Chesapeake Division of Well being is ramping up COVID-19 vaccine clinics, getting ready for the third dose and booster

The Chesapeake Department of Health said it was making adjustments to meet human demand due to increasing demand for vaccinations.

CHESAPEAKE, Virginia – More and more people in Chesapeake are signing up to get their COVID-19 vaccinations, and it is for this reason that the health department is trying to stay ahead of the demand.

Jerry Tucker, emergency manager at the Chesapeake Health Department, said he believes at least part of the increase was due to people’s more trust in COVID-19 vaccines compared to the early days of their availability. There has also been a noticeable increase in trust, especially in the last few months.

“We saw our numbers up about a third from what we saw in July,” Tucker said. “We want the public to know that the vaccine is safe and we screen every patient before we give the vaccine.”

Tucker says his team of health professionals will not only meet demand for initial vaccinations, but prepare to deliver a third dose of the vaccine to more people.

“We have already given third doses to our immunocompromised population,” said Tucker.

The Chesapeake Department of Health said it is also waiting for the Virginia Department of Health to issue guidelines on booster vaccinations for the general public.

“We already have a visual scale of the population and use that to calculate what we think is an effective number,” said Tucker.

Tucker said that learning now to deal with supply and demand can prepare the Department of Health for future vaccine launches.

Vaccine coordinators say that if you are immunocompromised and eligible for the third dose, it can be accessed through your doctor or the Chesapeake Health Department.

The health department has more clinics ready for COVID-19 vaccines and tests. Here are the current dates and times:

• September 14th at Tidewater Community College
• September 15, 22 and 29 at the Military Circle Mall
• September 21st and 28th in the Dominion Commons
• September 16, 23, 30 in Geneva Square