The Virginia Department of Health’s Blue Ridge Health District (BRHD) and UVA Health are partnering to launch a second COVID-19 community vaccination site, which will provide its first vaccinations Sunday. The first group vaccinated at the site Sunday will include Phase 1A frontline workers and Phase 1B essential workers.
The COVID-19 Vaccination Center at Seminole Square will be located at 393 Hillsdale Dr. in Charlottesville, between the Marshalls and Ferguson stores. The 25,000-square-foot facility offers ample parking outside the front entrance and is on a Charlottesville Area Transit bus line. The existing community vaccination site on Hydraulic Road in the Kmart parking lot will continue to operate, with both sites staffed by UVA Health and BRHD. Both sites will provide vaccinations by appointment only.
“This second community location will greatly increase the community's ability to scale up vaccine distribution as additional vaccine is made available,” said Denise Bonds, MD, MPH, BRHD health director. “We thank UVA Health for expanding their partnership with us to vaccinate the community.”
The COVID-19 Vaccination Center space at Seminole Square has been generously provided by Great Eastern Management Co., with funding and logistics support from Red Light Management and the Bama Works Fund of Dave Matthews Band. Additional contributions to make these community vaccination sites possible include funding from the Quantitative Foundation, the private family foundation of Merrill and Jaffray Woodriff, along with other donations.
Alongside support of the new Seminole Square vaccination location, JAUNT, Inc. and Charlottesville Area Transit (CAT) will offer transportation at no cost for individuals needing transportation assistance to and from vaccination appointments.
“Throughout the tremendous uncertainty of 2020, Jaunt remained a dependable resource for our community. From rides to polls on election day, to delivering essential workers to their jobs and patients to dialysis appointments, we have continued to provide critical trips to those in need throughout the pandemic,” said Jaunt Interim CEO Karen Davis. “We are proud to partner with BRHD and UVA Health to continue to provide this important service: connecting our community to the vaccine through public transportation.”
“We thank all of the community partners who have helped make this vaccination site a reality, and we look forward to working with the Blue Ridge Health District to vaccinate the community as quickly and effectively as possible,” said K. Craig Kent, MD, UVA’s executive vice president for health affairs.
As of Wednesday evening, UVA Health has administered more than 23,000 vaccines – including 4,315 doses to community members ages 75 and older at the direction of the BRHD – and has delivered up to 1,400 vaccines per day.
The Blue Ridge Health District is currently prioritizing vaccinating Phase 1A frontline healthcare workers, some Phase 1B essential workers, and individuals ages 75 and older. BRHD, like other health districts, has a limited supply of vaccines. Virginia is not likely to meet the vaccine demand for Phase 1B until March or April. Community members looking to learn more about vaccination plans in the District and to submit a “survey of intent” to get on a list to be vaccinated should visit the Health District’s website. These surveys do not schedule individuals for an appointment but allows for the District to collect information to contact individuals when it is time to get vaccinated.
