Virginia to Set Up Mass COVID Vaccination Centers Across the State

Virginia is planning to create mass COVID vaccination centers across the state.

Dr. Danny Avula, Virginia's vaccine coordinator, says his department is mapping out spaces to create vaccination centers that will operate 6 to 7 days a week.

The Virginia Medical Reserve Corps is currently recruiting volunteers to help with the mass vaccinations, including those with prior medical experience and those who can help with logistics and set up.

Dr. Avula says he will have more information next week about the mass vaccination centers and where they will be located. He said successful mass vaccination centers have already been operating in Fairfax and Virginia Beach.

Avula says the vaccines will also soon be made available at pharmacies and doctor's offices.

Gov. Ralph Northam announced today that people 65 and over and those under 65 with underlying medical conditions are now being moved up to the 1B category due to new federal guidelines.

Northam says about half of Virginia's 8.5 million residents are now eligible for the vaccination. Currently, about 15,000 Virginians are being vaccinated each day. Northam wants to get that number to 25,000 a day as soon as possible.

The COVID vaccine will be free for all Virginians.

The Governor also said that it's time to get schools fully open and that the Virginia Department of Education will be issuing new guidelines to localities to open schools safely.

More on this story from our media partner, ABC 13 - WSET.


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