News Flash

Jan. 27, 2021 - The Centers for Disease Control and the Virginia Department of Health have categorized and prioritized groups of people who are most crucial to treating people with COVID-19, and those whose jobs put them at the most risk of direct contact with people who may be carrying the virus. 

Who is getting the vaccine?

The first group, called 1A, is health-care workers. Most of the health-care workers in the region who want the vaccine have had at least one of the two shots required. Officially, all localities in Hampton Roads are now vaccinating people in the second category, called 1B. The third category is 1C.

The Virginia Department of Health and its local offices are in charge of vaccine distribution. Hampton officials – and city/county officials in other localities – are working with the state to assist in various ways.

Is there a vaccination clinic in Hampton?

Hampton is running a vaccination clinic in combination with Hampton City Schools. The clinic opened last week after emergency medical technicians and school nurses were certified to give the vaccines. The plan is to finish vaccinating city and school health workers (1A) and then vaccinate front-line staff (teachers, police, etc.). After that, the city will move to vaccinating other front-line and high-risk employees. 

What about non-city or school employees?

The city and schools clinic has also been working to establish procedures to make it easier to vaccinate more people per day - procedures that can be replicated by the Hampton Health District. These changes should allow the Hampton Health District to focus on other residents in the 1B category. One of the challenges is that thousands of people are in that category. The Health District is starting with people age 75 and up, because their risk of complications is higher than for younger people. 

Who can register for the vaccine?

Anyone 65 and older can register now, but people 75 and older will be scheduled first. To register, Hampton residents should go online. Others in the 1B category – mostly people age 16-64 with an underlying health condition – can also register online.

People can also call the Health Department at 757-594-7496 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, but call volumes are very high and the lines are often busy.

Who else has the vaccine?

Other health agencies are also scheduling vaccinations. If you are a patient at a primary-care office affiliated with Sentara or Riverside hospital groups, you may hear from them. The military and the Veterans Administration Medical Center are also vaccinating their patients. 

But when? 

That’s the question no one can answer because the supply of the vaccine limited. As more vaccine becomes available, more appointments will be scheduled. Hampton’s emailed newsletter is a good place to get the latest city information. You can sign up at: www.hampton.gov/beinformed