RICHMOND, Va. — Universal masking is now recommended for 23 localities in Virginia, and continues to be urged for much of Metro Richmond, according to the COVID Community Levels from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The update comes as new cases in Virginia decreased 12% this week and 73.8% of Virginians are fully vaccinated against the virus, according to the Virginia Department of Health. COVID cases in the U.S. increased 8.0% as of the week of June 8, and 82.9% 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, June 16 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:New COVID cases in Virginia down 12% last week; 73.8% of Virginians now fully vaccinated
Scroll down for a complete alphabetized list city/county-by-county breakdown of localities in Virginia
Twenty-three localities in Virginia rank as high where masking indoors is recommended by the CDC. That includes Amelia, Chesterfield, Colonial Heights, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico and the City of Richmond.
Fifty-seven localities in the Commonwealth now rank as medium, including parts of Central Virginia. Fifty-three 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
- 23 Virginia localities this week; up from 22 localities last week
Amelia (ranked medium last week)
Amherst (ranked medium last week)
Campbell (no change from last week)
Carroll (ranked medium last week)
Charlotte (ranked medium last week)
Chesterfield (no change from last week)
Colonial Heights (no change from last week)
Franklin City (ranked low last week)
Franklin County (ranked medium last week)
Galax (no change from last week)
Goochland (ranked medium last week)
Grayson (no change from last week)
Halifax (no change from last week)
Hanover (no change from last week)
Henrico (no change from last week)
Lunenburg (no change from last week)
Lynchburg (no change from last week)
Mecklenburg (no change from last week)
Nottoway (ranked medium last week)
Portsmouth (ranked medium last week)
Richmond City (no change from last week)
Roanoke County (no change from last week)
Virginia Beach (ranked medium 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
- 57 Virginia localities this week; down from 69 localities last week
Albemarle (no change from last week)
Alexandria (no change from last week)
Alleghany (ranked low last week)
Appomattox (ranked high last week)
Arlington (no change from last week)
Bath (no change from last week)
Bedford (no change from last week)
Botetourtt (ranked high last week)
Bristol (ranked low last week)
Buena Vista (no change from last week)
Charles City (ranked high last week)
Charlottesville (no change from last week)
Chesapeake (no change from last week)
Clarke (ranked high last week)
Craig (no change from last week)
Cumberland (no change from last week)
Danville (no change from last week)
Dinwiddie (no change from last week)
Emporia (ranked low last week)
Essex (no change from last week)
Fairfax County (no change from last week)
Falls Church (no change from last week)
Floyd (no change from last week)
Greensville (no change from last week)
Hampton (no change from last week)
Henry (no change from last week)
Hopewell (ranked high last week)
Isle of Wight (ranked low last week)
James City (no change from last week)
King and Queen (no change from last week)
King William (no change from last week)
Lancaster (no change from last week)
Lexington (no change from last week)
Loudoun (no change from last week)
Middlesex (ranked high last week)
New Kent (no change from last week)
Newport News (no change from last week)
Norfolk (ranked low last week)
Northumberland (no change from last week)
Norton (no change from last week)
Pittsylvania (no change from last week)
Powhatan (no change from last week)
Prince Edward (no change from last week)
Prince William (no change from last week)
Richmond County (no change from last week)
Roanoke City (no change from last week)
Salem (no change from last week)
Scott (ranked low last week)
Smyth (ranked low last week)
Southampton (ranked low last week)
Stafford (no change from last week)
Suffolk (no change from last week)
Sussex (ranked high last week)
