More than 115,000 Fairfax County’s residents have now been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the latest state data shows.
The Virginia Department of Health reported today (Monday) that Fairfax County has given a total of 312,706 vaccine doses to 203,015 people, of whom 115,506 received both required doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or the one-off Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
The county passed the milestone of 100,000 vaccinations completed last week as officials believe the availability of care will continue to increase. The Fairfax County Health Department received 31,590 doses of vaccine from the state between March 8 and March 14, a significant increase from 19,220 doses the week before.
Even if vaccinations increase, district leaders and health officials are urging the community to remain vigilant and continue to adhere to COVID-19 health protocols.
With an additional 115 cases reported today, the Fairfax Health District has recorded 69,628 COVID-19 cases, 3,653 hospital admissions and 1,057 deaths. The seven-day average is currently 134 new cases per day, although the rate has been steadily declining since peaking at nearly 700 cases on Jan. 17.
“The way forward is not easy,” said Jeff McKay, chairman of the Fairfax County’s board of directors, in his last newsletter on Friday March 12th. “We are still seeing about 140 new cases a day and I urge you to keep wearing a mask, social distancing, and washing your hands. What comes next won’t be easy, but there is a way forward. “
Hopes promised by accelerated vaccination were dampened this weekend when the death toll from COVID-19 in Virginia topped 10,000 on Sunday (March 14). It also marked the one-year anniversary of the state’s first death caused by the novel coronavirus.
To mark the occasion, Governor Ralph Northam yesterday ordered all Virginia flags to be lowered to half mast from sunrise to sunset. In tribute to the victims of the pandemic, the governor’s mansion in Richmond will be illuminated in amber light until March 21, the day Fairfax County reported its first COVID-19 death.
At the same time, Northam has set ambitious goals for the Commonwealth’s vaccination campaign and is committed to not only achieving President Joe Biden’s goal of opening the license to all adults by May 1st, but also “achieving independence from this virus on May 4th”. To celebrate July “.
“We can do this in Virginia if we all continue to follow public health guidelines and get vaccinated,” Northam said. “So we will come together, face this dark time and emerge stronger than ever.”
Images via CDC on Unsplash, Virginia Department of Health