FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – January 6, 2022
Media Contact
Cindy Clayton, VDH PIO, cindy.clayton@vdh.virginia.gov
Virginia Department of Health To Close Five Community Vaccination Centers Friday Due to Expected Inclement Weather
(RICHMOND, Va.) — The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is closing five of its Community Vaccination Centers (CVCs) on Friday, January 7, 2022, due to expected inclement weather with some areas of the state expected to see several inches of snow. Individuals with appointments will be notified of the cancellation and can visit vase.vdh.virginia.gov to reschedule.
VDH made the decision to close the centers located in Charlottesville, Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Prince William and Roanoke out of an abundance of caution for the public and staff. The CVCs in Chesterfield, Newport News, Norfolk and Richmond will be open with regular hours.
VDH will decide on Friday whether to open the closed CVC sites on Saturday. Please check VDH’s website and social media accounts for this information.
Individuals are advised to reschedule missed vaccine appointments as soon as possible. Second doses of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines can be safely extended up to 42 days after the first dose is given. Thus those who had scheduled a return date of 21 or 28 days after their first dose still have some time to receive a timely vaccine. Those who miss the opportunity to get a second dose within 42 days should still proceed with a second dose and will be considered fully vaccinated, though per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention there is limited information on the effectiveness of receiving a second dose beyond 42 days.
CVCs offer first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccines along with booster doses. More than 250,000 vaccine doses have been administered at the CVCs since they opened in October 2021.
The best time to prepare for severe winter weather is now, before temperatures drop significantly and staying safe and warm becomes a challenge. Visit the VDH website to learn more about winter safety.
To find a vaccine or an appointment at a CVC 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. Walk-ins are welcome at CVCs, but appointments are strongly encouraged to avoid extended wait times.
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