RICHMOND, Va. — Universal masking is now recommended for 12 localities in Virginia, including much of Metro Richmond, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The update comes as new cases in Virginia increased 2% last week and 73.7% of Virginians are fully vaccinated against the virus, according to the Virginia Department of Health. COVID cases in the U.S. increased, and 82.8% of the country's total population (people 5+) has received at least one vaccine dose, the CDC reported in its weekly update.
The agency released an updated map Thursday, June 2 with county-by-county color designations to indicate whether residents should wear masks or not.
"There are three levels (low, medium, high), which are determined by looking at hospital beds being used by patients with COVID-19, new hospital admissions among people with COVID-19, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in your area," CDC officials wrote.
IN-DEPTH:New COVID cases in Virginia up 2% last week; 73.7% of Virginians now fully vaccinated
Scroll down for a complete alphabetized list city/county-by-county breakdown of localities in Virginia
Twelve localities in Virginia rank as high where masking indoors is recommended by the CDC. That includes Chesterfield, Colonial Heights, Henrico and the City of Richmond.
This is the only the second time these localities have ranked high since the CDC released its new ranking system on Feb. 25 that focuses less on positive test results and more on what’s happening at hospitals.
Sixty-five localities in the Commonwealth now rank as medium, including parts of Central Virginia. Fifty-seven localities now rank as low.
Officials with the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts (RHHD) said areas in high have additional safety recommendations from the CDC.
"The biggest difference between high and some of the lower level guidance is we are strongly recommending people wear masks while in indoor public spaces now. Especially individuals who are immunocompromised, at high risk of severe illness, or those people that might be around people that are at higher risks," said RHHD Epidemiologist Emily Rich. "We also recommend that masks are worn anytime you're on public transportation that includes buses, airplanes, trains, etc. You should also wear masks in school or clinical settings. And of course, you can always wear masks if you just prefer to."
Rich said people who are immunocompromised should also consider additional precautions.
"There is a list on the CDC website of some conditions that might put you into that higher risk category," said Rich. "So, I definitely recommend people check the CDC website and talk to their healthcare providers to figure out what additional recommendations they might be following."
The CDC also continues to recommend people to get tested if they are showing symptoms, regardless of the level in their community.
"In Richmond, you can get free tests from some of the libraries," said Rich, who added you can also get free tests from the federal government. "And if you would like to get a test that's not an at home test, Richmond and Henrico do host several testing events each week, which you can find on our website. You can also always pick up tests from a pharmacy and submit a claim with your insurance if you have insurance."
Scroll down for a complete alphabetized list city/county-by-county breakdown of localities in Virginia
High Community Level
- Wear a mask indoors in public
- Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
- Get tested if you have symptoms
- Additional precautions may be needed for people at high risk for severe illness
- 12 Virginia localities this week; down from 27 localities last week
Augusta (ranked medium last week)
Charlotte (no change from last week)
Chesterfield (no change from last week)
Colonial Heights (no change from last week)
Galax (ranked medium last week)
Halifax (no change from last week)
Henrico (no change from last week)
Lexington (ranked medium last week)
Lunenburg (no change from last week)
Mecklenburg (no change from last week)
Prince Edward (ranked medium last week)
Richmond City (no change from last week)
Medium Community Level
- If you are at high risk for severe illness, talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to wear a mask and take other precautions
- Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
- Get tested if you have symptoms
- 65 Virginia localities this week; no change from 65 localities last week
Albemarle (ranked high last week)
Alexandria (no change from last week)
Amelia (no change from last week)
Arlington (no change from last week)
Bath (no change from last week)
Bland (ranked low last week)
Buchanan (ranked low last week)
Buckingham (ranked high last week)
Buena Vista (ranked low last week)
Carroll (no change from last week)
Charles City (no change from last week)
Charlottesville (ranked high last week)
Clarke (ranked low last week)
Covington (no change from last week)
Cumberland (no change from last week)
Emporia (no change from last week)
Essex (no change from last week)
Fairfax County (no change from last week)
Falls Church (no change from last week)
Fluvanna (ranked high last week)
Fredericksburg (no change from last week)
Giles (ranked low last week)
Goochland (ranked high last week)
Grayson (ranked low last week)
Hampton (no change from last week)
Hanover (ranked high last week)
Henry (no change from last week)
Highland (no change from last week)
Hopewell (ranked low last week)
James City (no change from last week)
King and Queen (no change from last week)
King George (no change from last week)
King William (no change from last week)
Lancaster (ranked high last week)
Loudoun (no change from last week)
