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CDC Map: Metro Richmond remains medium; masks now recommended for 8 Virginia localities

COVID-19 Community Levels calculated on Dec. 15, 2022.
Posted at 4:23 PM, Dec 17, 2022
and last updated 2022-12-17 16:23:10-05

RICHMOND, Va. — While much of Virginia continues to rank as low for COVID Community Levels, masking is now recommended for eight localities and most of Metro Richmond remains medium, according to this week's update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The update comes as Virginia's 7-day positivity rate increased to 14.4%, new cases were up 22% this week and 73.6% of Virginia's population is fully vaccinated, according to the Virginia Department of Health. The 7-day moving average for COVID cases in the U.S. decreased 2.96% as of Dec. 14 and 85.2% of the country's total population (people 5+) had received at least one vaccine dose, the CDC reported in its weekly update.

The agency released an updated map Thursday, Dec. 15 with county-by-county color designations to indicate whether residents should wear masks or not.

"There are three levels (low, medium, high), which are determined by looking at hospital beds being used by patients with COVID-19, new hospital admissions among people with COVID-19, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in your area," CDC officials wrote.

IN-DEPTH: 7-day positivity rate is 14.4%; new cases up 22% last week

COVID-19 Community Levels calculated on Dec. 15, 2022.
COVID-19 Community Levels calculated on Dec. 15, 2022.

Scroll down for a complete alphabetized list city/county-by-county breakdown of localities in Virginia

Eight localities — including Nottoway and Petersburg in Central Virginia — rank as high where masking indoors is recommended by the CDC. That is down from 10 localities that ranked as high last week.

Sixty localities — including Amelia, Charles City, Chesterfield, Colonial Heights, Cumberland, Dinwiddie, Emporia, Essex, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, Hopewell, King and Queen, King William, Lancaster, Middlesex, New Kent, Northumberland, Powhatan, Prince Edward, Prince George, Richmond City and Richmond County in Central Virginia — rank as medium. Fifty-five localities ranked as medium last week.

The remaining 65 localities in the Commonwealth rank as low. That is down from the 68 localities that ranked as low last week.

COVID-19 Community Levels calculated on Dec. 15, 2022.
COVID-19 Community Levels calculated on Dec. 15, 2022.

High Community Level

  • Wear a mask indoors in public
  • Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
  • Get tested if you have symptoms
  • Additional precautions may be needed for people at high risk for severe illness
  • 8 Virginia localities this week; down from 10 localities last week

Appomattox (ranked medium last week)
Campbell (ranked medium last week)
Dickenson (no change from last week)
Norton (no change from last week)
Nottoway (no change from last week)
Petersburg (ranked medium last week)
Scott (no change from last week)
Smyth (no change from last week)

COVID-19 Community Transmission Levels calculated on Dec. 15, 2022.
COVID-19 Community Transmission Levels calculated on Dec. 15, 2022.

Medium Community Level

  • If you are at high risk for severe illness, talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to wear a mask and take other precautions
  • Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
  • Get tested if you have symptoms
  • 60 Virginia localities this week; up from 55 last week

Accomack (ranked low last week)
Amelia (no change from last week)
Amherst (no change from last week)
Bath (ranked low last week)
Bedford (no change from last week)
Botetourt (no change from last week)
Bristol (no change from last week)
Brunswick (no change from last week)
Caroline (ranked low last week)
Carroll (ranked high last week)
Charles City (no change from last week)
Charlotte (no change from last week)
Chesterfield (no change from last week)
Colonial Heights (no change from last week)
Craig (no change from last week)
Cumberland (no change from last week)
Dinwiddie (no change from last week)
Emporia (no change from last week)
Essex (no change from last week)
Floyd (no change from last week)
Franklin County (ranked low last week)
Fredericksburg (no change from last week)
Galax (ranked high last week)
Goochland (ranked high last week)
Grayson (ranked high last week)
Greensville (no change from last week)
Halifax (no change from last week)
Hanover (no change from last week)
Henrico (no change from last week)
Henry (ranked low last week)
Hopewell (no change from last week)
King and Queen (no change from last week)
King George (ranked low last week)
King William (no change from last week)
Lancaster (no change from last week)
Lee (no change from last week)
Lunenburg (no change from last week)
Lynchburg (no change from last week)
Mecklenburg (no change from last week)
Middlesex (no change from last week)
New Kent (no change from last week)
Northumberland (no change from last week)
Orange (ranked low last week)
Powhatan (no change from last week)
Prince Edward (no change from last week)
Prince George (no change from last week)
Richmond City (no change from last week)
Richmond County (no change from last week)
Roanoke City (no change from last week)
Roanoke County (no change from last week)
Russell (ranked high last week)
Salem (no change from last week)
Spotsylvania (ranked low last week)
Stafford (ranked low last week)
Surry (no change from last week)
Sussex (no change from last week)
Warren (ranked low last week)
Washington (no change from last week)
Westmoreland (no change from last week)
Wise (no change from last week)

COVID-19 Community Transmission Levels calculated on Dec. 15, 2022.
COVID-19 Community Transmission Levels calculated on Dec. 15, 2022.

