The new phase of vaccinations now gearing up in the Roanoke Valley will include coverage for two highly vulnerable populations: people experiencing homelessness and people in jail custody.
Those groups were included in the newly announced Phase 1b plans as distancing is difficult if not impossible in the homeless shelters and correctional facilities where theyâre cared for.
COVID-19 outbreaks have been reported in 124 jails and prisons statewide to date, according to the state health department. Officials from at least four facilities in the Roanoke and New River valleys have told The Roanoke Times that they have had outbreaks; the local jails reported that their cases were largely mild with few hospitalizations.
Marshall Dale Meadows, 61, pleaded guilty in July to nine counts of attempted capital murder and five firearms charges related to a two-hour shootout on March 20, 2019.