This will be the last 4 p.m. COVID-19 Update. We will continue to send out news releases about vaccinations and other COVID-19-related information as they become available.
The Greater Williamsburg Clinic, operating out of the Colonial Williamsburg Visitor Center, has available appointment slots tomorrow, May 14 for ANYONE who is 18 or older. Appointments can be made for first or second doses, disregard the heading on the link: https://vaccineappointments.virginia.gov/reg/0515962093, Need help scheduling your appointment? Call 877-724-1954. This will be the last opportunity to receive a vaccine at the Greater Williamsburg Clinic.
BY THE NUMBERS as of 10 a.m., May 13
Current 7-Day Positivity Rate PCR Only
State: 3.6%
Peninsula Health District: 4.9%
James City County: 2.0%
Statewide Cases, Hospitalizations and Deaths
Cases: 668,726 (increase of 1,740 since Monday, May 10)
Hospitalizations: 29,103 (increase of 192 since Monday, May 10)
Deaths: 10,961 (increase of 59 since Monday, May 10)
James City County Cases, Hospitalizations and Deaths
Cases: 4,602 (increase of 13 since Monday, May 10)
Hospitalizations: 153 (increase of 4 since Monday, May 10)
Deaths: 72 (no change)
VACCINATIONS
Statewide
Vaccine doses administered: 6,926,215 (increase of 203,781 since Monday, May 10)
People fully vaccinated: 3,099,729 (increase of 143,865 since Monday, May 10)
James City County
Vaccine doses administered: 76,315 (increase of 1,314 since Monday, May 10)
People fully vaccinated: 34,669 (increase of 981 since Monday, May 10)
LATEST NEWS ON COVID-19
Greater Williamsburg Clinic in Visitor Center to Close on May 14: https://jamescitycountyva.gov/civicalerts.aspx?AID=4791
VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
State-run Community Vaccination Centers to Begin Offering COVID-19 Vaccine to Adolescents on Friday: https://jamescitycountyva.gov/civicalerts.aspx?AID=4792
VACCINATE VIRGINIA - MAY 13 UPDATE
On May 12, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concurred with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is safe for use by people 12 and older. Previously, the vaccine was only available to people 16 and older. Virginia immediately announced that all vaccination providers using the Pfizer-BioNTech could expand eligibility to include adolescents. Virginia’s state-run community vaccination centers will begin vaccinating adolescents on Friday, May 14. Many providers have already begun vaccinating adolescents, and others are in the process of updating their online forms and on-site procedures. While anyone under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult, requirements may vary by provider as to which adults may accompany minors and what documentation of age or parental consent may be needed. The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines continue to be appropriate only for people aged 18 and older.
Sixth Amended Executive Order 72 is currently in effect, and Seventh Amended Executive Order 72 will further relax mitigation requirements on May 15. Governor Northam plans to remove the remaining mitigation requirements on June 15, if case rates continue to fall and vaccinations continue to increase. Mask requirements will be evaluated separately. The CDC updated its guidance on May 13 to say that fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance. People should wear masks whenever they have respiratory symptoms, and people who are immunocompromised should consult with their healthcare providers. Governor Northam amended Executive Order 72 on April 29 to align the mask requirements with the CDC guidance for outdoor mask use, and will continue to evaluate the requirements for indoor use.
Everyone in Virginia age 12 or older is eligible to be vaccinated. Pre-registration is no longer required, and many clinics offer walk-in service in addition to scheduled appointments. Everyone should continue to visit vaccinate.virginia.gov or call 877-VAX-IN-VA, and the website now includes a simple address search to help everyone find the most convenient ways to get vaccinated.
Governor Northam has expressed support for President Biden’s goal that at least 70% of adults in America receive a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine by July 4. Approximately 64% of adults in Virginia -- more than 4 million people -- have already received their first dose, with nearly 7 million doses of vaccine administered so far in Virginia. (Note that the vaccine data dashboards will be unavailable between the evenings of May 14 and 15 due to scheduled maintenance. Static snapshots of the data will be available during that time.)
EMERGENCY BROADBAND AVAILABLE FOR QUALIFED HOUSEHOLDS
The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program is a temporary FCC program for COVID-19 relief that provides discounts on broadband services and devices for qualified households. Visit http://GetEmergencyBroadband.org to learn more about the discounts, eligibility and how to apply.
CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
Updated - Pregnant and Recently Pregnant People: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/pregnant-people.html
Updated - People with Certain Medical Conditions: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html
Updated - Breastfeeding and Caring for Newborns: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/pregnancy-breastfeeding.html
Updated - COVID-19 Vaccines for Children and Teens: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/adolescents.html
Updated - Key Things to Know about COVID-19 Vaccines: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/keythingstoknow.html
PREVIOUSLY RELEASED INFORMATION
It’s time to get back to the people you love. Get fully vaccinated. Same day appointments and walk-ins are available in our community. Please do not continue to wait for a phone call or an email letting you know that it is your turn. You do not need to go to the same location for the second dose, you just need to have the same vaccine (Moderna or Pfizer).
