NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The Hampton and Peninsula health districts moved to Phase 1c of COVID-19 vaccinations Monday morning.
That means more essential workers in Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, Williamsburg, James City County, and York County were eligible to schedule vaccine appointments.
“In Hampton and Peninsula Health Districts we wanted to be sure that we really served the 1a’s and 1b’s who we had identified," Public Information Officer Irene Ferrainolo told 13News Now Monday.
On the Peninsula, 150,055 people have been vaccinated across Phases 1a and 1b, 36,936 of whom had pre-registered through the statewide system.
“Almost all of everyone on the pre-registration list in our six localities has received at least one invitation to a point of distribution -- a clinic -- some cases two and three," Ferrainolo said.
You do need to be pre-registered to set up an appointment to get a vaccine.
Dr. Natasha Dwamena, the health director for the Peninsula and Hampton Health Districts, said her staff would keep working to get people who want the shot signed up.
"Both districts will continue ongoing outreach efforts to provide access to the vulnerable populations in our communities that may still remain unregistered but want to be vaccinated," she said.
A release from the health districts said teams were working to arrange as many places as possible for people to be able to get the vaccine.
"As vaccine supply increases the number and diversity of vaccination sites grows. The health districts and the health care systems provide vaccine to the four locality Points of Distribution (PODs), pharmacies, medical groups, and special equity clinics," the release read. "Other pharmacies receive vaccine as participants in the Health and Human Services federal program."
Ferrainolo added that clinic appointments would be prioritized based on proximity, but that availabilities could be given and available in nearby cities as well.
“We do everything we can that the first invitation for the P.O.D. -- or point of distribution -- is closest to you. But if that fills up, and let's say there’s an appointment to the Newport News one [clinic], you might get an invitation to that," she said.
Here are the fields whose workers qualify to be vaccinated in Phase 1c, according to the Virginia Department of Health:
- Energy
- Water
- Wastewater, and Waste removal (includes recycling removal)
- Housing and Construction
- Food Service
- Transportation and Logistics
- Institutions of Higher Education Faculty/Staff
- Finance
- Information Technology & Communication
- Media
- Legal Services
- Public Safety (including engineers)
- Other Public Health Workers
- Barbers, Stylists, Hairdressers
You can pre-register to get the vaccine online or by calling 877.829.4682.