Rappahannock Health Officials Seek Patience In COVID Vaccinations

STAFFORD, VA — Like many regions across Virginia, health officials in Stafford County are dealing with significantly more requests for the coronavirus vaccine than are humanly possible to accommodate based on the number of doses that are currently available.

On Thursday, officials from the Rappahannock Area Health District asked local residents to be patient in awaiting the vaccines. The pleas came after Gov. Ralph Northam announcing a vaccination distribution plan for areas with more dense population numbers. On Friday, local health officials announced that they will be receiving 4,350 doses of the vaccines over the next month. This amount, officials said, does not include second doses.

More than 375,000 residents live in the region and officials said Friday that they anticipate needing until the end of March to vaccinate those included in the Phase 1a and 1b priority groups. Health officials said they have received more than 20,000 responses to the surveys from those local residents who are eligible to receive the vaccinations – including those who are in the age groups 75 years and older and 65 years and older.

Officials said in addition to residents in those age groups, they are currently working to vaccinate front line workers including police officers, firefighters, Hazmat workers, staff, employees and residents of homeless shelters and correctional facilities, officials said, as well as school employees.

While more than 20,000 surveys have already been completed, Rappahannock Area Health District officials are asking residents who are seeking to receive the vaccines to fill out a pre-screening survey. The survey allows residents to be placed into the system to receive an appointment when doses became available to become vaccinated. Residents who are 65 years and older and who have medical conditions that make them more susceptible to the coronavirus are asked to fill out the survey, which can be found here.