RICHMOND, Va. -- The mass vaccination center at Richmond Raceway, one of the major hubs for Central Virginia's vaccination efforts against COVID-19, is relaunching as more people are eligible for booster shots and children ages 5-to-11 could soon be approved to be inoculated.
The Community Vaccination Center (CVC) at the Raceway will resume COVID-19 vaccine operations Tuesday, Oct. 12 and will operate Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
If you qualify for a booster, or have not yet been vaccinated, you can schedule an appointment at vaccinate.virginia.gov or by calling 877 VAX-IN-VA. Officials said walk-ins are also welcomed.
"The CVC will supplement doctors’ offices, pharmacies, and local health districts to create an even more robust network of COVID-19 vaccine providers," Amy Popovich, Nurse Manager for RHHD, said. "The weekend and evening hours make it even more convenient for busy families."
COVID-19 in Virginia: 2,880+ new cases reported Thursday, Oct. 7
Health department officials said the Raceway is one of nine mass clinics that is relaunching around Virginia as officials prep for an influx of people eligible for booster shots and the approval of children 5 to 11.
As of Thursday, about 800,000 Virginians were eligible for a Pfizer booster shot, according to health officials.
However, about 1.4 million people in the Commonwealth would be eligible if federal officials green-light boosters for Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. That decision is expected in the coming weeks.
Additionally, around the same time, officials are expected to approve the Pfizer vaccine for the children ages 5 to 11. There are about 720,000 children in that age group in Virginia.
Officials hope the mass vaccination sites will free up local health departments to focus on more distinct populations.
"We'll have strike teams that go into communities, engage through relationships through community health workers, through our existing partnership with community residents, and be able to offer a vaccine to those who want it, that may not be able to come to a larger site," Virginia Vaccine Coordinator Dr. Danny Avula said.
Officials said that once the Richmond Raceway clinic is back up and running, it will offer all three vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna and J&J) for either primary series, boosters or third doses. The clinic will also accept walk-ups.
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Virginians age 12+ are eligible for COVID-19 vaccine. Pre-registration is no longer required,so go to Vaccine Finderto search for specific vaccines available near you or call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-275-8343).
Have You Been Fully Vaccinated?
People are considered fully vaccinated:
- 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or
- 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine
How to Protect Yourself and Others When You’ve Been Fully Vaccinated
COVID-19 vaccines are effective at protecting you from getting sick. Based on what we know about COVID-19 vaccines, people who have been fully vaccinated can start to do some things that they had stopped doing because of the pandemic.
We’re still learning how vaccines will affect the spread of COVID-19. After you’ve been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, you should keep taking precautions—like wearing a mask, staying 6 feet apart from others, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces—in public places until we know more.
These recommendations can help you make decisions about daily activities after you are fully vaccinated. They are not intended for healthcare settings.
Click here for more information from the Virginia Department of Health.