RICHMOND, Va. — Universal masking is now recommended for 17 localities in Virginia, and that includes parts of Central Virginia, according to the COVID Community Levels from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The update comes as new cases in Virginia decreased 2% last week and 74% of Virginians are fully vaccinated against the virus, according to the Virginia Department of Health. COVID cases in the U.S. decreased 5.6% as of the week of June 22, and 83% of the country's total population (people 5+) had received at least one vaccine dose, the CDC reported in its weekly update.
The agency released an updated map Thursday, June 16 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 down 2% last week; 74% of Virginians now fully vaccinated
Scroll down for a complete alphabetized list city/county-by-county breakdown of localities in Virginia
Seventeen localities in Virginia rank as high where masking indoors is recommended by the CDC. That includes Colonial Heights, Dinwiddie, Henrico, Hopewell and Petersburg.
Sixty-three localities in the Commonwealth now rank as medium, including much of Central Virginia. Fifty-three localities continue to rank as low.
Officials with the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts (RHHD) previously 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," RHHD Epidemiologist Emily Rich said. "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
- 17 Virginia localities this week; down from 23 localities last week
Amherst (no change from last week)
Appomattox (ranked medium last week)
Campbell (no change from last week)
Charlottesville (ranked medium last week)
Colonial Heights (no change from last week)
Dickenson (ranked low last week)
Dinwiddie (ranked medium last week)
Galax (no change from last week)
Halifax (no change from last week)
Henrico (no change from last week)
Hopewell (ranked medium last week)
Lunenburg (no change from last week)
Norton (ranked medium last week)
Petersburg (ranked low last week)
Roanoke County (no change from last week)
Salem (ranked medium last week)
Wise (ranked medium 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
- 63 Virginia localities this week; up from 57 localities last week
Accomack (ranked low last week)
Albemarle (no change from last week)
Alexandria (no change from last week)
Amelia (ranked high last week)
Arlington(no change from last week)
Augusta (ranked low last week)
Bedford (no change from last week)
Botetourt (no change from last week)
Buckingham (ranked low last week)
Buena Vista (no change from last week)
Caroline (ranked low last week)
Carroll (ranked high last week)
Charles City (no change from last week)
Charlotte (no change from last week)
Chesterfield (ranked high last week)
Covington (ranked low last week)
Craig (no change from last week)
Culpeper (ranked low last week)
Cumberland (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)
Floyd (no change from last week)
Fluvanna (ranked low last week)
Franklin City (ranked high last week)
Franklin County (ranked high last week)
Goochland (ranked high last week)
Grayson (ranked high last week)
Greene (ranked low last week)
Hampton (no change from last week)
Hanover (ranked high last week)
James City (no change from last week)
King and Queen (no change from last week)
King George (ranked low last week)
King William (no change from last week)
Lancaster (no change from last week)
Lee (ranked low last week)
Lexington (no change from last week)
Loudoun (no change from last week)
Louisa (ranked low last week)
Lynchburg (ranked high last week)
Madison (ranked low last week)
Manassas Park (ranked low last week)
Mecklenburg (ranked high last week)
Middlesex (no change from last week)
Nelson (ranked low last week)
New Kent (no change from last week)
Newport News (no change from last week)
Northumberland (no change from last week)
Nottoway (ranked high last week)
Orange (ranked low last week)
Powhatan (no change from last week)
Prince Edward (no change from last week)
Prince George (ranked low last week)
Rappahannock (ranked low last week)
Richmond City (ranked high last week)
Richmond County (no change from last week)
Roanoke City (no change from last week)
Stafford (no change from last week)
Surry (ranked low last week)
Sussex (no change from last week)
