VA Plans Vaccines For Children, Students Before Summer: Northam

MANASSAS, VA — Gov. Ralph Northam spoke to reporters about the state's vaccination efforts during a visit to the vaccine clinic at Metz Middle School in Manassas on Tuesday morning. During his visit, Northam discussed the pause in usage of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, efforts to vaccinate children, and the possibility of mandatory vaccinations for college students.

"When something like this happens, we have to stop and readjust," Governor Northam said, referring to the CDC's recommendation to pause administration of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

"Many people have worked so hard on this process in Virginia," Northam said. The vaccination clinic at Metz Middle School in Manassas was originally scheduled to distribute several hundred doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The City of Manassas announced on Tuesday morning that the clinic would administer the Pfizer vaccine, and that appointments at the clinic would not need to be cancelled or rescheduled.

"To find out this morning and be flexible enough to change to the Pfizer, it speaks well," the governor said. "I commend everyone that's been a part of that process."

Northam also discussed plans to vaccinate children in an attempt to reach herd immunity.

"In order to reach herd immunity, we need to get about 70 to 75 per cent of the population vaccinated," he said. "About half of our adult population has had their first dose, but we still have children 16 and under, and there are ongoing trials with the three vaccines."

Related: Johnson & Johnson Coronavirus Vaccine Use Paused In Virginia

"I'm hopeful that we'll get approval from the FDA, certainly by this summer," Northam said. "And then we can start vaccinating children."

During his comments, the governor also said he would not plan on making the coronavirus vaccine mandatory for college students.

"I don't anticipate making the vaccine mandatory at our colleges and universities," he said. "But one of the hopes and goals that we have is to get our college students vaccinated before they go home for the summer."

However, the state's attempt to vaccinate college students has been derailed by the rare complications with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. "A lot of that plan relied upon the supply of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine," Northam said. "We are going to need to readjust and see what doses are available from Moderna and Pfizer."

Health districts across Virginia are in either Phase 1c or Phase 2 of the state's vaccine rollout plan. The full list of phases by locality and county is available on the Virginia Department of Health's website.

All Virginia residents can preregister for their coronavirus vaccine now, regardless of their current eligibility. Registration can be completed online or by calling the state's vaccine hotline at 877-829-4682.