Northam: Vaccine distribution will begin in mid-December

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam expects COVID-19 vaccine distribution in the state to begin in about a month, he said during a press briefing Wednesday. Initial limited quantities of the vaccine are expected to be prioritized for healthcare and medical officials and senior citizens.

"This is wonderful news," he said. "It gives all of us hope."

While Virginians dig in for the first winter during the pandemic, the recent announcements from Pfizer and Moderna that their COVID vaccines seem to be highly effective provide a light at the end of the tunnel, Northam said.

“I think we can all agree that this has been a long tunnel,” he said.

Virginia Health Commissioner Norman Oliver said the state already has identified 14 cold-storage locations at which it plans to store the Pfizer vaccine at the low temperatures required. In addition, Northam recently allocated $22 million in CARES Act funding to help build the infrastructure to distribute the vaccine. He noted, however, that the state will need additional funding for vaccine distribution – but he said he is not concerned, explaining that he believes President-elect Joe Biden will be eager to help.

Either way, Northam seemed optimistic about the near-future while remaining vigilant in the present.

“Just a few months from now, we may be past the worst of this,” he said. “Let’s not make this winter any worse than it has to be.”

But in the meantime, the situation is worsening in Virginia as elsewhere. The Virginia Department of Health reported 2,071 new cases of COVID-19 in Virginia on Wednesday, bringing the 7-day average of new cases up to 1,761. As a result of the surging numbers, Northam recently announced new restrictions in Virginia that included limiting the number of gatherings to 25 and lowering the minimum age to five for a statewide order requiring a mask for indoor public spaces.

In addition, restaurants must also stop serving alcohol at 10 pm and close by midnight.

“I do not intend to wait for things to get worse before we take action,” Northam said, in reference to the new mitigation measures.

As for his reasoning behind tightening the restrictions, Northam says that while he was watching the numbers rise throughout the state, the actual moment he made the decision was when he saw footage of mobile morgues outside of hospitals that were overflowing.

“We don’t need that in Virginia,” he said in a somber moment on Wednesday.

Northam also urged Virginians to be safe and responsible during the coming holidays.

“Think hard about how you celebrate this holiday,” he said.

Republicans have been accusing him of trying to stop families from gathering over the holidays, but Northam is adamant that he issued the new restrictions to slow the spread and save lives.

“I know there have been few enough celebrations this year,” he said. “But this year, staying home is an act of love, too.”

As he has the entire year, Northam stressed the importance of following the guidelines while noting that most Virginians have been complying. He applauded the efforts of Virginians so far, pointing out that rates in Virginia are much lower than they are in other states across the country.

“You have done a great job,” Northam said directly into the camera. “We have some of the lowest rates in the nation.”

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This article originally appeared on VirginiaScope.com. It is republished here with permission.