COVID-19 Updates Archive - December 2021
- Dec. 29 Updates
- Dec. 28 Updates
- Dec. 22 Updates
- Dec. 20 Updates
- Dec. 10 Updates
- Dec. 9 Updates
- Dec. 1 Updates
Dec. 29, 2021 Update - 3:15 p.m.
Statement of Governor Ralph S. Northam, M.D. on COVID-19 Case Numbers
"The COVID-19 case numbers are a reason for concern, but not a reason for panic. It’s important to understand why. We have all studied the number of cases for many months now but this data point means something different today, compared to this time last year.
One year ago, vaccines had just become available, so nearly no one had gotten a shot. Today, more than 14 million shots have been given in Virginia. Only nine states have given more shots and those states are all larger than Virginia. That’s good news and it’s thanks to a lot of hard work by Virginians.
Vaccinations are keeping people safe, even as the omicron variant spreads. Data from around the world show that if people have gotten vaccinated, and then get COVID-19, then symptoms are likely to be minor. That’s how the vaccines are designed to work and it’s more good news. As the virus becomes endemic, it’s now time to study not only the number of cases, but also the severity of symptoms and the number of people going to the hospital.
The data are clear: Nearly everyone going to the hospital with COVID-19 is unvaccinated. This is entirely avoidable, if everyone gets their shots.
This is really important because people working in hospitals are exhausted—nurses, doctors and everyone. They have worked tirelessly for months to care for people who have gotten sick. Please go to the hospital only if you believe you really need to. It’s not fair to put even more pressure on hospital workers to care for people whose sickness is avoidable."
Everyone can take easy steps to help:
- It’s a good idea to stay away from people who have not gotten their shots.
- It’s a good idea to wear a mask when you’re around other people, especially if you don’t know whether they have been vaccinated.
- If you have not gotten a booster shot, now is the time to do it. Shots are widely available at pharmacies, doctor’s offices and local health departments all across Virginia.
- If you have children age five and above, now is the time to get them vaccinated. This will make it easier and safer for them to go back to school.
- If you have chosen not to get your shots, you need to wear a mask and practice social distancing—to protect yourself and other people.
- If you believe you need a test, please know that PCR tests are widely available, and more rapid antigen test kits are becoming available every day. Find a testing site. The federal government is in the process of making more than 500 million free at-home tests available. It’s important to understand that supplies of rapid antigen tests are limited across the country, so everyone needs to use good judgment when seeking these.
Everyone age 5 or older is eligible to be vaccinated. Residents can find local community vaccination centers and other providers that offer free vaccines 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. At community vaccination centers, appointments are strongly encouraged to obtain a vaccine from the person’s preferred manufacturer and to avoid extended wait times. However, walk-ins are still welcome.
View the full news release on the Virginia Governor Newsroom.
Dec. 28, 2021 Update - 11:30 a.m.
VDH Adds Out-of-state COVID-19 Deaths to Data Dashboards
As of Tuesday, Dec. 28, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) will add an additional 165 COVID-19 associated deaths of Virginia residents who died in another state in 2020 to the COVID-19 data dashboards. In 2020, these 165 previously unknown COVID-19 associated deaths occurred among Virginia residents in another state and VDH is reporting this information now that it’s available. These deaths occurred throughout the year in 2020 and will be reflected in the dashboard by date of death and date reported.
These newly reported deaths do not represent a large increase in deaths for Dec. 28, 2021. These deaths are only being reported today.
A small percentage of the time, a Virginia resident with COVID-19 dies in another state and that state issues a death certificate. VDH is notified of these deaths when these non-Virginia-issued death certificates are submitted to VDH by other states, which is often significantly delayed. The majority of out-of-state issued death certificates are reported to VDH in September and October after the year of death. Once received, this information must be reviewed to ensure the deaths were not previously reported and to determine whether they were associated with COVID-19. As such, most COVID-19 associated deaths that occur outside of the state of Virginia, but are among Virginia residents, are added to VDH’s official surveillance statistics at the end of December the year after the death occurred as part of the quality assurance reconciliation process.
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 5 years 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, but walk-ins are welcome.
View the full news release on the Virginia Department of Health Newsroom.
Dec. 22, 2021 Update - 3:45 pm.
Virginia Medical Reserve Corps Volunteers Recognized by Governor Ralph Northam for COVID-19 Response Efforts
Governor’s proclamation cites dedication and resilience of thousands of volunteers
Throughout the Commonwealth’s COVID-19 pandemic response efforts, thousands of trained Virginia Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteers have assisted with testing and vaccinating Virginians. Governor Ralph Northam issued a proclamation (PDF) on Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021, recognizing the superb efforts of these dedicated volunteers, whose efforts are coordinated by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH).
The Virginia MRC program was established in 2002 to support VDH with public health emergencies. Volunteers are trained in emergency management, mental health preparedness, disease investigation, CPR and bioterrorism response. Many are licensed health care providers.
In April 2020, the Governor issued a call for additional volunteers to assist with the COVID-19 response. The proclamation notes that between January 2020 and November 2021 more than 17,600 Virginians stepped forward to serve their community as new Virginia MRC volunteers.
