COVID-19 News and Updates
COVID-19 Vaccine Information
The Chesterfield Health District (CHD) is a division of the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). The CHD is comprised of the counties of Chesterfield and Powhatan and the city of Colonial Heights. VDH distributes COVID-19 vaccines to local health districts, such as CHD, which then administer the vaccine to eligible individuals within the health district, according to phases set by VDH. For current vaccination data for Chesterfield County and the Chesterfield Health District, as well as overall vaccination data for Greater Richmond region localities, visit the Chesterfield COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard. To find a COVID-19 vaccine near you, visit VaccineFinder.org.
To view current information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine in:
- Virginia, visit the VDH COVID-19 Vaccination Response webpage
- Chesterfield Health District, visit the VDH Chesterfield Health District webpage
- Chesterfield County, visit the Chesterfield COVID-19 Vaccine Information webpage
- June 27 Updates
- June 16 Updates
- May 24 Updates
- May 20 Updates
- May 16 Updates
- April 7 Updates
- March 31 Updates
- Feb. 28 Updates
- Updates Archive
June 27, 2022 Update - 10:30 a.m.
Statement from Virginia State Vaccination Coordinator Christy Gray on the Recommendation of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine for Children, Adolescents Ages 6 Years Through 17 Years
Virginia parents and guardians of older children and adolescents now have a second choice of a COVID-19 vaccine.
On June 24, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gave its approval to a recommendation of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for children and adolescents aged 6 years through 17 years. That approval came after the CDC’s independent panel of experts, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), recommended the administration of the vaccine on June 23, following the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) granting of an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) on June 17.
The Moderna vaccine for children aged 6–11 years of age is half the adult dose; for older children and adolescents aged 12–17 years of age, the dose is the same as for adults aged 18 years and older. The vaccines for these age groups are two-dose series administered at least 28 days apart. Previously, only the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was approved for use in children and adolescents aged 5–17 years.
Observed side effects mirror those seen in recipients of the Moderna vaccine for persons aged 18 years and older: redness or soreness at the injection site, fever and headache. They were mild to moderate and usually abated within a few days.
The following is a statement from Christy Gray, MPH, Virginia’s state vaccination coordinator and director of the Virginia Department of Health’s Division of Immunization:
“The Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for children and adolescents aged 6–11 years and 12–17 years are available immediately, as existing Moderna products can be used to vaccinate these age groups. VDH is coordinating with the CDC on the distribution of these Moderna vaccines.
“We want to make sure that parents understand these are actually two vaccines: one for children aged 6–11 years that is half the adult dose, and another for older children and adolescents aged 12–17 years that’s the same size as the dose for adults 18 years and older.
“With the approval of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for these age groups, there are now two choices for parents. Both the Moderna and previously approved Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are safe and effective, and we urge parents to consult with their pediatrician, family doctor or other healthcare provider to determine which would be more appropriate for your child or teen.”
Those who are unvaccinated and without a booster remain at the highest risk of severe illness and hospitalization due to COVID-19. This population remains VDH’s top priority. Everyone 6 months or older is recommended to be vaccinated. To find free vaccination opportunities near you, visit vaccinate.virginia.gov or call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682, TTY users call 7-1-1). Assistance is available in English, Spanish and more than 100 other languages.
View the full news release the Virginia Department of Health Newsroom.
June 27, 2022 Update - 10 a.m.
Statement from Virginia State Vaccination Coordinator Christy Gray on the Recommendations of the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna COVID-19 Vaccines for Children 6 Months Through 4 Years of Age and 6 Months through 5 Years of Age, Respectively
All Virginians from the age of 6 months and older are eligible now to get a free COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), following the unanimous recommendations on June 18 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna pediatric vaccines for the youngest of children.
The CDC’s independent panel of experts, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), recommended the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 6 months through 4 years and the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 6 months through 5 years. The CDC director gave her final approval to the recommendation later that afternoon.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is a three-dose series with the first two doses administered 3 weeks apart and a third dose at least two months after the second dose. The Moderna vaccine is a two-dose series administered 4 weeks apart.
VDH would like to stress to parents that providers can choose which vaccine to offer to their patients. Some providers may choose to offer both vaccines, while others may decide only to offer one. Parents should follow up with their pediatrician or other healthcare provider for specific information about the vaccines they’ll be offering.
