FRONTLINE ESSENTIAL WORKERS
Frontline essential workers are workers who are in sectors essential to the functioning of society, are at substantially higher risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2, and cannot work remotely:
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Police, Fire, Hazmat
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Corrections and homeless shelter workers
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Childcare/K-12 Teachers/Staff
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Food & Agriculture
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Manufacturing
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Grocery store workers
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Public transit workers
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Mail carriers (USPS and private)
- Officials needed to maintain continuity of
government
PEOPLE AGE 75 AND OLDER
The risk for severe illness with COVID-19 increases with age, with older adults at highest risk. Severe illness means that a person with COVID-19 may require hospitalization, intensive care, or a ventilator to help them breathe, or they may even die. The goal of vaccinating this population is to decrease the burden of disease and death caused by COVID-19. Many of the people who are included in Phase 1b because of their age will be offered the vaccine through their healthcare provider. Others in this category will be able to access vaccination through their local health department or through arrangements with healthcare systems and pharmacies.
DISTRIBUTION PRIORITY PHASES
We are following the order of subgroups within each phase for planning purposes and will reach out to engage the subgroups in that order. However, overlap of subgroups will be considered if it will result in getting people within that phase vaccinated more quickly and efficiently. At the state level, VDH will determine when it’s okay for a district to move to the next phase.
As availability of the vaccine increases, Virginia will move to the other phases. An exact timeline is not yet known. Phase 1b includes frontline essential workers, people age 65 and older, and people living in correctional facilities, homeless shelters and migrant labor camps. The complete definition of Phase 1b and Phase 1c are available on the VDH Vaccine Page at www.vdh.virginia.gov/covid-19-vaccine/
Virginians who do not fall into priority categories will be offered the COVID-19 vaccine when it is more widely available. Once the vaccine is rolled out to the general public, distribution will be similar to the flu vaccine. People will be able to 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.
The public will be able to see who is eligible and what phase Virginia is in at any given time at www.vdh.virginia.gov/covid-19-vaccine/. Visit VDH’s FAQs (www.vdh.virginia.gov/covid-19-faq/) to stay up to date on this information.
In the meantime, it is important to remain vigilant in COVID-19 prevention practices. Continue taking steps to protect yourself and others, such as covering your mouth and nose with a mask, washing hands often, and staying at least six feet away from others.
REGISTRATION
The Statewide Pre-Registration System for the COVID-19 vaccine is live! Please visit vaccinate.virginia.gov to pre-register for a FREE COVID-19 vaccine.
All individuals who have previously filled out a survey or form or signed up for a waitlist to be vaccinated through their local health district will be automatically imported into the new statewide system. Individuals will maintain their current status in the queue, and will be able to search that they are in the new system.
SCHEDULING FOR THE VACCINE
Once you have been registered, it may take at least 4-6 weeks to hear anything regarding scheduling for your vaccine. We will then send you an email with a link to schedule your appointment. For those without emails, we have paper-based clinics where scheduling is done via phone.