NORFOLK, Va. — Virginia leaders say all adults who want the vaccine will be eligible by April 18.
So far, the vaccination process has relied on pre-registration appointments, but that could change in late April.
“After April 18 we will have more open self-service scheduling, in between now and then we will rely on the pre-registration system... so that we don’t have issues of 'vaccine tourism,' where people are coming from other parts of the state to take advantage of open access," said Dr. Danny Avula, Virginia's vaccine coordinator.
Avula said about 60% of Virginians are lined up to be vaccinated by May, and then the health department will work on expanding vaccine access to more hesitant populations – like rural communities.
“We’re going to get to 60-65% [vaccination rate] pretty easily, and then we’re going to have 10-15 percent where we have to do the harder work, taking [vaccine] into communities, lowering barriers to access," Avula said.
Most Hampton Roads health districts are now officially in Phase 1C, and if you’re in that group and waiting for a vaccination, expect an appointment soon.
“[For people in] most districts that have been in 1C or are moving over to 1C, they will get invites to appointments for the upcoming week," Avula said in a media call Friday.
New CDC guidance says fully-vaccinated adults don’t need to quarantine or be tested before or after traveling within the country.
The Virginia Department of Health expects to pass 4 million vaccine doses administered in the Commonwealth this Saturday.
Virginia will receive more than 220,000 Johnson and Johnson vaccine doses next week – the largest weekly shipment of the single-dose shots to the Commonwealth so far.