Warren (no change from last week)
Westmoreland (no change from last week)
Low Community Level
- Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
- Get tested if you have symptoms
- 53 Virginia localities this week; no change from last week
Alleghany (ranked medium last week)
Bath (ranked medium last week)
Bland (no change from last week)
Bristol (ranked medium last week)
Brunswick (no change from last week)
Buchanan (no change from last week)
Chesapeake (ranked medium last week)
Clarke (ranked medium last week)
Danville (ranked medium last week)
Emporia (ranked medium last week)
Fairfax (ranked medium last week)
Fauquier (no change from last week)
Frederick (no change from last week)
Fredericksburg (no change from last week)
Giles (no change from last week)
Gloucester (no change from last week)
Greensville (ranked medium last week)
Harrisonburg (no change from last week)
Henry (ranked high last week)
Highland (no change from last week)
Isle of Wight (ranked medium last week)
Manassas (no change from last week)
Martinsville (no change from last week)
Mathews (no change from last week)
Montgomery (no change from last week)
Norfolk (ranked medium last week)
Northampton (no change from last week)
Page (no change from last week)
Patrick (no change from last week)
Pittsylvania (ranked medium last week)
Poquoson (no change from last week)
Portsmouth (ranked high last week)
Prince William (ranked medium last week)
Pulaski (no change from last week)
Radford (no change from last week)
Rockbridge (no change from last week)
Rockingham (no change from last week)
Russell (no change from last week)
Scott (ranked medium last week)
Shenandoah (no change from last week)
Smyth (ranked medium last week)
Southampton (ranked medium last week)
Spotsylvania (no change from last week)
Staunton (no change from last week)
Suffolk (ranked medium last week)
Tazewell (no change from last week)
Virginia Beach (ranked high last week)
Washington (no change from last week)
Waynesboro (no change from last week)
Williamsburg (no change from last week)
Winchester (ranked medium last week)
Wythe (no change from last week)
York (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 Medium
Albemarle Medium
Alexandria Medium
Alleghany Low
Amelia Medium
Amherst High
Appomattox High
Arlington Medium
Augusta Medium
Bath Low
Bedford Medium
Bland Low
Botetourt Medium
Bristol Low
Brunswick Low
Buchanan Low
Buckingham Medium
Buena Vista Medium
Campbell High
Caroline Medium
Carroll Medium
Charles City Medium
Charlotte Medium
Charlottesville High
Chesapeake Low
Chesterfield Medium
Clarke Low
Colonial Heights High
Covington Medium
Craig Medium
Culpeper Medium
Cumberland Medium
Danville Low
Dickenson High
Dinwiddie High
Emporia Low
Essex Medium
Fairfax City Low
Fairfax County Medium
Falls Church Medium
Fauquier Low
Floyd Medium
Fluvanna Medium
Franklin City Medium
Franklin County Medium
Frederick Low
Fredericksburg Low
Galax High
Giles Low
Gloucester Low
Goochland Medium
Grayson Medium
Greene Medium
Greensville Low
Halifax High
Hampton Medium
Hanover Medium
Harrisonburg Low
Henrico High
Henry Low
Highland Low
Hopewell High
Isle of Wight Low
James City Medium
King and Queen Medium
King George Medium
King William Medium
Lancaster Medium
Lee Medium
Lexington Medium
Loudoun Medium
Louisa Medium
Lunenburg High
Lynchburg Medium
Madison Medium
Manassas Low
Manassas Park Medium
Martinsville Low
Mathews Low
Mecklenburg Medium
Middlesex Medium
Montgomery Low
Nelson Medium
New Kent Medium
Newport News Medium
Norfolk Low
Northampton Low
Northumberland Medium
Norton High
Nottoway Medium
Orange Medium
Page Low
Patrick Low
Petersburg High
Pittsylvania Low
Poquoson Low
Portsmouth Low
Powhatan Medium
Prince Edward Medium
Prince George Medium
Prince William Low
Pulaski Low
Radford Low
Rappahannock Medium
Richmond City Medium
Richmond County Medium
Roanoke City High
Roanoke County Medium
Rockbridge Low
Rockingham Low
Russell Low
Salem High
Scott Low
Shenandoah Low
Smyth Low
Southampton Low
Spotsylvania Low
Stafford Medium
Staunton Low
Suffolk Low
Surry Medium
Sussex Medium
Tazewell Low
Virginia Beach Low
Warren Medium
Washington Low
Waynesboro Low
Westmoreland Medium
Williamsburg Low
Winchester Low
Wise High
Wythe Low
York Low
Virginians age 6 months+ 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.