About 3 million more Virginians are eligible to get a vaccine under Phase 2 of the state’s vaccination rollout, Gov. Ralph Northam said Monday. The commonwealth moved to vaccinate people age 16 and older Sunday, after vaccinating those who are considered high-risk since December.
Northam formally announced the state’s shift to the next phase of the rollout during a COVID-19 briefing at the new Tysons Community Vaccination Center in Fairfax. The mass vaccination site is set to open Tuesday with plans to administer up to 3,000 doses each day.
Virginians looking to get a vaccine can schedule an appointment using the statewide website. The Virginia Department of Health switched from a preregistration system to an open scheduling platform Sunday to allow better access to a vaccine.
Northam said appointments may not be readily available and it could take weeks before people are vaccinated. Health officials expect to inoculate every adult who wants a vaccine by the end of May.
About half of Virginia’s adult population have received one dose and almost 25% are fully vaccinated, Northam said. Health officials must administer a vaccine to an additional 45% of the state’s residents to reach what’s known as herd immunity.
Herd immunity is achieved when enough of a population is resistant to a disease, giving it nowhere to spread.
Northam said at least 2 million children will need to be vaccinated for the state to reach its goal. He said he hopes the state will reach herd immunity by the beginning of next year depending on the outcome of vaccine trials for children 12 and older. The decision to authorize a vaccine for children is up to the Food and Drug Administration.
“The reason that we need people to get vaccinated is because we’ll never get to herd immunity if we don’t get shots in arms,” Northam said. “This virus is smart. It needs vectors like us to live. And if there are vectors out there, it will live and it will also mutate, and it will become more of a challenge regarding vaccinations.”
Since late January, the Virginia Department of Health identified five COVID-19 variants in the state. The health department reported the first two cases Friday of the P.1 variant, which emerged in Brazil. Health officials said it is not unusual for a virus to mutate due to increased transmission.
Northam said cases in Virginia have “plateaued” for the past month. He noted the state’s positivity rate is down to 6.1% and less than 1,000 cases were reported for Sunday.
Health and government officials constantly mentioned that people should continue mitigation strategies to slow the spread of the virus. Individuals should keep wearing masks, practice safe hand hygiene, socially distance and make an appointment for a vaccine.
“We know that this vaccination process is our path toward saving lives and ending this pandemic,” Northam said. “It is literally the light and the hope at the end of a long, dark tunnel.”
To make an appointment for a vaccine, visit www.vaccinate.virginia.gov or call 1-877-VAX-IN-VA (1-877-829-4682).
Sierra Jenkins, 229-462-8896, sierra.jenkins@virginiamedia.com
