Almeeds Bratton, 103, of Salem, received Carilion Clinic’s 50,000th COVID-19 vaccine dose in February. Photo courtesy Carilion Clinic
The majority of the state has entered the second phase of COVID-19 vaccination as of Monday, opening eligibility to anyone age 16 and older who wants a shot. Still in phase 1c are Northern Virginia and parts of Hampton Roads, among other regions, but the entire state is expected to be in phase 2 by Sunday, the governor has announced.
Meanwhile, the state recorded 10,691 new COVID-19 cases last week and 126 deaths related to the coronavirus, reflecting rising numbers seen elsewhere in the nation. Two weeks ago, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky issued a warning of another deadly surge of the virus, following a similar surge in European cases. Although Virginia has not, some states have dropped masking mandates and loosened other restrictions. As of Monday, the state has reported 636,862 total cases and 10,486 total deaths, and the current seven-day positivity rate is 6.1%, down 0.3% from last week.