LOCAL INFORMATION
- COVID-19 Vaccine Information Line for Vaccine Distribution in the Greater Williamsburg area: 877-724-1954
- Frequently Asked Questions: https://www.williamsburgva.gov/791/COVID-19-Vaccine-FAQs
COUNTY NEWS ON COVID-19
- Health Districts, Localities and Health Systems Join Forces Under Operation Vaccinate the Peninsula: https://jamescitycountyva.gov/civicalerts.aspx?AID=4625
- COVID-19 Eviction Prevention Program
---- Do you live in James City County, the City of Williamsburg or York County?
---- Have you been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic?
---- Are you behind in your rental payments?
You may be eligible for rental assistance. Call 757-259-5340 or email housing@jamescitycountyva.gov for more information.
- If you are a JCC resident and have questions about the CARES Act for your water or sewer bill contact James City Service Authority at 757-259-5416 or email at jcsa@jamescitycountyva.gov and put CARES Act in the subject heading. For those that have applied please monitor your account.
JCC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
- The application portal for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) is now open. https://restaurants.sba.gov/requests/borrower/login. As a reminder, during the first 21 days of the program, the Small Business Administration will fund applications from the following groups: women, veterans, socially and economically disadvantaged. You may view a recorded webinar about how to apply on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=fxi3EcB_BZ4&feature=youtu.be. More information is available online: https://www.yesjamescitycountyva.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=4750.
- Virginia 30 Day Fund Update: We have funded more than 125 businesses. We encourage businesses to review the Greater Williamsburg Small Business Relief Fund to assist with obstacles they have faced due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.Funding is still available.See if you qualify: https://va30dayfund.com.
VDEM/FEMA
- FEMA to Help Pay Funeral Costs for COVID-19-Related Deaths in Virginia: https://jamescitycountyva.gov/civicalerts.aspx?AID=4699
CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
- Post-COVID conditions are symptoms that last weeks or months after having COVID-19. Long-term symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, headache, and loss of smell or taste can happen to anyone who has had COVID-19. If you think you have a post-COVID condition, talk to your healthcare provider about options for treatment or management. Many patients with these symptoms are getting better with time. Learn more about post-COVID conditions: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/long-term-effects.html
FEMA
- Due to the large amount of speculation regarding COVID-19 vaccines, remember to rely on OFFICIAL sources to get information. Help control the spread of rumors by sharing this page: https://www.fema.gov/disasters/coronavirus/rumor-control fema.gov/disasters/coronavirus/rumor-control
- If you are applying for COVID-19 Funeral Assistance program, beware of common scams.
--- FEMA representatives always have official I.D. and will never charge you a fee or ask for any payment.
--- Do not give out your social security number or banking information unless you are registering with a verified FEMA representative. You will be asked to provide this information only when first registering with FEMA.
--- If you are a victim of fraud, report it to our Disaster Fraud Hotline: 1-866-720-5721.
SCAMS
- FBI and Virginia Department of Health Partner to Warn of Fraud Schemes Related to COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution: https://jamescitycountyva.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=4639
- People are reporting getting emails and texts asking them to complete a limited-time COVID vaccine survey. In exchange, people are offered a free reward, but asked to play shipping fees. This is a scam. https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2021/03/ignore-bogus-covid-vaccine-survey
TESTING
- Who should get tested for COVID-19? https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus/covid-19-testing/
ADD YOUR PHONE TO THE COVID FIGHT
- COVIDWISE is Virginia’s official exposure notifications app that lets you know if you’ve likely been exposed to another COVIDWISE user with a positive COVID-19 test result. COVIDWISE is free to download on your smartphone and designed to completely protect your privacy. The more Virginians that use COVIDWISE, the better you can be informed of potential exposure, which helps reduce your risk while protecting your family, friends and community. COVIDWISE is now connected to the National Key Server, which lets COVIDWISE anonymously share data with exposure notifications apps from other states. Visit https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/covidwise/ for more information.
NEED HELP OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO DOES?
- If you, or someone you care about, are feeling overwhelmed with emotions like sadness, depression, or anxiety, or feel like you want to harm yourself or others:
---- Call 911
---- Visit the Disaster Distress Helpline, call 1-800-985-5990, or text TalkWithUs to 66746
---- Visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline or call 1-800-799-7233 and TTY 1-800-787-3224
COVID WARMLINE
- Call the Virginia C.O.P.E.S. warm line if you are feeling stressed by COVID-19 and need support. Virginia C.O.P.E.S., which stands for compassionate, optimistic, person-centered, empowering support, is a “warm” line set up to help people who are having trouble dealing with the changes in our lives due to COVID-19. Callers can receive emotional support and referrals for mental and behavioral health and other services. Unlike 911, which is used only for emergencies, a warm line offers support and gives people the chance to talk about their struggles and mental health. The COVID Warm Line number is (877) 349-6428 Toll Free. 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday, 5 -9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Spanish speaking counselors are available.
COVID-19 INFORMATION
- Virginia Department of Health (VDH): www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus, Phone: 1-877-ASK-VDH3
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/
Media Contact:
Renee Dallman, Public Information Officer
757-253-6605; renee.dallman@jamescitycountyva.gov