The Rappahannock Area Health District is offering two free clinics on Thursday—one to get tested for COVID-19 and the other to get vaccinated against it—as health officials ramp up the message about the need for boosters and warn of “rebound” cases of the virus.
A testing clinic is planned from 3–4:30 p.m. Thursday at Stafford Hospital at 101 Hospital Center Blvd. in Stafford. Those being tested will collect their own samples under the direction of trained volunteers, then the samples will be sent to a testing facility. The PCR tests do not provide rapid results in 15 or 20 minutes, but rather in two to three days.
Preregistration is not required but encouraged. Appointments can be scheduled at bit.ly/3GckcZf.
The vaccination clinic is planned from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday at Fredericksburg Baptist Church, 1019 Princess Anne St. All doses of Pfizer, Moderna and J&J vaccine will be available.
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Preregistration is not required but encouraged. Appointments can be scheduled at https://bit.ly/3G9v6yM.
Anyone who has trouble preregistering for either clinic can contact the health district’s Call Center, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 540/899-4797.
Like the rest of the state and nation, the local health district—which includes Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford counties—has seen cases climb in recent weeks. So far in May, 2,384 local residents have tested positive for COVID-19, and that doesn’t include those who took home tests and may not have reported the results to their local health departments.
The total cases for the first 20 days of May were more than double the number reported last year, heading into the summer travel and vacation season. For all of May 2021, there were 1,023 new cases in the Rappahannock Area Health District.
A breakdown of cases for May 2022 showed 1,090 people in Stafford who tested positive; 797 in Spotsylvania; 187 in Fredericksburg; 162 in King George; and 148 in Caroline.
Hospitalizations have remained low, however, and have hovered between 14 and 17 patients per day being treated for virus symptoms at Mary Washington Hospital, Stafford Hospital and Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center, according to the RAHD.
In response to the growing case numbers, the Centers for Disease Control last week recommended that children ages 5–11 get a booster shot five months after their Pfizer vaccine series. That means children who received their second doses of vaccine in November and December currently are eligible for a booster.
The CDC also is recommending a second booster for anyone 12 and older with compromised immune systems and anyone age 50 and older. The second booster should be given at least four months after the first booster shot.
“Over the past month we have seen steady increases in cases, with a steep and substantial increase in hospitalizations for older Americans,” according to a CDC statement. “While older Americans have the highest coverage of any age group of first booster doses, most older Americans received their last dose many months ago, leaving many who are vulnerable without the protection they may need to prevent severe disease, hospitalization and death.”
The CDC also issued a health advisory on Tuesday about the potential for people having a “COVID-19 rebound,” or recurrence of symptoms, and a new positive test, two to eight days after they had recovered from the virus and tested negative for it. Rebound cases occurred among patients who’d been treated with Paxlovid, and those who hadn’t, and regardless of vaccination status, the CDC reported.
Paxlovid is an antiviral drug, given in the early stages of COVID-19 to prevent hospitalization and death among those considered high risk for severe cases. The CDC said “a brief return of symptoms may be part of the natural history” of the virus in some people. While there was limited information available, the CDC said on Tuesday there was evidence that additional treatments or therapies were not needed in rebound cases.
Cathy Dyson: 540/374-5425
