COVID-19 Updates Archive - October 2021
Oct. 27, 2021 Update - 2 p.m.
Governor Northam Announces Virginia Achieves Top 10 Performance in the Country for COVID-19 Vaccinations
Twelfth largest state outpaces other states to reach top ten
As reported in the New York Times, Governor Ralph Northam has announced that Virginia now ranks 10th among all states for the percentage of its population fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and for the total number of shots administered. More than 82% of individuals 18 years and older have received at least one dose and 74% of adults are fully vaccinated. Nearly 6 million people have received vaccinations and nearly 12 million shots have been administered among the 8.5 million people who live in Virginia.
The three available vaccines have proven to be enormously effective in reducing cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. Cases have declined to 1,500 per day as of Oct. 26—a drop of 40% over the last two weeks and significantly lower than January’s peak of over 6,000 daily cases. Hospitalizations have fallen 42% over the last four weeks and are nearly two-thirds lower than pre-vaccine levels. Additional data on COVID-19 and vaccination efforts in Virginia can be found on VDH’s data dashboards.
Virginia is delivering strong progress in vaccinating eligible children, with more than two-thirds having been vaccinated. Health officials anticipate that the federal government will give final approval to vaccinations for 5- to 11-year-olds in the coming days. Virginia is home to more than 700,000 children ages 5 to 11.
Federal health officials have also recently approved booster doses for all three available COVID-19 vaccines, and more than 403,000 Virginians have received a booster so far.
Virginians who have not been vaccinated yet are encouraged to go to vaccinate.virginia.gov or call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682, TTY users call 7-1-1) to find a nearby vaccination clinic. For answers to frequently asked questions or to learn more about vaccination for COVID-19 in Virginia, visit VDH's COVID-19 Vaccination Response page.
View the full news release on the Virginia Governor Newsroom.
Oct. 27, 2021 Update - 10 a.m.
Statement from Virginia State Vaccination Liaison Dr. Danny Avula on FDA Advisory Panel’s Recommendation of Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine for 5-11-Year-Old Children
Monday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received the recommendation of its independent advisory panel, the Vaccine and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC), to expand the emergency use authorization (EUA) of the Pfizer-BioNTech C0VID-19 vaccine to include children from the ages of 5 through 11 years.
The VRBPAC recommendation and FDA’s coming action on that recommendation are only the first two review steps the vaccine must undergo before it can be administered to children. The next step is for the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to meet Tuesday, Nov. 2 to discuss the administration of the vaccine to this age group, followed by the final decision by CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky. Only when this process is complete would children ages 5 to 11 years be eligible for vaccination.
The following statement is from Virginia’s state vaccination liaison Dr. Danny Avula, MD, MPH.
“The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is tremendously excited about this first step by the FDA’s advisory committee to recommend expanding the emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for use in 5-11-year-old children. It’s a milestone on the road toward emerging from the pandemic, returning to a more normal life, and most importantly being able to provide this protection to more Virginians."
“VDH has been planning for several months for the eventual rollout of this vaccine to young children, working with a wide range of healthcare partners to get these vulnerable children vaccinated as quickly as possible, utilizing channels ranging from pediatricians, family practices and pharmacies to community vaccination centers and local health departments. We await action by the FDA and then the CDC’s final decision, hopefully by next week. There’s light at the end of this pandemic tunnel sooner rather than later.”
Everyone 12 or older is eligible to be vaccinated. To find free vaccines at a community vaccination center or another location 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. At community vaccination centers, appointments are strongly encouraged to ensure you get the vaccine you want and to avoid extended wait times. Walk-ins are still welcome.
View the full news release on the Virginia Department of Health Newsroom.
Oct. 22, 2021 Update - 3 p.m.
Statement from Virginia State Vaccination Liaison Dr. Danny Avula on CDC Recommendation of Moderna, J&J Booster Doses and ‘Mixing and Matching’
On Thursday, Oct. 21, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced recommendations for booster shots for certain people who previously received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson/Janssen (J&J) COVID-19 vaccines. Virginians will be able to receive boosters for Moderna and J&J beginning today.
For individuals who received either a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine, a single booster is recommended at least six months after completion of their initial series for those populations who are 65 years of age and older, those living in long-term care facilities, and those 18 years of age and up who are at increased risk due to underlying medical conditions or where they work or live. A single booster is recommended at least two months after completion of the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccines for those 18 years of age and up.
The CDC also announced that there are now booster recommendations for all three available vaccines in the United States. Those individuals eligible for a booster vaccine may choose which vaccine to receive as their booster. Further guidance from the CDC in the coming days to help individuals understand these recommendations is expected.