Because VDH has been planning for the expansion of vaccine eligibility and availability for several months, families will have many options for where to get their children a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccination sites may include:
- Family practice offices
- Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC)
- Local health departments
- Pediatric offices
- Retail pharmacies for children ages 3 years and older
The following is a statement from Christy Gray, MPH, Virginia’s state vaccination coordinator and director of the Virginia Department of Health’s Division of Immunization:
“With the CDC’s endorsement of the recommendation of its independent panel of advisers that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine can be safely administered to children 4 years of age and younger down to 6 months of age and the Moderna vaccine to children 5 years of age down to 6 months, one of the final fronts in the battle against COVID-19 has opened up.
“We at VDH are pleased to begin offering this vaccine to parents who want to protect their youngest children from severe illness and hospitalization due to this virus. There are a variety of venues open to Virginia parents to vaccinate their children, including community vaccination events set up by local health departments, pharmacies and, of course, pediatrician’s offices. We urge parents to consult with their child’s healthcare provider about vaccination.
“VDH is excited that parents have this opportunity and are empowered to protect their youngest children against this virus.”
Those who are unvaccinated and without a booster remain at the highest risk of severe illness and hospitalization due to COVID-19. This population remains VDH’s top priority. Everyone 6 months or older is recommended to be vaccinated. To find free vaccination opportunities near you, visit vaccinate.virginia.gov or call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682, TTY users call 7-1-1). Assistance is available in English, Spanish and more than 100 other languages.
View the full news release the Virginia Department of Health Newsroom.
June 16, 2022 Update - 3 p.m.
Statement from Virginia State Health Commissioner Colin M. Greene, MD, MPH, on Updates to Virginia Department of Health COVID-19 Quarantine and Isolation Guidance
The following statement is from State Health Commissioner Colin M. Greene, MD, MPH, in regards to recent updates to Virginia Department of Health (VDH) guidance on COVID-19 isolation and quarantine:
“As COVID continues its progression from an acute pandemic to a more endemic state, we must continually reassess our recommendations to the public and our fellow agencies, considering not only potential disease effects, but also unintended non-clinical consequences of any restrictions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) evidence suggests that well over 75% of children possess post-infection immunity to COVID-19, in addition to any vaccine-derived protection. Adult rates of immunity, between vaccination and post-infection, likely exceeds 90%. Further, there is evidence that post-infection immunity may be effective for 6 months or longer. It is time to revisit some of our practices for groups that are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease, especially those whose side effect is a significant limitation of access to daycare, school, or work.
“Effective immediately, VDH will be revising its quarantine guidance for COVID-19. Specifically, for non-high risk situations, if a person is exposed to COVID-19, but has (1) tested positive for and recovered from COVID-19 within the last 6 months, or (2) is up to date on vaccines, or both, that person will no longer be recommended to quarantine, but rather should monitor for symptoms and follow isolation protocols should they appear. Note that this varies slightly from CDC guidance, which defines the post-infection immunity period as 90 days.
“This change will apply to the general public, including but not limited to settings such as K-12 schools and early childhood education settings. Out of an abundance of caution, we will retain the 90-day standard for higher-risk situations, including healthcare workers, staff and residents of long-term care facilities, correctional facilities, and homeless shelters.
“You will notice the change on the Isolation and Quarantine page on the VDH website and other related pages that were recently updated.
“This change only pertains to quarantine recommendations for individuals and will not impact our case surveillance/case classification process for purposes of reporting probable or confirmed cases to CDC. Also, please note that the recommendations for isolation with active disease or asymptomatic positive testing remain unchanged.”
View the full news release the Virginia Department of Health Newsroom.
May 24, 2022 Update - 3:15 p.m.
Virginia Department of Health Call Center Changing Hours on May 31
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) today announced that its statewide Vaccinate Virginia Call Center, which is reached at 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682), will operate with new hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., beginning Tuesday, May 31. The center is currently operating from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
During 2021, the statewide call center handled nearly 1 million calls from Virginians. The number of calls has decreased in 2022 with the fewest daily calls being received from 5 to 6 p.m. The new hours will also better align with call center hours at local health districts. The center will continue to operate Monday through Friday.
Call center operators handle general questions about COVID-19 along with helping people find vaccines and testing or get their QR code with vaccine record. They also handle questions about therapeutics for COVID-19, help with answers about quarantine, isolation and other virus-related topics.
