HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- Insurance giant Aetna hosted a free, walk-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Islamic Center of Henrico Saturday.
The clinic comes as vaccination numbers in Virginia continue to increase, but at a slower pace than the past few months. As a result, health officials have shifted their strategy from mass vaccination clinics to more targeted events.
Additionally, recent state data show a lag in vaccine adoption in Black, Asian and Pacific Islanders (APPI) and Latino populations, according to Aetna.
Health officials said these smaller clinics, which bring vaccines directly to those communities, are most effective in reaching vulnerable populations.
"We're trying to make our events really accessible, but then also really celebratory and fun at our pop up events,” Cat Long, a public information officer with the Richmond Henrico Health District said. “So it feels a little bit less like an errand that you have to cross off your list. There are lots of opportunities available.”
Community groups in Richmond and Henrico can now set up their own vaccine clinics through the health department. Visit vax.rchd.com or call their hotline at 804-205-3501.
About 136 million or so Americans were considered fully vaccinated as of Friday. That number includes 3,871,196 Virginians or 56.9% of the state’s adult population, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
Virginians age 12+ are now eligible for COVID-19 vaccine. Pre-registration is no longer required,so go to Vaccine Finderto search for specific vaccines available near you or call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-275-8343).
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Have You Been Fully Vaccinated?
People are considered fully vaccinated:
- 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or
- 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine
How to Protect Yourself and Others When You’ve Been Fully Vaccinated
COVID-19 vaccines are effective at protecting you from getting sick. Based on what we know about COVID-19 vaccines, people who have been fully vaccinated can start to do some things that they had stopped doing because of the pandemic.
We’re still learning how vaccines will affect the spread of COVID-19. After you’ve been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, you should keep taking precautions—like wearing a mask, staying 6 feet apart from others, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces—in public places until we know more.
These recommendations can help you make decisions about daily activities after you are fully vaccinated. They are not intended for healthcare settings.
Click here for more information from the Virginia Department of Health.