Health & Fitness
COVID Cases, Positivity Rates Grow In Fredericksburg Area
Community transmission levels are now considered "high" in the Fredericksburg area as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations rise.
FREDERICKSBURG, VA — Coronavirus cases are on the rise in the Rappahannock Area Health District, which includes Fredericksburg and the counties of Spotsylvania, Stafford, King George, and Caroline. With the exception of King George County, every locality in the health district now has "high" levels of community transmission.
The CDC's community transmission metric uses positivity rates and the number of new coronavirus cases per capita to determine how quickly the virus is spreading through an area. "High" is the most dangerous level of community transmission, according to the CDC. King George County's community transmission level is "substantial," the second-highest rating.
Though no new deaths were reported in the health district's most recent update, cases and positivity rates are rising. In an update posted on Wednesday, Aug. 11, the 7-day rolling positivity rate was 10 percent. At the end of July, the positivity rate was around 6 percent.
Find out what's happening in Fredericksburgwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Across the health district, 37 people are currently hospitalized with the coronavirus.
To cope with rising coronavirus metrics, school systems and county governments across the area are reimplementing mask mandates in some facilities. In Stafford County schools, which began their school year this week, masks are required indoors for all students and teachers, regardless of their vaccination status.
Find out what's happening in Fredericksburgwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The mask policy "provides another layer to the mitigation strategies that will help us
prevent COVID-19 spread in our schools as nearly 30,000 students return to in-person learning five days each week," the Stafford school system said.
The best mitigation strategy, according to the health district, is still the available coronavirus vaccines. The Rappahannock Area Health District hosts a vaccination clinic on many weekdays in different areas.
On Mondays, vaccines are available in Spotsylvania. On Tuesdays, they're administered in Fredericksburg and King George. On Wednesdays, residents can find vaccines in Stafford and Caroline.
More information about vaccinations and other mitigation policies are available on the health district's website.
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