To learn more about COVID-19 in Virginia, visit the VDH COVID-19 page or, for help with frequently asked questions, visit the VDH COVID-19 FAQ page. To find free vaccines, visit vaccinate.virginia.gov or contact the call center at 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682, TTY users call 7-1-1). Assistance is available in English, Spanish and more than 100 other languages.
View the full news release the Virginia Department of Health Newsroom.
May 20, 2022 Update - 10 a.m.
Statement from Virginia State Vaccination Coordinator Christy Gray on the CDC Expanding Eligibility of COVID-19 Boosters for Children 5–11 Years of Age and Strengthening Recommendation for Second COVID-19 Boosters
Children in Virginia, ages 5–11 years, are now recommended for a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster if they completed their primary series of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine five months ago or more. The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has given the green light to providers in the Commonwealth to begin administering the booster dose immediately to eligible children.
On May 19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended a booster for children, ages 5–11, following the expansion of the pediatric vaccine’s Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) earlier in the week.
The CDC gave the go-ahead to the Pfizer-BioNTech pediatric vaccine on Nov. 2, 2021. Since then, according to the VDH Vaccine Demographics dashboard, 316,571 children in Virginia, ages 5–11 years, had received at least one dose of vaccine as of May 17, representing 43.7% of the children ages 5–11 years. According to the data, 270,200 Virginia children (37.3%) in this age group are fully vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
Currently, more than 144,606 children in Virginia, who were fully vaccinated as of Dec. 17, 2021, are now eligible for a booster vaccination.
In addition, the CDC strengthened their recommendation that persons 12 years and older who are immunocompromised and those 50 years and older should get a second booster vaccine if it has been four months since their first booster.
The following is a statement from Virginia’s state vaccination coordinator and director of the Virginia Department of Health’s Division of Immunization Christy Gray, MPH:
“VDH urges parents to talk to their pediatrician or other healthcare provider about getting their child boosted. Vaccination helps to keep children from getting very sick, developing short- and long-term health problems, and reduce spread to loved ones and communities. COVID-19 cases are rising in Virginia and this is a step parents can take to continue their child’s protection. The best way for parents to protect their children is through vaccination, which we urge parents to consider for their children’s safety and well-being. As COVID-19 cases are rising in Virginia, VDH urges those eligible for a second booster vaccine to talk to their healthcare provider to ensure continued protection against severe illness.”
Those who are unvaccinated and without a booster remain at the highest risk of severe illness and hospitalization due to COVID-19. This population remains VDH’s top priority. Everyone five years or older is eligible to be vaccinated. To find free vaccination opportunities near you, visit vaccinate.virginia.gov or call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682, TTY users call 7-1-1). Assistance is available in English, Spanish and more than 100 other languages.
View the full news release the Virginia Department of Health Newsroom.
May 16, 2022 Update - 1:30 p.m.
Virginia Department of Health to Retire Several COVID-19 Dashboards
Goal is to streamline data presentation, conform to CDC data reporting
On Thursday, May 19, four Virginia Department of Health (VDH) COVID-19 dashboards will be retired from public view, along with two data landing pages.
These retirements will streamline the dashboards available, align better with the data presentation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and allow focus on actionable data. The dashboards and landing pages that will be retired include the following:
- Cases by Vaccination Status with users directed to the CDC dashboard;
- Federal Vaccine Doses;
- Vaccines Received;
- Cases and Deaths by Date Reported;
- Level of Community Transmission landing page; and
- Locality landing page.
The CDC dashboard is considered the standard when it comes to cases by vaccination status, as the definition of vaccination status is rapidly changing nationwide. To stay in alignment with CDC data and keeping in sync with what other states have done, VDH will link to the CDC dashboard when the Cases by Vaccination Status dashboard is retired. Virginia’s vaccination data is expected to be included in the CDC dashboard this summer, and the dataset also will be archived on the Virginia Open Data Portal.
Reasons for the retirement for the Federal Vaccine Doses and Vaccines Received dashboards include the following: vaccines now are widely available, there is reduced interest in these data and the rate of change is small. The Vaccines Received accompanying dataset will be archived on the Virginia Open Data Portal. There is no accompanying dataset on the Data Portal for the Federal Vaccine Doses dashboard.
