HAMPTON ROADS PENINSULA — The Hampton and Peninsula Health Districts (The Districts) announced that residents will begin receiving reminders regarding eligibility for the COVID-19 booster vaccine.
Those who reside within the jurisdiction of The Districts, which includes the Historic Triangle, will begin receiving text messages and “robocalls” to notify eligible residents of the ability to receive the COVID-19 booster.
The message that will be received will say, “Virginia Department of Health records indicate you are eligible for a Booster COVID-19 vaccine. To schedule an appointment visit https://vase.vdh.virginia.gov or call (877) 829-4682.”
The Districts want to emphasize that these calls and texts are not spam nor are they phishing schemes.
Eligibility has been determined by the date of a resident’s primary vaccine according to what is listed in the Virginia Department of Health’s (VDH) Virginia Immunization Information System (VIIS).
In the United States, those who are 18 years and older are eligible to receive a single booster dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. This was authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last November. Additionally, earlier this month, the FDA authorized children/adolescents ages 12 years and over to receive a booster of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. These booster shots may be administered five months following completion of the primary series of vaccines. Additionally, those who received the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen single dose COVID-19 vaccine may receive the booster two months following their primary vaccination date.
According to the VDH COVID-19 Vaccine Summary Dashboard, as of Jan. 26, 2022, only 37.1 percent of residents in James City County, 21.3 percent of residents in the City of Williamsburg, and 27.3 percent of residents in York County have received the third dose/booster vaccine.
“It is hoped that the message acts as a prompt for action to residents who are confused about booster eligibility or hesitant,” said The Districts’ Director Dr. Natasha Dwamena.
To schedule an appointment to receive a vaccine, please visit the website for Vaccinate Virginia or call (877) VAX-IN-VA (TTY users can dial 7-1-1). Locally, residents can schedule an appointment through the Sherwood Center Community Vaccination Center, located in Newport News, online or by calling (877) 829-4682. It is important to note that the Sherwood Center Community Vaccination Center accepts walk-ins for vaccination appointments.