By SABRINA MORENO Richmond Times-Dispatch Here's a look at the 15 Virginia localities with the most COVID-19 cases during the first 12 months of the pandemic. RICHMOND â As part of a $2.25 billion investment across the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has awarded Virginia more than $30.6 million to address health inequities fueled by the pandemic. The primary goals of the grants are to reduce COVID-related disparities over the next two years, improve and increase contact tracing among the most-impacted populations and people in rural areas, and bolster the capacity for health departments to prevent infections. In a media release, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said the grants reflected the federal agencyâs âcommitment to keeping equity at the center of everything we doâ and added that they are a step toward strengthening âour communitiesâ readiness for public health emergencies â and to helping everyone in America have equal opportunities for health.â