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Some epidemiologists, doctors and scientists have been surprised by the quick turnabout on mask-wearing, concerned the coronavirus, now spreading through more contagious variants, will lead to a resurgence of infections.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency wants to use the captive audience at the Norfolk Tides’ opening day to vaccinate more people against the coronavirus.
Still, data scientists studying the pandemic’s trends believe a summer surge is possible with the level of U.K.-variant infections spreading in the state. In a worst case scenario, they project a peak in late August higher than the one in January, according to a report by the UVA Biocomplexity Institute.
The emergency use authorization that now allows Pfizer to be administered in children ages 12 and up has expanded eligibility to some 400,000 more people in Virginia. On Friday, tweens and young teens showed up in droves for vaccines.
Close to one in 10 Virginians who got first shots were overdue for their second ones, a concerning trend for public health officials who say those individuals won’t be considered fully vaccinated unless they receive both.
Though new COVID-19 cases continue to fall, with just 4.4% of standard nasal swab tests coming back positive last week, data scientists studying the pandemic’s trends believe a summer surge is possible if the U.K. variant is able to spread because there isn’t enough immunity in the population.
The family of Drene Keyes, the 58-year-old Gloucester resident who died in January, disputes that determination. They paid for an independent medical examination that Keyes’ daughter, Lisa Jones, says conflicts with the state’s findings.
The federal government is helping state vaccine programs shift from large-scale clinics to smaller operations by ensuring supplies are packaged in smaller quantities.
University of Virginia infectious disease data scientists estimate about 43% “vaccine acceptance” in the Eastern region, compared to Northern Virginia, the highest rate in the state, with 88%. Their forecasting model shows Northern Virginia could reach herd immunity by June or July, while other regions may not get there this year.