The Chesterfield Health District recently announced that second doses of COVID-19 vaccines can be received within 42 days of the first one.
Dr. Alexander Samuel, health district director, noted that during the Feb. 24 supervisors’ meeting.
Samuel said that due to a glitch in the state’s scheduling website, people were sharing appointments for second doses with those who needed a first dose and that caused health department staff to send people away when they showed up for vaccinations. Staff would then have to call and email people to fill the slots, Samuel said.
He was hopeful the glitch would be fixed soon.
Those who got a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine were originally to receive a second dose within 21 and 28 days, respectively, but the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed off on the additional number of days, Samuel said.
He said the health district has been giving 4,525 shots per week since Jan. 18. In response to a question from Supervisor Jim Holland (D-Dale), Samuel was hopeful to begin Phase 1C within the next two weeks, or by March 10.
The county fairgrounds has been the main distribution point, but pharmacies and medical providers are also partnering with the health district, he said.
The state’s COVID-19 information center is 877-829-4682 (877-VAX-IN-VA). The call center is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, including weekends.
The state’s registration website is vaccinate.virginia.gov.
During the meeting, Chesterfield Fire and EMS Chief Loy Senter said that 12 of his employees have been redeployed to help with logistics/planning and vaccinating.
Road widening
As part of the consent agenda, the supervisors approved a $3.97 million contract with Blakemore Construction Corp. to widen Ecoff Avenue and add a sidewalk. The project is slated to begin this spring and be complete by June 2022. The project will run from Ivywood Road to Ken Drive. Three bids were received that ranged up to $5.46 million.
Low-income apartments
The supervisors approved a resolution of support for the Better Housing Coalition to build some multi-family housing, Colbrook Apartments, at 13916 and 13920 Jefferson Davis Highway, north of Laketree Drive and Ashton Creek.
Police recruiting
The supervisors approved $351,666 from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services to recruit and retain police officers and conduct criminal justice reform. The monetary award was based on Chesterfield having 523 officers currently.
Public hearing
A public hearing was scheduled for 6 p.m. March 24 regarding the setting of various tax rates. The county is proposing to keep the property tax at 95 cents per $100 of valuation and the personal property tax at $3.60 per $100.
