RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia once again has several localities that rank as high for the first time since late March. Additionally, more cities and counties in Central Virginia are ranked as medium, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The update comes as new cases in Virginia increased 25% this week and 73.6% of Virginians are fully vaccinated against the virus, according to the Virginia Department of Health. COVID cases in the U.S. increased 18.8% from the prior week, and 82.6% of the country's total population (people 5+) has received at least one vaccine dose, the CDC reported in its weekly update.
The agency released an updated map Thursday, May 19 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 jumped 25% this week; 73.6% of Virginians now fully vaccinated
Five localities in Virginia, Augusta, Highland, Lexington, Staunton and Waynesboro, now rank as high where masking indoors is recommended by the CDC. This is the first time since the Commonwealth has seen high levels since theweek of March 24.
New parts of Metro Richmond that rank as medium now include the City of Richmond, Goochland and New Kent counties. Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Hanover, Henrico and Prince George continue to be ranked as medium while Hopewell, Petersburg and Powhatan dropped from medium to low.
People in areas ranked as low, medium do not need to wear masks, according to the CDC. But those at high risk for severe illness are urged to talk to their healthcare provider about whether to wear a mask and take other precautions.
These CDC measures, which were announced Friday, Feb. 25, focus less on positive test results and more on what’s happening at hospitals.
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
- 5 Virginia localities this week; up from 0 localities last week
Augusta (ranked medium last week)
Highland (ranked medium last week)
Lexington (ranked medium last week)
Staunton (ranked medium last week)
Waynesboro (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
- 52 Virginia localities this week; up from 30 localities last week
Albemarle (no change from last week)
Alexandria (no change from last week)
Arlington (no change from last week)
Bedford (no change from last week)
Buena Vista (ranked low last week)
Carroll (ranked low last week)
Charlotte (ranked low last week)
Charlottesville (no change)
Chesapeake (no change)
Chesterfield (no change)
Cumberland (ranked low last week)
Danville (ranked low last week)
Dinwiddie (no change)
Fairfax County (no change)
Falls Church (no change)
Fluvanna (ranked low last week)
Franklin (ranked low last week)
Fredericksburg (no change)
Galax (ranked low last week)
Giles (ranked low last week)
Goochland (ranked low last week)
Grayson (ranked low last week)
Greene (no change)
Halifax (no change)
Hampton (ranked low last week)
Hanover (no change)
Henrico (no change)
James City (no change)
King George (ranked low last week)
Loudoun (no change)
Louisa (ranked low last week)
Manassas (ranked low last week)
Manassas Park (ranked low last week)
Montgomery (no change)
New Kent (ranked low last week)
Newport News (ranked low last week)
Norton (ranked low last week)
Nottoway (no change)
Orange (ranked low last week)
Prince George (no change)
Prince William (ranked low last week)
Radford (ranked low last week)
Richmond City(ranked low last week)
Richmond County (ranked low last week)
Roanoke City (ranked low last week)
Roanoke County (ranked low last week)
Rockbridge (ranked low last week)
Spotsylvania (ranked low last week)
Stafford (no change)
Suffolk (ranked low last week)
Virginia Beach (ranked low last week)
York (ranked low last week)
Low Community Level
- Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
- Get tested if you have symptoms
- 76 Virginia localities this week; down from 103 localities last week
Accomack
Alleghany
Amelia
Amherst
Appomattox
Bath
Bland
Botetourt
Bristol
Brunswick
Buchanan
Buckingham
Campbell
Caroline
Charles City (ranked medium last week)
Clarke
Colonial Heights
Covington (ranked medium last week)
Craig
Culpeper
Dickenson
Emporia
Essex
Fairfax
Fauquier
Floyd
Franklin
Frederick
Gloucester
Greensville
Harrisonburg
Henry
Hopewell (ranked medium last week)
Isle of Wight
King and Queen
King William
Lancaster
Lee
Lunenburg
Lynchburg
Madison
Martinsville
Mathews
Mecklenburg
Middlesex
Nelson
Norfolk
Northampton
Northumberland
Page
Patrick
Petersburg (ranked medium last week)
Pittsylvania
Poquoson
Portsmouth
Powhatan (ranked medium last week)
Prince Edward
Pulaski
Rappahannock
Rockingham
Russell
Salem
Scott
Shenandoah
Smyth
Southampton
Surry (ranked medium last week)
Sussex (ranked medium last week)
Tazewell
Warren
Washington
Westmoreland
Williamsburg
Winchester
Wise
Wythe
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 Low
Amelia Low
Amherst Low
Appomattox Low
Arlington Medium
Augusta High
Bath Low
Bedford Medium
Bland Low
Botetourt Low
Bristol Low
Brunswick Low
Buchanan Low
Buckingham Low
Buena Vista Medium
Campbell Low
Caroline Low
Carroll Medium
Charles City Low
Charlotte Medium
Charlottesville Medium
Chesapeake Medium
Chesterfield Medium
Clarke Low
Colonial Heights Low
Covington Low
Craig Low
Culpeper Low
Cumberland Medium
Danville Medium
Dickenson Low
Dinwiddie Medium
Emporia Low
Essex Low
Fairfax City Low
Fairfax County Medium
Falls Church Medium
Fauquier Low
Floyd Low
Fluvanna Medium
Franklin City Medium
Franklin County Low
Frederick Low
Fredericksburg Medium
Galax Medium
Giles Medium
Gloucester Low
Goochland Medium
Grayson Medium
Greene Medium
Greensville Low
Halifax Medium
Hampton Medium
Hanover Medium
Harrisonburg Low
Henrico Medium
Henry Low
Highland High
Hopewell Low
Isle of Wight Low
James City Medium
King and Queen Low
King George Medium
King William Low
Lancaster Low
Lee Low
Lexington High
Loudoun Medium
Louisa Medium
Lunenburg Low
Lynchburg Low
Madison Low
Manassas Medium
Manassas Park Medium
Martinsville Low
Mathews Low
Mecklenburg Low
Middlesex Low
Montgomery Medium
Nelson Low
New Kent Medium
Newport News Medium
Norfolk Low
Northampton Low
Northumberland Low
Norton Medium
Nottoway Medium
Orange Medium
Page Low
Patrick Low
Petersburg Low
Pittsylvania Low
Poquoson Low
Portsmouth Low
Powhatan Low
Prince Edward Low
Prince George Medium
Prince William Medium
Pulaski Low
Radford Medium
Rappahannock Low
Richmond City Medium
Richmond County Medium
Roanoke City Medium
Roanoke County Medium
Rockbridge Medium
Rockingham Low
Russell Low
Salem Low
Scott Low
Shenandoah Low
Smyth Low
Southampton Low
Spotsylvania Medium
Stafford Medium
Staunton High
Suffolk Medium
Surry Low
Sussex Low
Tazewell Low
Virginia Beach Medium
Warren Low
Washington Low
Waynesboro High
Westmoreland Low
Williamsburg Low
Winchester Low
Wise Low
Wythe Low
York Medium
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.