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Gov. Northam sets lofty goal for COVID-19 vaccinations in Virginia while visiting Norfolk clinic

Northam said he hopes all adults in the state will have the option of getting a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of May.

NORFOLK, Va. — "Our COVID cases are coming down and our vaccinations are going up."

That's what Virginia Governor Ralph Northam had to say at a Wednesday morning vaccine clinic at the Aviation Institute of Maintenance in Norfolk.

Northam joined Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander and leaders of Walmart's Wellness program to tour the private clinic.

The governor also answered questions about what the vaccine rollout will look like in the coming weeks, with the addition of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.

The Commonwealth will be getting 69,0000 doses of the new vaccine, as a start. He said Hampton Roads would be getting "several thousand" of those but didn't have an exact number.

Northam said the incoming shipments would help the state hit its vaccination goals.

"We're going to be close to 300,000 doses a week," Northam said. "As you know, we set goals. We wanted to get to 25,000 shots a day and then 50,000 and we're right there in that ballpark."

One man named Jimmie Coleman received his first dose at the Aviation Institute of Maintenance Wednesday. He says he got his appointment within two weeks of registering online. When Coleman heard about Governor Northam's promise of extra doses coming to the Commonwealth, he felt happy.

"I think it's great," said Coleman, "It would be good for more people to get the vaccine and hopefully things get back to normal."

Northam says about two million doses have been administered so far across the state.

Echoing a goal from the Biden administration, Northam said he hoped all Virginian adults would have the option of getting a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of May.

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