Henrico witnesses 122 new COVID-19 cases Thursday

For the first time in two months, Henrico County has witnessed more than 120 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on a single day, according to Virginia Department of Health data.

The county reported 122 new cases Thursday, a week after Thanksgiving – its most since 129 were reported Oct. 2; only two other days since then (Oct. 6 and 8) witnessed more than 100 new cases.

Henrico is now averaging 75 new daily cases during the past seven days.

During the first two days of this month, the county has witnessed one new COVID-related death and two new hospitalizations related to the virus, according to the VDH.

The county’s seven-day positivity percentage among PCR testing encounters (7.2%) is just higher than the statewide average (7%), while its percentage among rapid testing encounters is identical to the state average (6.6%).

During a virtual press conference Thursday, Richmond and Henrico Health District officials continued to urge people who haven’t been vaccinated against the virus to consider starting the process, as a way to protect themselves and others as the winter holidays approach and to provide protection against the new Omicron variant of the virus.

Though health officials aren’t currently certain whether that variant is better able to penetrate the vaccines’ defenses than other variants, they expect that those who are vaccinated still will be much better protected than those who aren’t.

RHHD officials also are continuing to focus recent vaccination efforts on children ages 5 to 11, and more than 6,800 in Henrico (24% of that population in the county) now have received at least one dose, while slightly more than 1,000 now are fully vaccinated. Statewide, slightly more than 22% of children 5 to 11 have received their first dose of vaccine.

The RHHD will host its second round of vaccination events for children and others at Fairfield Middle School (Dec. 4 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) and Elko Middle School (Dec. 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.), and officials now are planning for additional events at Richmond and Henrico schools, according to RHHD Nurse Manager Amy Popovich.

“We’re starting with Title I schools so we can really create a point of access for schools with high rates of lower income [students],” she said.

The agency also has partnered with the University of Richmond to offer vouchers for free tickets to UR men’s basketball games (except the VCU game) to children 5 to 11 who have gotten at least one dose of vaccine. Vouchers will be available at RHHD events, and those who already have gotten a vaccine can visit the UR ticket office at the Robins Center in person to show their vaccination cards and receive a free ticket.

The RHHD also will end its weekly Wednesday walk-up vaccination events at the Eastern Henrico Recreation Center later this month, Popovich said, and will move those events to the RHHD East Health Center on Nine Mile Road shortly thereafter.

For RHHD vaccination opportunities, visit http://vax.rchd.com or call (804) 205-3501.