The Cases and Deaths by Date Reported dashboard is redundant with the Cases Dashboard and of less interest as date of illness onset and death date are the focus at this time. These changes are in alignment with the changes made in March 2022. There is no accompanying dataset specific to this dashboard on the Virginia Open Data Portal.
VDH also plans to entirely retire the dashboard landing pages for the Level of Community Transmission and Locality dashboards since these were retired in early March 2022. The pages already point to the CDC COVID-19 Community Levels and the VDH Cases dashboards.
View the full news release the Virginia Department of Health Newsroom.
April 7, 2022 Update - 5:30 p.m.
Governor Glenn Youngkin Announces More Than Seven Million Virginians Have Received One Dose of a COVID-19 Vaccine
Governor Glenn Youngkin has announced that more than seven million Virginians have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine since the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) launched the state’s vaccination campaign in late December 2020. VDH reached this vaccination milestone as we celebrate National Public Health Week.
That figure of 7,000,752 represents 81.5% of Virginia’s total population of 8,590,563 people and 92.4% of the adult population of 6,724,143 Virginians 18 years of age and older. Of those, 2,938,260 Virginians have received their recommended booster or third dose of vaccine.
On December 15, 2020, Sentara Healthcare employee Yolanda Dumas in Hampton Roads became the first Virginian to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine just days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gave its approval to the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) administration of the the mRNA vaccine. At the beginning of the vaccination campaign, frontline healthcare personnel and people living in long term care facilities were prioritized for vaccination.
In phased rollouts, other groups of individuals became eligible for vaccination in early 2021: persons ages 65 years and older; persons 16-64 years old with certain underlying conditions; frontline essential workers such as police, fire and emergency medical personnel, teachers, and grocery and manufacturing workers; and other workers in sectors essential to the functioning of society.
VDH has employed a number of different strategies to reach people in its vaccination campaign including:
- Vaccinate Virginia: A statewide call center (877-VAX-IN-VA) and website (Vaccinate.Virginia.gov) were established for Virginians to register for notification of vaccination appointments. Public awareness campaigns have been conducted across media platforms, including print, broadcast, and digital.
- Community Vaccination Centers (CVCs): The state set up large-scale vaccination centers across Virginia that administered hundreds of thousands of vaccine doses.
- Community Partnerships: Local health districts across the commonwealth developed partnerships with organizations throughout their coverage areas to get vaccines to hard-to-reach, vulnerable populations through mobile clinics, vaccination events at churches and community centers, and, in some cases, taking vaccination directly to homebound individuals.
Pharmacies, both those participating in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program and partnered with local health districts, have delivered more than seven million vaccine doses to Virginians, out of the more than 15 million total COVID-19 vaccine doses administered thus far in Virginia. Local health departments have administered more than 2.6 million doses, followed by medical practices (1.9 million), other community health providers (1.7 million), and hospitals (1.35 million).
VDH’s vaccination campaign continues today with hyper-targeted outreach to unvaccinated Virginians in rural areas of the state, persons hesitant to be vaccinated, and persons in need of boosters to be up to date on their vaccinations.
To find a free vaccine or booster near you, visit Vaccinate.Virginia.gov or call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682, TTY users call 7-1-1). Assistance is available in English, Spanish and more than 100 other languages.
View the full news release the Virginia Department of Health Newsroom and the full news release on the Virginia Governor Newsroom.
March 31, 2022 Update - 9:15 a.m.
Statement from Virginia State Vaccination Coordinator Christy Gray on the Recommendation of Second COVID-19 Booster Dose for Persons 50 Years and Older, Immunocompromised Individuals and Johnson & Johnson Recipients
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidance for COVID-19 vaccination. Second booster doses may now be provided to certain populations in the Commonwealth.
- Adults aged 50 years and older may choose to receive a second booster dose using an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine at least four months after the first booster dose.
- Adults aged 18–49 years who received Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine as both their primary series dose and booster dose may receive a second booster dose using an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine at least four months after the first Johnson & Johnson/Janssen booster dose.
- People aged 12 years and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may choose to receive a second booster dose using an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine at least four months after the first booster dose.
Approximately 1 million Virginians are now eligible for a second booster, according to VDH, and now have access should they wish to receive one. Virginians are encouraged to consult with their healthcare provider regarding their own risk assessment to decide whether or not to receive a second booster.
