WTOP/Michelle Basch Dr. David Goodfriend, director of the Loudoun County Health Department, gets ready to receive a dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. WTOP/Michelle Basch Francis Rath, coordinator of the Loudoun County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), gets his Moderna COVID vaccine. The MRC is made up entirely of volunteers – some with medical experience, and some without. During the pandemic, the county is looking for more volunteers to join. WTOP/Michelle Basch (1/3)
More health care workers are starting to be vaccinated for COVID-19 in Loudoun County, Virginia.
Hospitals in the county began giving frontline workers the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine last week, and on Monday, Loudoun County’s government started a
Loudoun County began giving the COVID-19 vaccination to its front-line employees Monday, including county Fire and Rescue workers and members of the countyâs Medical Reserve Corps and Health Department.
These employees, identified by the Virginia Department of Health as part of the phase 1a high-priority group, will be receiving the Moderna vaccine, a two-dose series separated by 28 days.
Getting high-priority county workers the Moderna vaccine is the next step of the vaccination process in Loudoun. More than two weeks ago, the first COVID-19 vaccines arrived at Loudoun County hospitals and started to be administered to health care personnel.
At this time, hospitals in Virginia are using the Pfizer vaccine for their workers. Pharmacies that are vaccinating residents of long-term care facilities also are using the Pfizer vaccine because they have deep-freeze capabilities.
The Loudoun County Health Department is looking for any health care offices or providers that are part of the Virginia Department of Health’s Phase 1a group for COVID-19 vaccination, but are not already signed up to receive vaccines.
Health care providers have been defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and by the Commonwealth of Virginia as being in the first group that should be vaccinated against COVID-19. All paid and unpaid persons serving in health care settings who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials, including body substances, such as blood, tissue and specific body fluids; contaminated medical supplies, devices and equipment; contaminated environmental surfaces; or contaminated air are eligible for vaccination.
Loudoun health director urges residents to remain vigilant on pandemic safety loudountimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from loudountimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
When the darkest day of the year arrives on Monday, the coronavirus pandemic will likely be at one of its worst points since the first person was infected in Virginia back in March. The new wave of coronavirus cases started its surge in November, and now hospitalizations and deaths from the disease are spiking.
But residents of Loudoun County should still take a moment to let themselves enjoy a brief celebration. After the winter solstice, the days will start to get longer and the light at the end of the tunnel will gradually grow brighter as an increasing number of people receive a vaccine to the coronavirus.