RICHMOND, Va. — Universal masking is now recommended for 60 localities in Virginia, and that once again includes much of Metro Richmond, according to the COVID Community Levels from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The update comes as Virginia's 7-day positivity rate dropped to 22.3%, new cases were essentially flat this week and 81.0% of Virginians 18+ had received at least one vaccine dose, according to the Virginia Department of Health. The 7-day moving average for COVID cases in the U.S. increased 15.7% as of July 13 and 83.4% 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, July 21 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: Virginia's 7-day positivity rate sits at 22.3%; new COVID-19 cases flat last week
Sixty localities in Virginia rank as high where masking indoors is recommended by the CDC. That includes Amelia, Buckingham, Chesterfield, Colonial Heights, Dinwiddie, Hanover, Henrico, Hopewell, Lunenburg, King William, Middlesex, New Kent, Orange, Petersburg, Prince George, Richmond County and the city of Richmond.
Fifty-five localities in the Commonwealth now rank as medium, including Charles City, Cumberland, Essex, Goochland, King and Queen, King George, Lancaster, Louisa, New Kent and Powhatan.
Seventeen localities now rank as low.
Officials with the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts (RHHD) previously said areas in high have additional safety recommendations from the CDC.
"The biggest difference between high and some of the lower level guidance is we are strongly recommending people wear masks while in indoor public spaces now. Especially individuals who are immunocompromised, at high risk of severe illness, or those people that might be around people that are at higher risks," RHHD Epidemiologist Emily Rich said. "We also recommend that masks are worn anytime you're on public transportation that includes buses, airplanes, trains, etc. You should also wear masks in school or clinical settings. And of course, you can always wear masks if you just prefer to."
Rich said people who are immunocompromised should also consider additional precautions.
"There is a list on the CDC website of some conditions that might put you into that higher risk category," said Rich. "So, I definitely recommend people check the CDC website and talk to their healthcare providers to figure out what additional recommendations they might be following."
The CDC also continues to recommend people to get tested if they are showing symptoms, regardless of the level in their community.
"In Richmond, you can get free tests from some of the libraries," said Rich, who added you can also get free tests from the federal government. "And if you would like to get a test that's not an at home test, Richmond and Henrico do host several testing events each week, which you can find on our website. You can also always pick up tests from a pharmacy and submit a claim with your insurance if you have insurance."
Scroll down for a complete alphabetized list city/county-by-county breakdown of localities in Virginia
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
- 60 Virginia localities this week; up from 50 localities last week
Alleghany (ranked medium last week)
Amelia (no change from last week)
Amherst (no change from last week)
Appomattox (no change from last week)
Augusta (no change from last week)
Bath (ranked medium last week)
Bedford (no change from last week)
Bland (no change from last week)
Botetourt (no change from last week)
Bristol (ranked medium last week)
Buckingham (no change from last week)
Buena Vista (no change from last week)
Campbell (no change from last week)
Carroll (no change from last week)
Charlotte (no change from last week)
Charlottesville (no change from last week)
Chesterfield (no change from last week)
Colonial Heights (no change from last week)
Culpeper (ranked medium last week)
Dinwiddie (no change from last week)
Frederick (ranked low last week)
Galax (no change from last week)
Giles (ranked medium last week)
Grayson (no change from last week)
Halifax (no change from last week)
Hanover (ranked medium last week)
Henrico (no change from last week)
Hopewell (no change from last week)
Isle of Wight (ranked low last week)
King William (no change from last week)
Lunenburg (no change from last week)
Lynchburg (no change from last week)
Middlesex (ranked medium last week)
Montgomery (ranked medium last week)
Nelson (ranked medium last week)
Nottoway (no change from last week)
Orange (no change from last week)
Petersburg (no change from last week)
Portsmouth (ranked low last week)
Prince Edward (no change from last week)
Prince George (no change from last week)
Pulaski (no change from last week)
Radford (ranked medium last week)
Richmond City (no change from last week)
Richmond County (ranked medium last week)
Roanoke City (no change from last week)
Roanoke County (no change from last week)
Rockbridge (no change from last week)
Russell (ranked medium last week)
Scott (ranked medium last week)
Shenandoah (ranked medium last week)
Smyth (ranked medium last week)
Southampton (ranked low last week)
Staunton (no change from last week)
Suffolk (ranked medium last week)
Tazewell (no change from last week)
Washington (ranked medium last week)
