Health & Fitness

Virginia Meets President Biden's Goal For COVID-19 Vaccinations

Virginia became the 16th state to report that 70 percent of adults have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Gov. Ralph Northam and state public health officials celebrated the COVID-19 vaccination milestone during an event Monday at Hope Pharmacy in Richmond. Virginia became the 16th state to report that 70 percent of adults have received at least one dose.
Gov. Ralph Northam and state public health officials celebrated the COVID-19 vaccination milestone during an event Monday at Hope Pharmacy in Richmond. Virginia became the 16th state to report that 70 percent of adults have received at least one dose. (Courtesy of Jack Mayer/Office of Gov. Ralph Northam)

RICHMOND, VA — Virginia became the 16th state to report that 70 percent of adults have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

In early May, President Joe Biden set a goal of 70 percent of adults in the United States getting at least one dose of the vaccine by July 4. While the nation as a whole is not expected to meet the goal, Virginia will easily surpass it.

As of Monday, more than 8.8 million doses of the vaccine have been administered in Virginia and more than 4.2 million people, or 60.3 percent of the population 18 and older, are fully vaccinated.

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Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam and state public health officials celebrated the vaccination milestone during an event at Hope Pharmacy in Richmond.

“Virginia has reached a significant milestone in the fight against COVID-19,” Northam said in a statement. “Even as we celebrate this tremendous achievement, we will continue working together to vaccinate everyone who is eligible so our Commonwealth so can keep moving forward.”

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Virginia continues to see a significant decline in new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths. New daily cases reached a seven-day moving average of 5,900 in early January but then dropped below 250 by June 1, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

Deaths from COVID-19 reached a seven-day moving average of 83 in mid-January but fell below seven by June 1.

“There are still Virginians we need to reach and our efforts to make vaccination as accessible and as convenient as possible will continue,” Virginia State Health Commissioner M. Norman Oliver said in a statement. “Those who have yet to get the vaccine are encouraged to do so to protect themselves and to keep others safe, particularly children under 12, people with weakened immune systems, or individuals who cannot be vaccinated for other reasons.”


ALSO READ: VA Governor To End COVID-19 State Of Emergency On June 30


Federal approval of the Pfizer vaccine for adolescents aged 12 to 15 has made more than 400,000 additional Virginians eligible to get vaccinated, and about 30 percent of people in that age group have received the vaccine so far.

The Virginia Department of Health is working with school districts to make the vaccine available to students as the vaccination efforts shift from large-scale vaccination sites to health care providers, pharmacies, and mobile vaccine clinics.

“While there is still work to do in addressing vaccine hesitancy, I remain confident that we can keep this momentum going and defeat this virus,” Virginia Vaccination Coordinator Dr. Danny Avula said.

Virginia ended all COVID-19 mitigation measures on May 28. The state of emergency that Northam declared on March 12, 2020 in response to COVID-19 is set to expire on June 30.

Unvaccinated individuals and those who are not fully vaccinated should continue wearing a mask, practicing physical distancing, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces in accordance with federal CDC guidance, state officials said.

Virginians who have not been vaccinated yet are encouraged to go to vaccinate.virginia.gov or call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682, TTY users call 7-1-1) to find a nearby vaccination clinic. For answers to frequently asked questions or to learn more about vaccination for COVID-19 in Virginia, visit vdh.virginia.gov/covid-19-vaccine.

RELATED: NoVA Commission Remembers Residents Lost To COVID-19


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