Throughout the pandemic response, Virginia MRC volunteers completed over 72,400 hours of training. Overall, Virginia MRC volunteers logged a total of 673,777 hours in support of the Commonwealth’s COVID-19 response. The estimated monetary value of that service is more than $21 million.
The 22 Virginia MRC units across the state are made-up of medical and non-medical volunteers. The units participate in emergency and non-emergency public health activities. Virginians 18 years and older can apply to be a volunteer.
View the full news release on the Virginia Department of Health Newsroom.
Dec. 22, 2021 Update - 9:30 a.m.
Ahead of Holiday Gatherings, VDH Urges Virginians to Get Vaccinated and Boosted and to Practice Mitigation Steps as Omicron Variant Spreads
With Virginians expected to gather with family and friends over the holidays, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) reminds everyone to take steps to protect themselves, their friends and family, and the community from COVID-19 as the Omicron variant spreads.
Virginia recorded 4,437 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, Dec. 21. On Monday, Dec. 20, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that based on latest projections, they believe the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is now the dominant variant in the United States.
CDC surveillance data indicates that the Omicron variant represents about 73% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. for the week ending Saturday, Dec. 18, an increase from the week ending Saturday, Dec. 11. In the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Region 3, which includes Virginia, CDC data indicates Omicron represents 75.8% of cases.
More than 87% of adults in Virginia have had at least one vaccine dose, and 77.7% of adults are fully vaccinated. Of the total population, 67.1% are fully vaccinated.
Overall, 6.5 million Virginians have had at least one dose, while 1.8 million have had the booster shot. Health experts strongly urge people to get vaccinated if they are not, and if they are, to get the booster shot for greater protection.
Because breakthrough cases are possible, in addition to getting vaccinated it’s important to take additional precautions, such as wearing a mask in public indoor spaces.
Layered strategies that have proved effective in mitigating past surges are still effective against Omicron. To repeat, those strategies include:
- Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 now.
- Getting your booster dose now.
- Wearing a mask in public indoor spaces, regardless of vaccination status.
- During the holiday season, consider taking a COVID-19 test prior to gathering with others, especially if you plan to visit with people who are vulnerable or at high risk for severe illness if they develop COVID-19.
VDH continues to offer community testing events and is distributing antigen test kits through a collaboration with public libraries. VDH also has a partnership with Walgreens pharmacies to offer free COVID-19 antigen tests, using Abbott BinaxNOW tests, at many stores across the state. Please visit the VDH testing locator, local health department websites, or pharmacy websites to find available tests and appointments.
Vaccines are available at pharmacies, doctors’ offices and many other convenient locations. 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 encouraged to ensure you get the vaccine you want and to avoid extended wait times, but walk-ins are welcome.
Researchers around the world continue to study Omicron. More data are needed to know if Omicron infections, and especially reinfections and breakthrough infections in people who are fully vaccinated, cause more severe illness or death than infection with other variants. 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 5 years or older is eligible to be vaccinated.
View the full news release on the Virginia Department of Health Newsroom.
Dec. 20, 2021 Update - 10 a.m.
Statement from Virginia State Vaccination Liaison Dr. Danny Avula on CDC Preferential Recommendation of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines over Johnson & Johnson Vaccine
On Thursday, Dec. 16, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced a preferential recommendation of mRNA vaccines over the Johnson & Johnson (J&J)/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine for people aged 18 years and older. The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is adopting this recommendation immediately.
On Tuesday, April 13, 2021, the CDC paused administration of the single-dose J&J vaccine for 10 days while federal scientists studied the occurrence of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), a rare blood clotting issue, among the then 7 million people who had received the vaccine. At that time, there were cases of six women who experienced the condition, including one death. Most reports of this serious condition, which involves blood clots with low platelets, occurred in adult women younger than 50 years old. After further study, the pause was lifted when the safety review determined that the vaccine’s benefits outweighed the risks.
Since then, public health officials have been closely monitoring the situation. More recent data show that the rate of TTS in people who received the J&J vaccine is higher than previous estimates in both women and men and in a wider age range, although the problem is still rare. According to the CDC, there have been 54 cases of this clotting condition, between March 2 and Aug. 31, 2021. As of Thursday, Dec. 9, there have been nine deaths. In total, more than 17 million J&J doses have been administered.
The following is a statement from Virginia’s State Vaccination Liaison Dr. Danny Avula, MD, MPH:
“Bottom line, this is simply about following the science. Virginia will be following the CDC’s recommendations, as we have throughout the course of the pandemic. This is all about vaccine safety – as it has been from the beginning. In April, the science indicated we should study this rare blood-clotting condition, and we followed the science then in recommending the 10-day pause. Today, further research indicates that this rare blood-clotting condition, though infrequent, warrants limiting administration of the vaccine. That’s what science is all about: we’ve collected and studied the data and are acting accordingly, all with the goal of patient safety foremost in our minds.”
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 5 years 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, walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are strongly encouraged to ensure you get the vaccine you want and to avoid extended wait times.
View the full news release on the Virginia Department of Health Newsroom.
