Those 65 and older can now get COVID-19 vaccinations

Three Rivers Health District doing by appointment only

(Editor’s note: As of Monday afternoon, the Virginia Department of Public Health reported 352 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Middlesex County. There were 16 Middlesex patient COVID-19-related hospitalizations and 13 deaths involving Middlesex residents. The Virginia Department of Public Health cautions that because of limited testing, the actual number of cases in Middlesex County is likely much higher than reported.)

Area hospitals and the Three Rivers Health District, which includes Middlesex County, have completed vaccinating health care workers and first responders with their first injections in vaccine phase 1a. Long-term health care and assisted living facility residents and staff are being vaccinated by Walgreens and CVS pharmacies through a federal partnership. The Three Rivers Health District has transitioned to phase 1b. A map of COVID-19 Vaccine Phase by Health District can be viewed online.

Last week the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced the inclusion of persons aged 65-75 and persons aged 16-64 with underlying medical conditions in phase 1b. Gov. Ralph Northam announced Virginia’s compliance with this change later last week.

The new priority phases of the COVID-19 vaccination effort are:

• Phase 1a — Healthcare workers and long-term care facility residents.
• Phase 1b — Persons aged 65 years and older, persons aged 16–64 years with underlying medical conditions, and non-health care frontline essential workers such as law enforcement personnel, firefighters, educators, grocery store workers, transit and postal workers.
• Phase 1c — Essential workers not included in Phase 1b.

In Three Rivers, we have established a collaborative relationship with our local hospitals to engage our combined capabilities in the COVID-19 vaccination…