Officials see the expanded eligibility as a way for the state’s 6 million residents to move “closer to herd immunity,” but they have stopped short of adding it to the required immunizations for schools, Mr. Gischler said.
“There is currently no mandate to get vaccinated, but we encourage everyone who is eligible to do so to protect themselves, their families and their community,” Mr. Gischler said in the email. “At this time, there are no known plans to add COVID-19 vaccine to the list of immunizations required for school.”
In Montgomery County, the state’s most populous jurisdiction, officials are using local vaccination rates to determine when and how to ease coronavirus restrictions.
Officials see the expanded eligibility as a way for the state’s 6 million residents to move “closer to herd immunity,” but they have stopped short of adding it to the required immunizations for schools, Mr. Gischler said.
“There is currently no mandate to get vaccinated, but we encourage everyone who is eligible to do so to protect themselves, their families and their community,” Mr. Gischler said in the email. “At this time, there are no known plans to add COVID-19 vaccine to the list of immunizations required for school.”
In Montgomery County, the state’s most populous jurisdiction, officials are using local vaccination rates to determine when and how to ease coronavirus restrictions.
Photo-illustration by Jenny Rosenberg.
The FDA is expected to authorize Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine for use in children 12 to 15 years old early next week. It’s exciting news for local public health officials and worried parents, but how will those vaccines be distributed? Here’s how DC, Maryland, and Virginia are handling it.
DC
Previously, children 16 and older have been getting vaccinated at Children’s National Hospital. No word on whether that will remain the status quo. DC Health did not respond to a query, and has not announced an official plan.
Virginia
Per the Department of Health, officials are “working with its partners, both within state government and in the private sector” to figure out a distribution plan. “That outreach involves planning with the state’s 35 local health districts, the Virginia Department of Education, pediatricians and leaders of the Commonwealth’s local school divisions,” a DoH spokesperson wrote to
Demand for coronavirus vaccines picks up in Virginia
More than 44% of the state population has now received one dose
Tags:
ROANOKE, Va. – Health officials are breathing a small sigh of relief as demand for coronavirus vaccinations increase.
After administering two million vaccines this week, more than 44% of the state population has now received one dose.
To make it more convenient for people, State Vaccine Coordinator Dr. Danny Avula said they will push vaccines to primary care providers in the next few weeks.
He says this move will also help tackle vaccine hesitancy.
“This past weekend was the first time that every part of the state we really saw demand peak and now that means we are pivoting all over Virginia in a different direction,” he said.