The pace of COVID-19 vaccinations in Virginia continues on a downward slope from the springtime high, and, no surprise, our case numbers are climbing with the delta variant taking root.
The most recent seven-day average of new COVID-19 vaccinations is at 11,700, well off from the April high of more than 83,000, according to our analysis of data from the Virginia Department of Health.
That we’re not making much progress is clear to me when I look back at our last reports on the numbers, dating back to July 12.
At that report, the the VDH COVID-19 data dashboard had us statewide at 71.1 percent of all adults having received at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot, and 62.8 percent fully vaccinated.
The needle has barely moved in the intervening two weeks – 71.7 percent of all adults have received at least one shot, and 64.7 percent are fully vaxxed.
Locally, it’s a similar story.
Here’s where we were back on July 12:
| Staunton | 67.6 percent | 61.7 percent |
| Waynesboro | 64.9 percent | 59.2 percent |
| Augusta County | 57.6 percent | 53.3 percent |
And today:
| Staunton | 67.9 percent | 63.0 percent |
| Waynesboro | 65.8 percent | 60.5 percent |
| Augusta County | 57.9 percent | 54.4 percent |
Barely moving is an understatement.
Back to the other half of the lede, about cases being up with the prevalence of the delta variant, yeah, sad, but true.
VDH tells us that more than 99 percent of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths since late January are among the unvaccinated.
So when I tell you that our seven-day moving average of new cases, at 687 as of this morning, is at its highest point since May 11, you shouldn’t be surprised.
It seems simple: get vaccinated, and we can keep moving on from where we were stuck for a year and a half.
Or maybe the anti-vaxxers think having us all go back to masks and social distancing is another great way to own the libs.
Story by Chris Graham
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