FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – February 4, 2022
Media Contact, Melissa Gordon, Vaccinate Virginia
melissa.gordon@vdh.virginia.gov
Statement from Virginia State Vaccination Coordinator Christy Gray on Full Licensure of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine
(RICHMOND, Va.) – The following statement is from state vaccination coordinator Christy Gray, M.P.H., director of the Division of Immunization in the Office of Epidemiology.
“The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is pleased that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decided to grant full licensure to the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for persons ages 18 years and older and that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended the approved vaccine. This action comes after rigorous review and study by scientists and other researchers at the FDA and the CDC.
“More than 204 million doses of the Moderna vaccine have been administered in the United States, with 3,466,960 Moderna doses administered in Virginia since the vaccination campaign began in late December 2020. The science is clear that this is a safe vaccine that is effective in preventing infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and subsequent variants and in preventing serious illness that could result in hospitalization and/or death.
“The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, which will be marketed under the brand name ‘Spikevax,’ will continue to be available under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for individuals 18 years of age and older for the administration of a 2 dose primary series, a third primary dose in immunocompromised individuals, and as a single booster dose either five months after completion of two doses of an mRNA vaccine or two months after a Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Spikevax has the same formulation as the EUA Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and can be used interchangeably with the EUA Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.”
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Those who are unvaccinated remain at the highest risk of severe illness and hospitalization due to COVID-19. This population remains VDH’s top priority. Everyone 5 years or older is eligible to be vaccinated. To find free vaccines at a Community Vaccination Center or another location near you, visit vaccinate.virginia.gov or call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682, TTY users call 7-1-1). Assistance is available in English, Spanish, and more than 100 other languages. At Community Vaccination Centers, appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome.
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