Waynesboro (no change from last week)
Westmoreland (ranked medium last week)
Winchester (ranked low last week)
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
- 55 Virginia localities this week; down from 60 change from last week
Accomack (no change from last week)
Albemarle (no change from last week)
Alexandria (no change from last week)
Arlington (no change from last week)
Buchanan (ranked high last week)
Charles City (ranked high last week)
Chesapeake (ranked low last week)
Clarke (ranked low last week)
Covington (no change from last week)
Craig (no change from last week)
Cumberland (no change from last week)
Danville (no change from last week)
Dickenson (no change from last week)
Essex (no change from last week)
Fairfax County (no change from last week)
Falls Church (no change from last week)
Floyd (ranked high last week)
Fluvanna (ranked high last week)
Franklin City (ranked low last week)
Franklin County (no change from last week)
Goochland (ranked high last week)
Greene (ranked high last week)
Hampton (no change from last week)
Henry (no change from last week)
Highland (no change from last week)
James City (no change from last week)
King and Queen (no change from last week)
King George (no change from last week)
Lancaster (no change from last week)
Lee (no change from last week)
Lexington (no change from last week)
Loudoun (no change from last week)
Louisa (ranked high last week)
Madison (no change from last week)
Manassas Park (no change from last week)
Martinsville (no change from last week)
Mecklenburg (ranked high last week)
New Kent (ranked high last week)
Newport News (no change from last week)
Norfolk (ranked low last week)
Northampton (no change from last week)
Northumberland (no change from last week)
Norton (no change from last week)
Patrick (ranked low last week)
Pittsylvania (no change from last week)
Powhatan (no change from last week)
Prince William (no change from last week)
Rappahannock (no change from last week)
Salem (no change from last week)
Stafford (no change from last week)
Surry (ranked high last week)
Sussex (ranked high last week)
Virginia Beach (no change from last week)
Warren (no change from last week)
Wise (no change from last week)
Low Community Level
- Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
- Get tested if you have symptoms
- 17 Virginia localities this week; down from 23 last week
Brunswick (no change from last week)
Caroline (ranked medium last week)
Emporia (ranked medium last week)
Fairfax City (no change from last week)
Fauquier (no change from last week)
Fredericksburg (no change from last week)
Gloucester (no change from last week)
Greensville (no change from last week)
Harrisonburg (no change from last week)
Manassas (no change from last week)
Mathews (no change from last week)
Page (no change from last week)
Poquoson (no change from last week)
Rockingham (no change from last week)
Spotsylvania
Williamsburg (no change from last week)
York (no change from last week)
RELATED: County-by-county look at COVID-19 cases in Virginia; which areas saw most cases last week
Full Virginia City/County-by-County Breakdown
Accomack Medium
Albemarle Medium
Alexandria Medium
Alleghany High
Amelia High
Amherst High
Appomattox High
Arlington Medium
Augusta High
Bath High
Bedford High
Bland High
Botetourt High
Bristol High
Brunswick Low
Buchanan Medium
Buckingham High
Buena Vista High
Campbell High
Caroline Low
Carroll High
Charles City Medium
Charlotte High
Charlottesville High
Chesapeake Medium
Chesterfield High
Clarke Medium
Colonial Heights High
Covington Medium
Craig Medium
Culpeper High
Cumberland Medium
Danville Medium
Dickenson Medium
Dinwiddie High
Emporia Low
Essex Medium
Fairfax City Low
Fairfax County Medium
Falls Church Medium
Fauquier Low
Floyd Medium
Fluvanna Medium
Franklin City Medium
Franklin County Medium
Frederick High
Fredericksburg Low
Galax High
Giles High
Gloucester Low
Goochland Medium
Grayson High
Greene Medium
Greensville Low
Halifax High
Hampton Medium
Hanover High
Harrisonburg Low
Henrico High
Henry Medium
Highland Medium
Hopewell High
Isle of Wight High
James City Medium
King and Queen Medium
King George Medium
King William High
Lancaster Medium
Lee Medium
Lexington Medium
Loudoun Medium
Louisa Medium
Lunenburg High
Lynchburg High
Madison Medium
Manassas Low
Manassas Park Medium
Martinsville Medium
Mathews Low
Mecklenburg Medium
Middlesex High
Montgomery High
Nelson High
New Kent Medium
Newport News Medium
Norfolk Medium
Northampton Medium
Northumberland Medium
Norton Medium
Nottoway High
Orange High
Page Low
Patrick Medium
Petersburg High
Pittsylvania Medium
Poquoson Low
Portsmouth High
Powhatan Medium
Prince Edward High
Prince George High
Prince William Medium
Pulaski High
Radford High
Rappahannock Medium
Richmond City High
Richmond County High
Roanoke City High
Roanoke County High
Rockbridge High
Rockingham Low
Russell High
Salem Medium
Scott High
Shenandoah High
Smyth High
Southampton High
Spotsylvania Low
Stafford Medium
Staunton High
Suffolk High
Surry Medium
Sussex Medium
Tazewell High
Virginia Beach Medium
Warren Medium
Washington High
Waynesboro High
Westmoreland High
Williamsburg Low
Winchester High
Wise Medium
Wythe High
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.