Low Community Level

  • Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
  • Get tested if you have symptoms
  • 65 Virginia localities this week; down from 68 last week

Albemarle (no change from last week)
Alexandria (no change from last week)
Alleghany (no change from last week)
Arlington (no change from last week)
Augusta (no change from last week)
Bland (no change from last week)
Buchanan (no change from last week)
Buckingham (no change from last week)
Buena Vista (no change from last week)
Charlottesville (no change from last week)
Chesapeake (no change from last week)
Clarke (no change from last week)
Covington (no change from last week)
Culpeper (no change from last week)
Danville (no change from last week)
Fairfax City (no change from last week)
Fairfax County (no change from last week)
Falls Church (ranked medium last week)
Fauquier (no change from last week)
Fluvanna (no change from last week)
Franklin City (ranked medium last week)
Frederick (no change from last week)
Giles (no change from last week)
Gloucester (no change from last week)
Greene (no change from last week)
Hampton (no change from last week)
Harrisonburg (no change from last week)
Highland (no change from last week)
Isle of Wight (no change from last week)
James City  (no change from last week)
Lexington (no change from last week)
Loudoun (no change from last week)
Louisa (no change from last week)
Madison (no change from last week)
Manassas (no change from last week)
Manassas Park (no change from last week)
Martinsville (no change from last week)
Mathews (no change from last week)
Montgomery (no change from last week)
Nelson (no change from last week)
Newport News (no change from last week)
Norfolk (no change from last week)
Northampton (no change from last week)
Page (ranked medium last week)
Patrick (no change from last week)
Pittsylvania (no change from last week)
Poquoson (no change from last week)
Portsmouth (no change from last week)
Prince William (no change from last week)
Pulaski (no change from last week)
Radford (no change from last week)
Rappahannock (no change from last week)
Rockbridge (no change from last week)
Rockingham (ranked medium last week)
Shenandoah (ranked medium last week)
Southampton (no change from last week)
Staunton (no change from last week)
Suffolk (no change from last week)
Tazewell (no change from last week)
Virginia Beach (no change from last week)
Waynesboro (no change from last week)
Williamsburg (no change from last week)
Winchester (ranked medium last week)
Wythe (no change from last week)
York (no change from last week)

    Covid-19 Complete Continuing Coverage-1200x630.jpg

    Full Virginia City/County-by-County Breakdown

    Accomack Medium
    Albemarle Low
    Alexandria Low
    Alleghany Low
    Amelia Medium
    Amherst Medium
    Appomattox High
    Arlington Low
    Augusta Low

    Bath Medium
    Bedford Medium
    Bland Low
    Botetourt Medium
    Bristol Medium
    Brunswick Medium
    Buchanan Low
    Buckingham Low
    Buena Vista Low

    Campbell High
    Caroline Medium
    Carroll Medium
    Charles City Medium
    Charlotte Medium
    Charlottesville Low
    Chesapeake Low
    Chesterfield Medium
    Clarke Low
    Colonial Heights Medium
    Covington Low
    Craig Medium
    Culpeper Low
    Cumberland Medium

    Danville Low
    Dickenson High
    Dinwiddie Medium

    Emporia Medium
    Essex Medium

    Fairfax City Low
    Fairfax County Low
    Falls Church Low
    Fauquier Low
    Floyd Medium
    Fluvanna Low
    Franklin City Low
    Franklin County Medium
    Frederick Low
    Fredericksburg Medium

    Galax Medium
    Giles Low
    Gloucester Low
    Goochland Medium
    Grayson Medium
    Greene Low
    Greensville Medium

    Halifax Medium
    Hampton Low
    Hanover Medium
    Harrisonburg Low
    Henrico Medium
    Henry Medium
    Highland Low
    Hopewell Medium

    Isle of Wight Low

    James City Low

    King and Queen Medium
    King George Medium
    King William Medium

    Lancaster Medium
    Lee Medium
    Lexington Low
    Loudoun Low
    Louisa Low
    Lunenburg Medium
    Lynchburg Medium

    Madison Low
    Manassas Low
    Manassas Park Low
    Martinsville Low
    Mathews Low
    Mecklenburg Medium
    Middlesex Medium
    Montgomery Low

    Nelson Low
    New Kent Medium
    Newport News Low
    Norfolk Low
    Northampton Low
    Northumberland Medium
    Norton High
    Nottoway High

    Orange Medium

    Page Low
    Patrick Low
    Petersburg High
    Pittsylvania Low
    Poquoson Low
    Portsmouth Low
    Powhatan Medium
    Prince Edward Medium
    Prince George Medium
    Prince William Low
    Pulaski Low

    Radford Low
    Rappahannock Low
    Richmond City Medium
    Richmond County Medium
    Roanoke City Medium
    Roanoke County Medium
    Rockbridge Low
    Rockingham Low
    Russell Medium

    Salem Medium
    Scott High
    Shenandoah Low
    Smyth High
    Southampton Low
    Spotsylvania Medium
    Stafford Medium
    Staunton Low
    Suffolk Low
    Surry Medium
    Sussex Medium

    Tazewell Low

    Virginia Beach Low

    Warren Medium
    Washington Medium
    Waynesboro Low
    Westmoreland Medium
    Williamsburg Low
    Winchester Low
    Wise Medium
    Wythe Low

    York Low

    Virginians age 6 months+ are eligible for COVID-19 vaccine. Go to Vaccine Finderto search for specific vaccines available near you or call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-275-8343).

    Click here for more information from the Virginia Department of Health.