No More Walk-Ins At COVID-19 Community Vaccination Center Events

VIRGINIA — State health officials are asking eligible Virginians not to visit a COVID-19 community vaccination center (CVD) event unless they have an appointment or an invitation.

Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) and the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) said Thursday that those events are meant only for people eligible to be vaccinated in Phase 1 or who may be at higher risk for exposure to or severe illness from COVID-19.

When vaccination numbers were fluctuating during the early stages of Virginia's vaccination distribution response, eligible individuals were allowed to walk into those events without an appointment. That is no longer the case.

VDEM and VDH will continue to track the need for Phase 1 vaccinations in areas served by CVCs and will shift vaccine supplies as necessary in response to increased demand. Each clinic has its own plan about how to disperse any unused doses at the end of the day so eligible individuals are prioritized.

Residents of Virginia are encouraged to pre-register for the COVID-19 vaccine by visiting vaccinate.virginia.gov or calling 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682). Additional languages are available, and TTY users should call 7-1-1.

Some health districts, such as Fairfax County, are operating their own vaccination pre-registration systems. Residents in those areas should pre-register through their local system. Those living in the Fairfax County Health District, which includes the towns of Clifton, Herndon, and Vienna, and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church, are encouraged to register with Fairfax County.

COVID-19 Daily Numbers

The daily case average has appeared to stabilize after falling since mid-January. On Thursday, 1,559 additional COVID-19 cases and four deaths were reported by the VDH. The seven-day average of daily cases stands at 1,388, down from a peak average of 6,166 daily cases on Jan. 18.

The positive average of PCR tests stands at 5.5 percent as of March 21, compared to a winter peak of 17.4 percent on Jan. 3. On average, 18,183 PCR testing encounters are reported daily, down from a peak of 35,034 on Jan. 14.

COVID-19 hospitalizations stand at 1,002. The hospitalizations include 232 patients in the intensive care units and 126 on ventilators. COVID-19 patients account for about 7.6 percent of the 13,124 occupied hospital beds in Virginia.

Below are the latest coronavirus data updates for our coverage area from Wednesday to Thursday:

• Alexandria: 10,825 cases, 528 hospitalizations, 128 deaths; increase of 20 cases
• Arlington County: 13,997 cases, 790 hospitalizations, 244 deaths; increase of 45 cases
• Fairfax County: 70,426 cases, 3,667 hospitalizations, 1,034 deaths; increase of 193 cases and four hospitalizations, one death removed
• Fairfax City: 512 cases, 41 hospitalizations, 17 deaths; increase of three
• Falls Church: 382 cases, 20 hospitalizations, 10 deaths; increase of two cases
• Loudoun County: 24,794 cases, 932 hospitalizations, 264 deaths; increase of 88 cases and two hospitalizations
• Manassas: 4,131 cases, 166 hospitalizations, 45 deaths; increase of six cases
• Manassas Park: 1,166 cases, 67 hospitalizations, 12 deaths; increase of six cases
• Prince William County: 41,324 cases, 1,504 hospitalizations, 467 deaths; increase of 96 cases and five hospitalizations
• Fredericksburg: 1,850 cases, 95 hospitalizations, 22 deaths; increase of four cases
• Spotsylvania County: 8,702 cases, 286 hospitalizations, 107 deaths; increase of 24 cases
• Stafford County: 10,036 cases, 336 hospitalizations, 68 deaths; increase of 38 cases and three hospitalization