Manassas (no change from last week)
Manassas Park (ranked low last week)
Martinsville (ranked low last week)
Middlesex (no change from last week)
New Kent (ranked high last week)
Newport News (no change from last week)
Northumberland (no change from last week)
Norton (ranked high last week)
Nottoway (no change from last week)
Pittsylvania (no change from last week)
Poquoson (no change from last week)
Portsmouth (ranked low last week)
Powhatan (no change from last week)
Prince William (no change from last week)
Radford (no change from last week)
Richmond County (no change from last week)
Roanoke City (ranked high last week)
Roanoke County (ranked high last week)
Rockbridge (ranked low last week)
Salem (no change from last week)
Southampton (ranked low last week)
Spotsylvania (no change from last week)
Stafford (no change from last week)
Staunton (ranked low last week)
Suffolk (ranked low last week)
Tazewell (ranked low last week)
Virginia Beach (no change from last week)
Waynesboro (no change from last week)
Westmoreland (no change from last week)
York (no change from last week)
Low Community Level
- Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
- Get tested if you have symptoms
- 57 Virginia localities this week; up from 41 localities last week
Accomack (no change from last week)
Alleghany (no change from last week)
Amherst (ranked medium last week)
Appomattox (ranked high last week)
Bedford (ranked high last week)
Botetourt (ranked high last week)
Bristol (no change from last week)
Brunswick (no change from last week)
Campbell (ranked medium last week)
Caroline (ranked medium last week)
Chesapeake (ranked medium last week)
Craig (ranked medium last week)
Culpeper (ranked medium last week)
Danville (ranked medium last week)
Dickenson (ranked medium last week)
Dinwiddie (no change from last week)
Fairfax City (ranked medium last week)
Fauquier (no change from last week)
Floyd (ranked medium last week)
Franklin City (no change from last week)
Franklin County (ranked high last week)
Frederick (ranked medium last week)
Gloucester (no change from last week)
Greene (ranked high last week)
Greensville (ranked medium last week)
Harrisonburg (no change from last week)
Isle of Wight (ranked medium last week)
Lee (ranked medium last week)
Louisa (ranked medium last week)
Lynchburg (ranked medium last week)
Madison (ranked medium last week)
Mathews (no change from last week)
Montgomery (ranked medium last week)
Nelson (ranked high last week)
Norfolk (no change from last week)
Northampton (ranked medium last week)
Orange (ranked high last week)
Page (no change from last week)
Patrick (ranked medium last week)
Petersburg (no change from last week)
Prince George (ranked medium last week)
Pulaski (no change from last week)
Rappahannock (ranked medium last week)
Rockingham (no change from last week)
Russell (no change from last week)
Scott (no change from last week)
Shenandoah (no change from last week)
Smyth (no change from last week)
Surry (no change from last week)
Sussex (no change from last week)
Warren (ranked medium last week)
Washington (no change from last week)
Williamsburg (no change from last week)
Winchester (no change from last week)
Wise (ranked high last week)
Wythe (no change from last week)
RELATED: County-by-county look at COVID-19 cases in Virginia; which areas saw most cases last week
Full Virginia City/County-by-County Breakdown
Accomack Low
Albemarle Medium
Alexandria Medium
Alleghany Low
Amelia Medium
Amherst Low
Appomattox Low
Arlington Medium
Augusta High
Bath Medium
Bedford Low
Bland Medium
Botetourt Low
Bristol Low
Brunswick Low
Buchanan Medium
Buckingham Medium
Buena Vista Medium
Campbell Low
Caroline Low
Carroll Medium
Charles City Medium
Charlotte High
Charlottesville Medium
Chesapeake Low
Chesterfield High
Clarke Medium
Colonial Heights High
Covington Medium
Craig Low
Culpeper Low
Cumberland Medium
Danville Low
Dickenson Low
Dinwiddie Low
Emporia Medium
Essex Medium
Fairfax City Low
Fairfax County Medium
Falls Church Medium
Fauquier Low
Floyd Low
Fluvanna Medium
Franklin City Low
Franklin County Low
Frederick Low
Fredericksburg Medium
Galax High
Giles Medium
Gloucester Low
Goochland Medium
Grayson Medium
Greene Low
Greensville Low
Halifax High
Hampton Medium
Hanover Medium
Harrisonburg Low
Henrico High
Henry Medium
Highland Medium
Hopewell Medium
Isle of Wight Low
James Medium
King and Queen Medium
King George Medium
King William Medium
Lancaster Medium
Lee Low
Lexington High
Loudoun Medium
Louisa Low
Lunenburg High
Lynchburg Low
Madison Low
Manassas Medium
Manassas Park Medium
Martinsville Medium
Mathews Low
Mecklenburg High
Middlesex Medium
Montgomery Low
Nelson Low
New Kent Medium
Newport News Medium
Norfolk Low
Northampton Low
Northumberland Medium
Norton Medium
Nottoway Medium
Orange Low
Page Low
Patrick Low
Petersburg Low
Pittsylvania Medium
Poquoson Medium
Portsmouth Medium
Powhatan Medium
Prince Edward High
Prince George Low
Prince William Medium
Pulaski Low
Radford Medium
Rappahannock Low
Richmond County Medium
Richmond City High
Roanoke City Medium
Roanoke County Medium
Rockbridge Medium
Rockingham Low
Russell Low
Salem Medium
Scott Low
Shenandoah Low
Smyth Low
Southampton Medium
Spotsylvania Medium
Stafford Medium
Staunton Medium
Suffolk Medium
Surry Low
Sussex Low
Tazewell Medium
Virginia Beach Medium
Warren Low
Washington Low
Waynesboro Medium
Westmoreland Medium
Williamsburg Low
Winchester Low
Wise Low
Wythe Low
York Medium
Virginians age 5+ are eligible for COVID-19 vaccine. Go to Vaccine Finderto search for specific vaccines available near you or call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-275-8343).
Click here for more information from the Virginia Department of Health.