Northam: All Virginians will have chance to get vaccine by end of May

Apr. 20—RICHMOND, Va. — All Virginians at least 16-years-old will have a chance to receive at least the first dose of the COVID vaccine by the end of May.

During a pandemic briefing Monday at a new mass vaccination site in Fairfax County, Gov. Ralph Northam said that since every adult is now eligible for the vaccine and as supplies have now increased, the May timeline should work.

"Over the last four months we have made tremendous progress in vaccinating Virginians against the COVID virus," he said. "This is the path toward saving lives. It is the light and hope at the end of a long, dark tunnel."

About 50 percent of all adults in the state have now received at least one dose of the vaccine, he said, with almost 25 percent of the state's more than 8 million residents fully vaccinated.

"It may take a few weeks (to get vaccinated after signing up)," he said, as demand continues to outstrip supplies in many parts of the state, especially the more populous areas like Northern Virginia.

That is one reason the mass vaccine clinic was set up in Tyson's Corner, to vaccinate up to 3,000 residents a day.

But the supply has grown, he added, and vaccines from other parts of the state that may not be used there are shipped to high-demand areas.

"The system (to deliver the vaccine to people) is in place," he said. "We just need more vaccine."

Residents can schedule an appointment by going online at vaccine.virginia.gov or call 1-877-829-4682.

Northam said the virus has not gone away but the active cases have plateaued after falling sharply, then rising again.

Variants are also around the state, and mask-wearing in public buildings continues to be a requirement.

"This is not a time for Virginia to let down our guard," he said.

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., and Rep. Don Beyer, D-8th District, were also on hand at the briefing.

Warner said handling the pandemic has been a collaborative approach at all levels of government, and he urged all those eligible to get the vaccine.

It is not about politics, he said, or "who you like or don't like as president. It's about whether you care about yourself, your family, your community."

Warner said other mass vaccination sites will be opened and it is "absolutely critical" that all Virginians are reached.

"We are on the verge of getting this virus licked," he said, but vaccinations are necessary to accomplish that.

Dr. Danny Avula, who is leading the statewide vaccination effort, said more Johnson & Johnson doses may be available next week since the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) and the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) are meeting Friday.

"They are gathering data and will make a decision," he said, but the state continues to receive 450,000 to 500,000 doses of Pfizer and Moderna each week.

A pause was placed on J&J recently when rare cases of blood clotting that could be associated with the vaccine surfaced. But it was only six cases in almost 7 million doses administered.

If the pause is lifted, Virginia will receive about 100,000 doses from J&J next week, Avula said.

Northam also said he anticipates children 12 to 15 will soon be able to be vaccinated with younger kids possibly by the fall.

Virginia has between 2 million and 2.5 million children under 16, he said, and herd immunity will not be reached until a high percentage of that population is vaccinated as well.

"We will be much closer to herd immunity by the end of the year," he said. "We will never get to herd immunity if we don't get shots in arms."

Northam also indicated he would have "further updates" on possibly easing some restrictions in the "coming days."

— Contact Charles Boothe at cboothe@bdtonline.com