The following statement is from Virginia’s State Vaccination Liaison Dr. Danny Avula, MD, MPH:
“VDH has been working with our vaccination partners — pharmacies, healthcare providers, hospitals and other institutions — to prepare for the booster rollout. In addition to these vaccination partners, community vaccination centers (CVCs) are strategically located across the Commonwealth to ensure Virginians will be able to access a booster dose when it’s recommended. The move by the CDC to allow vaccine recipients to ‘mix and match’ vaccines for their boosters gives Virginians another level of choice in protecting themselves from COVID-19."
“If you decide to get a booster dose by mixing and matching, VDH urges you to consult with your doctor or healthcare provider who can assist you in making the best decision for your own situation. We also stress that all three vaccines authorized for administration in the United States are highly effective in preventing severe COVID-19 illness, hospitalization and death.”
Those who are unvaccinated remain at the highest risk of severe illness and hospitalization due to COVID-19. This population remains VDH’s top priority. Everyone 12 or older is eligible to be vaccinated. To find free vaccines at a community vaccination center or another location 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. At community vaccination centers, appointments are strongly encouraged to ensure you get the vaccine you want and to avoid extended wait times. Walk-ins are still welcome.
View the full news release on the Virginia Department of Health Newsroom.
Oct. 18, 2021 Update - 11 a.m.
Virginia Department of Health Adds COVID-19 Data Dashboard for Cases Among Children
Figures will show hospitalizations and deaths
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has announced it has added a COVID-19 in Virginia: Cases Among Children dashboard to display COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths for children aged 0 to 17 years. The dashboard is being added because of the increase in COVID-19 cases among children across the state since the end of the summer. Since March 2020, VDH reports that there have been 127,997 COVID-19 cases among children 0 to 17 years, 380 hospitalizations and nine deaths.
VDH will report case counts, rate and the percentage of all cases among children by week and by pediatric age group for children under 18 years of age. The dashboard will display data by region and health district and will contain four age groups: 0-4, 5-11, 12-15 and 16-17 years. The VDH regions are Central, Eastern, Southwest, Northern and Northwest.
COVID-19 infections in children have increased along with the spread of the Delta variant. While children under 12 years are not yet eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, VDH recommends that everyone 12 years and older be fully vaccinated to help protect against COVID-19. Widespread vaccination of eligible Virginians can protect all children, especially those who are still too young to be vaccinated.
The dashboard will be updated weekly on Fridays to include new data and communications. There can be delays in public-facing information of real-time COVID-19 data as VDH completes COVID-19 case investigations and performs data quality and reporting steps.
To find free vaccines nearby, 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 on the Virginia Department of Health Newsroom.
Oct. 18, 2021 Update - 9:30 a.m.
Statement from Virginia State Vaccination Liaison Dr. Danny Avula on FDA Advisory Committee Vote on Moderna, J&J Booster Doses
Last week, an advisory committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) voted in favor of recommending booster doses of the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccines.
The Moderna booster is recommended at least six months after completion of the Moderna primary series for those populations who are 65 years of age and older, those living in long-term care facilities, and those 18 years of age and up who are at increased risk due to underlying medical conditions or where they work or live. The Johnson & Johnson/Janssen booster is recommended for those 18 years of age and up, at least two months after the initial Johnson & Johnson/Janssen dose. This is simply a recommendation at this point; booster doses for these vaccines will not be available in Virginia until the FDA issues an updated authorization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issues new guidance. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is scheduled to meet Wednesday-Thursday, Oct. 20-21, and we do not expect CDC to release recommendations until after that meeting.
The following statement is from Virginia’s state vaccination liaison Dr. Danny Avula, MD, MPH on this development:
Friday’s “recommendation by the FDA’s advisory panel is a major step toward the goal of making booster vaccinations available to Virginians who have completed either a Moderna or Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine series. We at the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) are excited by this recommendation and await action by the FDA and the final decision by the CDC in the very near future on booster availability. The CDC’s own advisory panel meets Wednesday-Thursday, Oct. 20-21.”
“In the meantime, VDH will continue our planning efforts with pharmacies, providers, community vaccination centers, hospitals and other partners to ensure that once the CDC issues guidance, eligible Virginians will be able to access a booster dose.”
Those who are unvaccinated remain at the highest risk of severe illness due to COVID-19. Everyone 12 or older who lives or works in Virginia is eligible to be vaccinated. To find free vaccines nearby, 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 on the Virginia Department of Health Newsroom.
