COVID Cases Rising In Fredericksburg, Precautions Still Necessary

FREDERICKSBURG, VA — Coronavirus cases, hospitalizations, and the positivity rate are increasing in the Fredericksburg area, according to a news release from the Rappahannock Area Health District. The health district urged residents to continue following coronavirus safety guidelines, even as more groups become eligible for the vaccine.

In Monday's news release, the health district noted the pandemic is not yet over, and residents should continue to wear their masks, practice social distancing, and wash their hands. Dr. Denise Bonds is the acting health director for the Rappahannock Area Health District.

"Over 30 percent of the adult population in the health district has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. As a result, we should be seeing decreases in spread of the virus, yet we have seen signs of increasing transmission for the last 10 days,” Bonds said in the news release. "Our current data shows that the number of new cases per day is higher than during either of the peaks which occurred during the summer of 2020."

From March 22 to March 29, the health district averaged 65 new coronaviruses cases per day. Two weeks ago, the district was only adding 34 new cases per day.

The positivity rate has also increased throughout this month. The positivity rate is now listed at 7.8 per cent, compared to 5.4 per cent two weeks ago.

"Having 3 safe and effective vaccines to protect against COVID-19 has provided a sense of optimism at the end of very long year, but we must remember that we are not quite to the finish line yet,” Dr. Bonds said. "We ask for our community’s ongoing commitment to preventing the spread of COVID-19 for the next few months as we continue to develop immunity through expanded vaccination efforts."

See also: Fredericksburg Area Coronavirus Vaccine Update: Phase 1c Begins

To register for the vaccine, residents should sign up for the state's preregistration list. Anyone can preregister for the vaccine, regardless of their current eligibility. The Rappahannock Area Health District pulls from the state's list to schedule vaccine appointments.

People without internet access can call the state's vaccine hotline at 877-829-4682.