Warren (ranked high last week)
Westmoreland (no change from last week)
Winchester (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
- 53 Virginia localities this week; up from 42 localities last week
Accomack (no change from last week)
Augusta (ranked medium last week)
Bland (ranked medium last week)
Brunswick (ranked medium last week)
Buchanan (ranked medium last week)
Buckingham (ranked medium last week)
Caroline (ranked medium last week)
Covington (ranked medium last week)
Culpeper (no change from last week)
Dickenson (no change from last week)
Fairfax City (no change from last week)
Fauquier (no change from last week)
Fluvanna (no change from last week)
Frederick (ranked medium last week)
Fredericksburg (no change from last week)
Giles (no change from last week)
Gloucester (no change from last week)
Greene (no change from last week)
Harrisonburg (no change from last week)
Highland (no change from last week)
King George (ranked medium last week)
Lee (no change from last week)
Louisa (no change from last week)
Madison (ranked medium last week)
Manassas (no change from last week)
Manassas Park (ranked medium 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)
Northampton (no change from last week)
Orange (no change from last week)
Page (no change from last week)
Patrick (no change from last week)
Petersburg (ranked medium last week)
Poquoson (no change from last week)
Prince George (ranked high last week)
Pulaski (no change from last week)
Radford (ranked medium last week)
Rappahannock (no change from last week)
Rockbridge (no change from last week)
Rockingham (no change from last week)
Russell (no change from last week)
Shenandoah (ranked medium last week)
Spotsylvania (ranked medium last week)
Staunton (ranked medium last week)
Surry (ranked medium last week)
Tazewell (ranked medium last week)
Washington (no change from last week)
Waynesboro (no change from last week)
Williamsburg (no change from last week)
Wythe (ranked medium 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 Low
Albemarle Medium
Alexandria Medium
Alleghany Medium
Amelia High
Amherst High
Appomattox Medium
Arlington Medium
Augusta Low
Bath Medium
Bedford Medium
Bland Low
Botetourt Medium
Bristol Medium
Brunswick Low
Buchanan Low
Buckingham Low
Buena Vista Medium
Campbell High
Caroline Low
Carroll High
Charles City Medium
Charlotte High
Charlottesville Medium
Chesapeake Medium
Chesterfield High
Clarke Medium
Colonial Heights High
Covington Low
Craig Medium
Culpeper Low
Cumberland Medium
Danville Medium
Dickenson Low
Dinwiddie Medium
Emporia Medium
Essex Medium
Fairfax City Low
Fairfax County Medium
Falls Church Medium
Fauquier Low
Floyd Medium
Fluvanna Low
Franklin City High
Franklin County High
Frederick Low
Fredericksburg Low
Galax High
Giles Low
Gloucester Low
Goochland High
Grayson High
Greene Low
Greensville Medium
Halifax High
Hampton Medium
Hanover High
Harrisonburg Low
Henrico High
Henry Medium
Highland Low
Hopewell Medium
Isle of Wight Medium
James City Medium
King and Queen Medium
King George Low
King William Medium
Lancaster Medium
Lee Low
Lexington Medium
Loudoun Medium
Louisa Low
Lunenburg High
Lynchburg High
Madison Low
Manassas Low
Manassas Park Low
Martinsville Low
Mathews Low
Mecklenburg High
Middlesex Medium
Montgomery Low
Nelson Low
New Kent Medium
Newport News Medium
Norfolk Medium
Northampton Low
Northumberland Medium
Norton Medium
Nottoway High
Orange Low
Page Low
Patrick Low
Petersburg Low
Pittsylvania Medium
Poquoson Low
Portsmouth High
Powhatan Medium
Prince Edward Medium
Prince George Low
Prince William Medium
Pulaski Low
Radford Low
Rappahannock Low
Richmond City High
Richmond County Medium
Roanoke City Medium
Roanoke County High
Rockbridge Low
Rockingham Low
Russell Low
Salem Medium
Scott Medium
Shenandoah Low
Smyth Medium
Southampton Medium
Spotsylvania Low
Stafford Medium
Staunton Low
Suffolk Medium
Surry Low
Sussex Medium
Tazewell Low
Virginia Beach High
Warren Medium
Washington Low
Waynesboro Low
Westmoreland Medium
Williamsburg Low
Winchester Medium
Wise Medium
Wythe Low
York Low
Virginians age 5+ 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.