed by Mayor Muriel Bowser to lead the agency as the city conducts a statewide search to officially replace Nesbitt.
“Nobody can fill her shoes, but I will say she’s laid a great foundation for us that we’ll carry on,” Lewis said.
Lewis has served more than three decades in DC government and most recently held senior positions at DC Health, overseeing healthcare licensing, compliance and investigations. She sees her role as interim director as an important job to maintain the flow of critical health information to those in the city.
She will take the reins of DC Health as the agency continues its ongoing battle against COVID-19. The County Agency is also dealing with the new monkeypox virus. DC leads the country in the number of cases per capita at 179, Lewis said.
“Monkey pox doesn’t know gender, so we all need to be aware of the symptoms we can see,” Lewis said.
The city has administered more than 5,600 doses of vaccine to protect against monkeypox.
With COVID-19 at moderate transmission rates in the nation’s capital, Lewis said residents and visitors should take reasonable health precautions, including regular hand washing.
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