Virginia has seen delays in vaccine shipments due to winter weather that hit the Mid-Atlantic region and much of the nation at large, according to the Virginia Department of Health (VDH).
“The delays affect both the vaccine itself and ancillary supplies that come with each order,” according to a VDH news release on Thursday. “The vaccine and ancillary supplies are produced in multiple locations throughout the country using several hub connections to deliver vaccines directly to providers. Two percent of Virginia’s providers are seeing delayed ancillary supply kits.”
The weather conditions have also impacted some vaccination events.
VDH assured any events that may have been postponed due to weather conditions or lack of supplies would be rescheduled, as shipments should return to normal once the severe weather passes.
Meanwhile, more Virginians are getting registered for vaccination via a new state-wide vaccination registration portal and call center launched this week.
“At the peak, the new site was getting 300 registrations per minute and it averaged 150 registrations per minute,” Gov. Ralph Northam highlighted at a news conference Wednesday touting the new system.
Northam also noted Virginia had, as of Wednesday, administered 1.4 million doses and was slated to receive 130,000 first shots from the federal government this week.
In a virtual community conversation with William & Mary President Katherine Rowe, and in response to a question posed by Student Assembly President Anthony “AJ” Joseph, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci said he expected college students would be able to get the vaccine by May.
This was a revision of his earlier estimate of April.
“If you consider not the college students who have an underlying condition, but an otherwise healthy, 20-year-old college student, the chances of that person getting a vaccine likely will not be until early May, mid-May, late May,” Fauci said.
Fauci explained the revision was due in part to delays in the availability of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Here are some recent COVID-19 headlines you may have missed:
COVID-19 vaccine updates
- ‘Vaccinate Virginia’ website is now live. Here’s what that means
- Confused about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout?
- Don’t post your COVID-19 vaccine card on social media
- What’s the deal with the COVID-19 vaccination process? A few locals share their experience
- York County establishes COVID-19 vaccine helpline
- Free hotline established for questions regarding Colonial Williamsburg Visitor Center vaccination clinic
Government restrictions/closures
- Williamsburg Regional Library reopens
- Williamsburg city manager extends staff telework directive for two more weeks
- Gov. Northam extends COVID-19 restrictions through the end of February
Education
- Local school divisions move forward in bringing students back to the classroom
- Two private schools, two different approaches
- Gov. Northam announces support to reopen schools
- WJCC Schools, York County School Division on track for fall sports season
Relief programs
- Williamsburg extends deadline for Municipal Utility Relief Program throughout 2021
- Williamsburg Health Foundation announced $1 million in grants to help prevent renter evictions
- Utility relief is available
- Help is available for area businesses
- Five things to know about taxes in a pandemic
The latest numbers for the Peninsula Health District, which includes the Historic Triangle, are below, courtesy of the Virginia Department of Health’s COVID-19 Dashboard:
