(from VDH) The Virginia Department of Health’s Roanoke City & Alleghany Health Districts (RCAHD) will begin to vaccinate essential workers in Phase 1c beginning on April 2. RCAHD will continue to prioritize vaccination for anyone in Phase 1a and 1b who registers to receive it. This move to Phase 1c is possible because of the increased allocation of vaccine received this week, which included 8000 doses of Johnson & Johnson. This allocation of Johnson & Johnson is not affected by the manufacturing error that occurred at the Baltimore manufacturing plant.
Phase 1a of vaccination includes health care personnel and those in long-term care facilities. Phase 1b includes those 65 and older, frontline essential workers and people age 16-64 with an underlying medical condition that puts them at increased risk of severe illness. Phase 1c includes other essential workers in energy, water, wastewater and waste removal, housing and construction, food service, transportation and logistics, institutions of higher learning, finance, information technology and communications, media, legal services, public safety and public health. All phases are identified in detail at www.vdh.virginia.gov/covid-19-vaccine/.
“We are excited about the progress we have made in vaccinations in our community so far”, said Cynthia Morrow, MD, MPH health director of Roanoke City & Alleghany Health Districts, “We look forward to expanding vaccination opportunities to more of the essential workers who have been waiting their turn. As a reminder, the best vaccine is the first one that becomes available to you.”
Vaccines are available by pre-registration and appointment. When you receive your appointment for a vaccine, please follow these guidelines at the vaccination site: Please plan to arrive no earlier than 10 minutes prior to your appointment time. Too many people arriving too early causes backups.
- Appointments are required at all locations for COVID-19 vaccination in our area. Walk-ins will not be accepted. Please pre-register to be contacted for an appointment.
- Remember to continue masking and social distancing outside your household and wash your hands.
All people interested in receiving vaccine in Virginia are encouraged to pre-register at vaccinate.virginia.gov or by calling 1-877-VAX-IN-VA. All citizens are strongly urged to pre-register even if they are not currently eligible to receive vaccine now. With the expansion of doses coming in to the area, we may more quickly have supplies available to expand to additional populations. After pre-registering through the state site, individuals will be contacted when it is their turn to receive vaccine. English- and Spanish-speaking operators are available. Translation services also are available, in more than 100 languages. For TTY, dial 7-1-1.
