VIRGINIA BEACH, Va - The push to vaccinate more Virginians is more prevalent than ever, with 2,792 cases reported since Friday. Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Chesapeake each reporting more than a hundred new cases.
New Hope Baptist Church in Virginia Beach church is getting the vaccine in more people’s arms, offering the first and second shots of the COVID-19 vaccine as well as the COVID booster shot for immune compromised individuals.
“What we do is aim to be beacon of light to the community so hosting these clinics is just what our ministry portrays in being the hands that feed Jesus and that beacon of light,” Minister Jessica Simmons said, a New Hope Baptist Church minister and vaccine organizer.
One Virginia Beach high school student who received his first shot of the Phizer’s vaccine says the vaccine is needed to save lives.
“I’ll be trying to stay as safe as possible until this whole thing is finally over,” William Borba said, a student at Green Run High School.
William will be going to the 9th grade this fall at Green Run High School in Virginia Beach.
“I’m hoping that since now I got the vaccine, I can actually go to school and be doing better while being safe.” Borba said.
William did virtual learning all last year and will be returning to in-person classes for the first time in more than a year.
“I’m happy for him to get vaccinated. He’s about to go to school and it’s pretty scary to have COVID around and it’s getting dangerous again,” Heidi Jay said, William’s mother.
Only 56 percent of Virginia’s population is fully vaccinated, that’s 4,758,646 Virginians who have been fully vaccinated. *News 3 previously had an error in this data and listed 9,761,485 Virginians as vaccinated when that was the total doses administered statewide.
According to the CDC, the COVID-19 vaccine reduces the risk of infection by 91 percent.
“Those who are vaccinated tend to have a better chance of not having the severe symptoms if they do catch COVID,” Minister Simmons said.
New Hope Baptist Church partnered with the Virginia Department of Health to host the clinic.