Oct. 14, 2021 Update - 2:45 p.m.
Virginia Department of Health Announces Updates to Vaccine Dashboards
Data now available for third doses and boosters
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has announced that data about boosters and third doses have been added to its vaccine dashboards. This enhancement to the dashboards is another step in VDH’s continued efforts to provide timely and accurate information in a transparent way to the public about our COVID-19 vaccine response.
The vaccine summary and vaccine demographics dashboards now include an option from their dropdown menus including the combined booster/third dose information, which is also available at the locality level.
Because it is not possible to differentiate third doses and booster doses, these numbers are grouped together. An increase in the Fully Vaccinated category is anticipated as people who received one Pfizer-BioNTech dose and one Moderna dose are categorized as fully vaccinated, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance. The definition of fully vaccinated continues to be two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines (or a mix) or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
As of Wednesday, Oct. 13, over 241,934 boosters/third doses have been reported. That is a 29% uptake rate based on approximately 815,000 eligible people.
Updates have been made to the Vaccinations in Virginia summary with the total number of third and booster doses. A footnote also has been added noting that the number of people vaccinated with one dose includes doses on the Federal Doses Administered dashboard.
Updates to the COVID-19 dashboards are continual and this year have included the addition of rates of infection, hospitalizations and deaths by vaccination status to the Cases by Vaccination Status Dashboard that help to represent the impact of vaccinations on infection rates in the Commonwealth.
Data for Virginians who were vaccinated in Tennessee and Maryland also was added to the locality and statewide dashboards. In the coming weeks, VDH is working to incorporate vaccination data from other neighboring jurisdictions such as North Carolina and the District of Columbia.
In August, because of the increase in cases due to the Delta variant, VDH reinstated its Outbreaks by Selected Exposure Settings Dashboard.
In May, VDH published two equity dashboards, Equity in Action and Equity at a Glance that give a snapshot of the progress Virginia has made across out COVID-19 response and recovery programs and also offer a transparent assessment of social determinants of health and other factors contributing to health equity.
In Virginia, 10,973,649 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered and 81.3% of adults have had at least one dose of vaccine.
Vaccination remains the most important and effective way to end the COVID-19 pandemic. Virginians who have not received a dose of vaccine should consider being vaccinated not only to protect themselves but others in the community such as children under 12, those who have weakened immune systems or those who cannot be vaccinated for other reasons.
Virginians who have not been fully vaccinated, or are eligible for booster doses, can visit vaccinate.virginia.gov or call 1-877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682) to find nearby vaccination clinics. Please continue to follow public health recommendations, such as wearing masks, practicing physical distancing, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces. To learn more about vaccination for COVID-19 in Virginia, visit the VDH COVID-19 Vaccination Frequently Asked Questions page.
View the full news release on the Virginia Department of Health Newsroom.
Oct. 13, 2021 Update - 1:45 p.m.
Virginia Department of Health to Open Community Vaccination Center in Chesterfield for COVID-19 Booster Shots
Appointments times now available for Rockwood Vaccination Clinic
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH), in coordination with the Chesterfield Health District (CHD), announced that a state-run community vaccination center (CVC) will open Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, at the Rockwood Vaccination Clinic, located in the former Big Lots store at the Rockwood Shopping Center at 10161 Hull Street Road in Midlothian.
This CVC will offer COVID-19 vaccine boosters for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA). CDC recommends the following people should receive a booster shot of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after their Pfizer primary series:
- People 65 years and older.
- Residents aged 18 years and older in long-term care settings.
- People aged 50–64 years with underlying medical conditions.
The following people may receive a booster shot of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after their Pfizer primary series, based on individual benefits and risks:
- People aged 18–49 years with underlying medical conditions.
- People aged 18-64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting.
In addition to the booster shots, the clinic will offer first and second doses of all the COVID-19 vaccines at no cost to the public. The Moderna vaccine and the single-dose Johnson & Johnson are available for anyone 18 and older. The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is available for anyone 12 and older. A parent or guardian must accompany anyone under 18.
The CVC will be open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Register in advance at 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. Registration is encouraged, but walk-ins are also welcome. Those with an appointment should plan to arrive no earlier than 20 minutes prior to the appointment time.
Those coming for a booster dose are asked to please bring their COVID-19 vaccination card to confirm the date and type of vaccine they received in their second dose.
Learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine, its safety and answers to frequently asked questions at VDH’s website and CDC’s website.
Read the full news release and view additional information on the VDH Regional News Releases page.