Virginia officials announce COVID-19 vaccine plans

Virginia officials expect to receive 480,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna by the end of the month, and they’ll be given to healthcare workers and long-term care facilities in the state, Virginia Health Department officials announced last Friday afternoon.

State officials learned details about the number of doses they should expect during a Thursday update from the federal government’s Operation Warp Speed.

If the full allotment arrives, it would cover almost all members of both groups, VDH officials said; there are about 500,000 healthcare workers and long-term care facilities residents in the state.

“Vaccine will be provided to Virginians in a way that is fair, ethical, and transparent,” said Virginia State Health Commissioner M. Norman Oliver. “We will focus initially on the groups that have been most at risk for severe illness from COVID-19 infections and those whose work puts them at greatest risk of contracting COVID-19 infections. Over time, as more vaccine supply becomes available, more Virginians will be able to get vaccinated, and we can look forward to a time when this pandemic will end.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ on Tuesday voted to formally recommend HCP and LTCF residents as top priorities for vaccination. In response, the Virginia Disaster Medical Advisory Committee and the Virginia Unified Command voted this week to officially adopt ACIP recommendations in Virginia and provide initial vaccines to both HCP and LTCF residents.

The state is expecting its first shipment of vaccines from Pfizer within about 10 days, officials said. Those will require ultracold storage (-70 degrees Celsius). All 72,150 initial doses will be distributed directly to geographically diverse health care systems with ultracold storage capacity and will go to healthcare workers.

Those who directly care for COVID-19 patients will receive top priority among healthcare providers.

Subsequent weekly shipments are expected to begin after the initial shipment and will be divided among healthcare workers and long-term care residents, according to the VDH.

Most of the vaccinations given to long-term care residents will come from CVS and Walgreens teams onsite, through a federal CDC-pharmacy-LTCF partnership.

Healthcare systems and public health officials will ensure access to vaccination for all healthcare workers and long-term care residents equitably statewide, according to the VDH.