The following is a statement from Virginia’s State Vaccination Coordinator and Director of the Virginia Department of Health’s Division of Immunization Christy Gray, M.P.H:
“VDH welcomes CDC’s updated guidance. This is not a blanket recommendation for everyone. Members of the general population who are staying up-to-date on their vaccine remain well protected from severe disease without a second booster. We want to provide the public with information so they can consult with their healthcare provider to make an informed choice to address their own level of personal risk. Throughout the pandemic, we’ve seen that the older you are or if you’re moderately or severely immunocompromised, the more you are at risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death if you contract COVID-19. There is ample supply of vaccine available in the state to ensure everyone eligible for a second booster will be able to get one.”
Those who are unvaccinated and without a booster remain at the highest risk of severe illness and hospitalization due to COVID-19. This population remains VDH’s top priority. Everyone 5 years or older is eligible to be vaccinated. To find free vaccination opportunities near you, visit vaccinate.virginia.gov or call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682, TTY users call 7-1-1). Assistance is available in English, Spanish and more than 100 other languages.
View the full news release the Virginia Department of Health Newsroom.
Feb. 28, 2022 Update - 4 p.m.
Chesterfield Revises Policy on Masks in Public Buildings
All county employees no longer will be required to wear face coverings while in the workplace
With the number of new COVID-19 cases, positivity percentage and hospitalization rates falling dramatically in the county over the past three weeks, as well as updated guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Chesterfield County has amended its policy on the use of face coverings by employees in public buildings.
Effective immediately, the wearing of masks indoors in county facilities is optional for employees and citizens without illness symptoms, a positive test or recent exposure to someone with COVID-19.
On Friday, Feb. 25, the CDC revised its metrics for community COVID risk levels and guidance for precautionary measures, including the wearing of masks indoors. The CDC is no longer recommending the need for these precautions in areas of medium and low risk, as determined by the 7-day average number of new cases, COVID-related hospitalizations and inpatient bed usage rates.
In addition, the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI) is currently in the process of rescinding its workplace COVID regulations, which include workplace masking requirements.
Under the county’s updated policy, masks still should be worn in healthcare settings, high-risk congregate settings such as correctional facilities, or when working with individuals who either are suspected of having COVID-19 or have been exposed to the virus.
Any employee may voluntarily wear a mask or facial covering as a personal preference, without discrimination or bias, and without harassment by another employee.
Employees also must continue to perform a daily health self-assessment and stay home when sick.
View the full news release.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, each month there are important updates and announcements shared with the Chesterfield community. This archive contains links to all such updates, organized by month.
May 2022 Updates
To view May 2022 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - May 2022.
April 2022 Updates
To view April 2022 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - April 2022.
March 2022 Updates
To view March 2022 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - March 2022.
February 2022 Updates
To view February 2022 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - February 2022.
January 2022 Updates
To view January 2022 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - January 2022.
December 2021 Updates
To view December 2021 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - December 2021.
November 2021 Updates
To view November 2021 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - November 2021.
October 2021 Updates
To view October 2021 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - October 2021.
September 2021 Updates
To view September 2021 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - September 2021.
August 2021 Updates
To view August 2021 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - August 2021.
July 2021 Updates
To view July 2021 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - July 2021.
June 2021 Updates
To view June 2021 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - June 2021.
May 2021 Updates
To view May 2021 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - May 2021.
April 2021 Updates
To view April 2021 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - April 2021.
March 2021 Updates
To view March 2021 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - March 2021.
February 2021 Updates
To view February 2021 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - February 2021.
January 2021 Updates
To view January 2021 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - January 2021.
December 2020 Updates
To view December 2020 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - December 2020.
November 2020 Updates
To view November 2020 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - November 2020.
October 2020 Updates
To view October 2020 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - October 2020.
September 2020 Updates
To view September 2020 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - September 2020.
August 2020 Updates
To view August 2020 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - August 2020.
July 2020 Updates
To view July 2020 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - July 2020.
June 2020 Updates
To view June 2020 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - June 2020.
May 2020 Updates
To view May 2020 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - May 2020.
April 2020 Updates
To view April 2020 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - April 2020.
March 2020 Updates
To view March 2020 updates, visit COVID-19 Updates Archive - March 2020.