Some Virginia areas to enter next phase of vaccinations Monday
Starting next week, front line essential workers, people age 75 and older, and people living in correctional facilities, homeless shelters or migrant labor camps in certain areas of the state will get access to COVID-19 vaccines, the Virginia Department of Health announced Friday.
Hampton Roads, however, is not in the first wave of localities as the health department begins to roll out what is known as Phase 1b vaccinations.
These health districts will begin Phase 1b vaccinations the week of Jan. 11: Prince William County, Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria, Cumberland Plateau, Lenowisco, Lord Fairfax,
Loudoun, Mount Rogers, New River and Roanoke County/Allegheny.
The decision was made “in line with Governor Northam’s directive this week to increase flexibility and speed up vaccine distribution in Virginia,” the health department said.
All other areas of the Co mmonwealt h are expected to move to Phase 1b before the month ends, the release said.
It will take several weeks to months to vaccinate Virginians who fall into Phase 1b. The ability to schedule appointments will depend on the supply of vaccine available. Vaccine supply in the United States is still very limited. Currently the federal government is allocating about 110,000 doses of vaccine to Virginia a week. The amount of vaccine available in the United States will depend on the capabilities of the manufacturers to produce the vaccine safely and is expected to increase gradually over the next months.
The release said the number of people in priority group 1a — health care personnel and people living in long-term care — differs across geographic regions.
Local health districts will announce as they move into Phase 1b, and information will be available on the VDH COVID19 Vaccine webpage.