January 21, 2021
Media Contacts: Brittany Watson, B.Watson@vdh.virginia.gov (757) 641-8806, Alexis Welch, Alexis.Welch@vdh.virginia.gov, Julie Hill, jhill@vbgov.com, (757) 681-3202
Virginia Beach Health District Will Expand COVID-19 Vaccination to “Phase 1b” Recipients
(Virginia Beach, Va.) – Beginning, Monday, Jan. 25, the Virginia Beach Health District will move into Phase 1b of COVID-19 vaccinations. Phase 1b is the second group eligible to receive the vaccine, and includes frontline essential workers, anyone age 65 and older, and those individuals age 16-64 years with high-risk medical conditions.
Virginia Beach will begin closed “point of dispensing” (POD) COVID-19 vaccination clinics specifically for Phase 1b priority groups next week. Residents in Phase 1a will still be provided opportunities to receive the vaccine. COVID-19 vaccine is not yet available to the general public and these are not public events.
Individuals who fall into Phase 1b must pre-register to receive the vaccine through a new online portal that will also be available beginning Monday, Jan. 25. To access the portal, visit https://www.vbgov.com/vaccinatevb (the link is not currently live) and input your personal information. To get ready, registrants must have a working email address. Chrome is the preferred browser for the portal. Residents may contact the City’s 311 Citizen Services call center with any questions and for assistance with pre-registration. Dial “311” within Virginia Beach city limits. Callers from outside the city limits can dial (757) 385-3111 to reach 311 Citizen Services. Once pre-registered and when you are eligible to schedule a vaccination appointment, you will receive an email from the Virginia Department of Health and/or the CDC with a link to the online scheduling system.
“Providing the COVID-19 vaccine to citizens is our top priority,” said mayor Robert M. “Bobby” Dyer. “There is high demand for the vaccine and we are taking every measure to safely and effectively distribute it as quickly as possible to aid in the mitigation of COVID-19.”
“While the vaccine brings us steps closer to ending this pandemic, it will still be months before it is widely available to the general public,” said Virginia Beach District Health Director Dr. Demetria M. Lindsay. “Continuing to adhere to COVID-19 prevention practices remains very important as we work our way through the vaccination process.”
Some 1a and 1b employees may be scheduled to receive the vaccine through their employers. Vaccination planning teams are reaching out to coordinate with employers in Phase 1b. However, if you qualify for phase 1b, you may still pre-register on your own, you are not required to wait for your employer.
Individuals 65 years and older and those 16-64 years with high-risk medical conditions should pre-register through the online portal.
As availability of the vaccine increases, Virginia Beach will move to the other phases. The complete definitions of all phases, data and other information, are on VDH’s Vaccine Response website at www.vdh.virginia.gov/covid-19-vaccine/. Anyone can use this eligibility tool to find out which vaccination phase they fall under.
The goal is to add more distribution points as the vaccine becomes more widely available so Virginians who fall into 1c and later phases can get the vaccine from a local pharmacy, primary care physician, Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC)/free clinic, local health department or other clinic that is participating as a COVID-19 Vaccination Program Provider.
In the meantime, it is important to remain vigilant in COVID-19 prevention. Continue to protect yourself and others: cover your mouth and nose with a mask, wash your hands often and well, stay at least six feet away from others, avoid gatherings with anyone who is not a member of your household and get a flu shot.
You can learn more about the vaccine, its safety and answers to frequently asked questions at VDH’s website and CDC’s website.
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