Dec. 10, 2021 Update - 9:15 a.m.
VDH Ready to Implement Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Recommendation of Pfizer-BioNTech Booster for Persons 16-17 Years of Age
Following the recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that persons ages 16 through 17 years of age be eligible for a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination booster, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has given the go-ahead for administration of those booster doses in the Commonwealth.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on Aug. 23, 2021. Marketed under the name of Comirnaty, it is approved for persons 16 years of age and older. On Nov. 19, 2021, the CDC recommended that all persons 18 years of age and older who received either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna mRNA vaccine get a booster dose at least six months after they complete their two-dose primary series. The CDC also recommends anyone 18 years and older who received the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine receive a booster dose two months after they complete their single-dose primary series.
Boosters are available at a number of venues throughout the Commonwealth, including pharmacies, physicians’ offices, community vaccination centers (CVCs), mobile clinics, and other sites as set up by local health districts throughout the state.
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 5 years 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, but walk-ins are welcome.
View the full news release on the Virginia Department of Health Newsroom.
Dec. 9, 2021 Update - 6:15 p.m.
First Confirmed Case of Omicron (B.1.1.529) COVID-19 Variant Identified in Virginia
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has announced that the first confirmed case of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) has been identified in a sample from an adult resident of the Northwest Region of Virginia who had no history of international travel, but did have a history of domestic travel, during the exposure period. The Omicron variant was first identified in Botswana and South Africa in November 2021, and may spread more easily than other variants, including Delta. The U.S. government SARS-CoV-2 Interagency Group classified Omicron as a Variant of Concern for the U.S. on Dec. 1, 2021. At this time, there is no evidence that infection with this variant causes more severe disease, but there is evidence that persons who have previously had COVID-19 might be at greater risk for reinfection with Omicron. To date, the Omicron variant has been identified in 21 other U.S. states or jurisdictions.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been working with state public health, academic and commercial laboratories to increase domestic strain surveillance capacity to sequence thousands of specimens every week. This effort has greatly expanded our ability to detect and characterize emerging viral variants in the United States. Regarding this reported case, a commercial laboratory participating in these efforts identified the Omicron variant in a sample from a Virginia resident and promptly notified VDH. With the combined state and national surveillance efforts, it is likely that additional cases with SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern will be identified. For additional information about variants that have been identified in Virginia, visit our VDH Variants dashboard, which is updated weekly on Fridays.
Viruses change all the time, and VDH expects to see new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus emerge as disease spreads. As our public health officials closely monitor the emergence of these SARS-CoV-2 variants in our Commonwealth, it is critical that all Virginians comply with mitigation measures. Public health recommendations for stopping the spread of COVID-19 will work for all COVID-19 variants. This means getting vaccinated for COVID-19 if you are aged 5 years or older and getting a booster dose when you are eligible. Getting vaccinated now as part of the primary series or with a booster dose as soon as you are eligible is strongly encouraged to get your antibody levels as high as possible. Wearing masks correctly, staying at least six feet from others, avoiding crowds or indoor areas with poor airflow, washing hands often, and staying home if you are infected with COVID-19 or if you have had close contact with someone with COVID-19 also continue to be important prevention strategies with Omicron.
As of Dec. 9, 2021, approximately 2.4 million Virginians have joined the fight against COVID-19 using their mobile devices. This includes 1,225,482 downloads of COVIDWISE – the nation’s first app using the Google/Apple framework. More than 1.1 million additional iPhone users have also turned on COVIDWISE Express, which is a secondary exposure notifications option specifically for iPhone users.
For more information about COVID-19 variants, visit the VDH Variants of the Virus that Causes COVID-19 webpage and the CDC Variants of the Virus webpage.
View the full news release on the Virginia Department of Health Newsroom.
Dec. 1, 2021 Update - Noon
Virginia Department of Health on Alert for Omicron Variant, Working with CDC and Federal Partners in Monitoring for New Variant
As part of its ongoing disease surveillance, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is closely monitoring the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.529, also known as the Omicron variant. No cases of this variant have been identified in the United States to date. Emerging variants such as Omicron are expected and may be soon detected in the United States and Virginia. In partnership with the Department of General Services’ Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services (DCLS), VDH will continue to actively monitor SARS-CoV-2 viral samples from throughout the Commonwealth to identify circulating and new variants. We also will continue to work with our partners at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to remain informed on all variants.
Virginians can find a testing location near them on the VDH COVID-19 testing webpage.
The level of community transmission in Virginia remains high. The emergence of Omicron is a good reminder to Virginians to continue taking the important and simple steps that we know reduce the spread of COVID-19: Vaccination remains the most important tool in fighting the pandemic. Virginians who are eligible should get vaccinated if not already. Everyone in Virginia who is age 5 or older is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine now. VDH also recommends that eligible individuals who are age 18 and older should receive booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. To find a location to get your vaccine, please visit vaccinate.virginia.gov.
Other important mitigation efforts include: wearing a mask in indoor public places in areas of substantial or high community transmission, getting tested if you suspect exposure or have symptoms, and staying home when you are sick.
View the full news release on the Virginia Department of Health Newsroom.