RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam held a briefing Monday afternoon to share updates on the state's response to COVID-19, as well as the latest on vaccinations.
According to Gov. Northam, more than 80% of adults in the state have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 60% are fully vaccinated. He encouraged more people to get the shot stating, "the vaccine is incredibly safe."
His update came a few days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended booster shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for certain groups.
Northam said the first round of booster shots will be available for Pfizer recipients who have been vaccinated for at least 6 months. Those who got Moderna or Johnson and Johnson shots must wait until boosters become available.
Last week the CDC and FDA recommended boosters for people 65 and older, people 18 to 64 with underlying medical conditions, and those who work in an environment where they are at higher risk of COVID exposure.
The Prescription Shoppe in Williamsburg is already putting boosters in arms.
“We are pretty much doing them nonstop all day,” said The Prescription Shoppe Co-owner Dr. Jade Ranger. “On Thursday we did a little over 80, on Friday it was 106.”
Dr. Ranger said patients are calling to see if they are eligible for this booster, or the additional dose that’s for the immunocompromised.
“They listed very specific reasons, so maybe you are a transplant patient, or you are undergoing chemotherapy,” Dr. Ranger said.
Dr. Danny Avula said about 700,000 Virginians are eligible for the Pfizer booster.
“Approximately 350,000 of those are healthcare workers,” Dr. Avula said.
He said there may be a need for more vaccination sites to open with the anticipation of Moderna approving a booster around the end of October, but he said they aren’t there yet.
“In terms of who is eligible, we really do have a robust delivery infrastructure,” Dr. Avula said.
Governor Northam encouraged people to talk with their healthcare provider if they have questions about booster eligibility.
Multiple school divisions in the state suggested that kids under 12 get the shot once they become eligible. The school boards are considering doing COVID-19 vaccinations for students. Alexandria had the highest vaccine rate of 98% for kids 12 and older.
Northam projected $5 billion in costs for treatment of those who refuse to get the shot. Insurance providers are going up on prices for unvaccinated people.
It's been at least a year since Northam was infected with COVID-19 and he said he still can't smell or taste anything.
Following the CDC's recommendation, the state's vaccination coordinator Dr. Danny Avula said the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) welcomes the decision.
"We are confident that we will have enough supply, and that access will be widely available," Dr. Avula said in a Friday press release.