Virginia prepares for Phase 1B of COVID vaccine rollout
FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (FOX 5 DC) - FOX 5 has learned the head of one of Fairfax County’s teachers' unions received her coronavirus vaccine on Monday. This comes as Virginia starts Phase 1B of its COVID vaccination plan.
New groups eligible for the vaccine include people 75 years old and older, grocery store workers, and teachers including Fairfax County Public Schools employees.
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FOX 5’s Tisha Lewis spoke with Fairfax Education Association President Kimberly Adams who received her first coronavirus vaccine dose at Inova Hospital this afternoon.
The medical group is teaming up with Fairfax County Public Schools and the county’s health department to administer vaccines to more than 40,000 teachers and staff of public and private schools, and childcare programs across the county.
"We want to make sure that our educators have had both doses before returning to the classroom," said Adams.
While Adams tells us she is receiving her first dose of the coronavirus vaccine today, the bulk of those who meet new eligibility requirements could be vaccinated starting as early as Saturday.
A notice went to the Fairfax County Public Schools community saying the county’s health district is finalizing the logistics with Inova and collaborating with the school district on an implementation plan to roll out vaccinations within the next three weeks, as vaccine supplies permit.
FOX 5 has learned details could be finalized early this week.
New groups eligible also include additional first responders and grocery store workers.
"What’s happening at the ground level, let’s take northern Virginia for example. They will work with their priority groups," said Dr. Danny Avula, the vaccine coordinator for the Virginia Department of Health.
Dr. Avula is a pediatrician and also the vaccine coordinator for the Virginia Department of Health.
FOX 5’s Tisha Lewis reports five health districts across the commonwealth are coordinating the effort as the state moves into phase 1-B of coronavirus vaccinations.
FOX 5 has learned the goal is to get at least 1,000-2,000 people vaccinated a day.
As of this morning, 190,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered out of 560,000 distributed statewide.
While most of the Commonwealth is moving into phase 1B including northern Virginia and southwest Virginia, the state’s department of health says some areas are not due to demand.
The Fairfax County Health Department says those who are now eligible can