CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Many Virginians are still waiting for a COVID-19 vaccine while at the same time, health leaders continue urging the state for extra doses.
“I wish we had more. I’m hungry for more,” explained Dr. Nancy Welch, the Chesapeake Health Department director.
At the end of January, Dr. Welch said she requested to get more COVID-19 vaccines for her community.
“I don’t want to call it a program per se, but a possibility or an option that we can request additional doses beyond our allocated 2,800 a week,” she explained.
Dr. Welch said the state requires the additional doses to go to certain demographics, seniors and the minority population. In the past month, Dr. Welch asked twice for extra doses. She received 1,100 shots the first time and 2,000 the next.
“This just became available once the state got some extra vaccines,” said Dr. Welch. “I haven’t tried to press my luck. I’ve said 2,000 and they said yes, so right now that is what I’m going by.”
Dr. Welch said the health department and its partners are vaccinating seniors and the minority population with its weekly vaccine allocation, however, the extra shots are an added resource.
“We just finished a large program in conjunction with Bethany Baptist Church and about 20 other churches and with the hospital and EVMS,” she said.
Soon, Dr. Welch plans on asking for another 2,000 extra doses to vaccinate more seniors against COVID-19.
“I’m not shy. I’m not afraid to bend my knees beg. We will keep getting as many doses as we can,” she explained.