Face masks are now recommended in only four Virginia areas; Covid cases remain stable statewide
RICHMOND, Virginia — According to this week’s update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only four places in the Commonwealth need to wear masks. Most of the WTVR CBS 6 viewing area and Metro Richmond are still in the medium category (CDC).
The update comes after the 7-day positivity rate in Virginia dropped to 16.68%, new cases dropped by 15% last week, and the Virginia Department of Health said that 73.7% of the state’s population was fully vaccinated. As of February 10, the average number of weekly COVID cases in the U.S. had gone down by 1.0%, and 85.6% of the country’s population (people 5 and older) had received at least one dose of a vaccine, according to the CDC’s weekly update.
The agency put out a new map on Thursday, February 9, with different colors for each county to show whether people should wear masks or not.
“There are three levels (low, medium, and high), which are based on the number of COVID-19 patients using hospital beds, the number of new COVID-19 hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in your area,” CDC officials wrote.
The CDC recommends wearing a mask indoors in four places, including Prince Edward in Central Virginia. That is less than last week, when 16 places ranked as high.
Sixty-two places, including Amelia, Caroline, Charles City, Chesterfield, Colonial Heights, Cumberland, Dinwiddie, Essex, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, Hopewell, King and Queen, King William, Lancaster, Lunenburg, Middlesex, New Kent, Northumberland, Petersburg, Powhatan, Prince George, Richmond City and Richmond County in Central Virginia, rank as medium. Last week, 63 places were ranked as medium.
The rest of the Commonwealth’s 71 places rank as low. This is less than last week, when 55 places were ranked as low.
CDC
High Community Level
- Wear a mask indoors in public
- Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
- Get tested if you have symptoms
- Additional precautions may be needed for people at high risk for severe illness
- 4 Virginia localities this week; down from 16 localities last week
Norton (no change from last week)
Prince Edward (no change from last week)
Scott (ranked low last week)
Wise (no change from last week)
CDC
Medium Community Level
- If you are at high risk for severe illness, talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to wear a mask and take other precautions
- Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
- Get tested if you have symptoms
- 58 Virginia localities this week; down from 62 last week
Amelia (no change from last week)
Amherst (ranked high last week)
Appomattoxt (no change from last week)
Bedford (no change from last week)
Botetourt (no change from last week)
Bristol (ranked low last week)
Buena Vista (ranked high last week)
Campbell (no change from last week)
Caroline (no change from last week)
Charles City (ranked high last week)
Charlotte (no change from last week)
Chesterfield (no change from last week)
Colonial Heights (no change from last week)
Craigt (no change from last week)
Cumberland (no change from last week)
Dickenson (ranked high last week)
Dinwiddie (no change from last week)
Essex (no change from last week)
Floyd (no change from last week)
Franklin County (no change from last week)
Fredericksburg (no change from last week)
Galax (no change from last week)
Goochland (no change from last week)
Grayson (no change from last week)
Halifax (no change from last week)
Hanover (no change from last week)
Henrico (no change from last week)
Hopewell (ranked high last week)
King and Queen (no change from last week)
King George (no change from last week)
King William (no change from last week)
Lancaster (no change from last week)
Lee (ranked high last week)
Lexington (ranked high last week)
Lunenburg (no change from last week)
Lynchburg (no change from last week)
Mecklenburg (no change from last week)
Middlesex (no change from last week)
New Kent (no change from last week)
Northumberland (no change from last week)
Nottoway (no change from last week)
Petersburg (no change from last week)
Powhatan (no change from last week)
Prince George (no change from last week)
Radford (ranked high last week)
Richmond City (no change from last week)
Richmond County (no change from last week)
Roanoke City (no change from last week)
Roanoke County (no change from last week)
Russell (ranked low last week)
Salem (no change from last week)
Smyth (ranked low last week)
Spotsylvania (no change from last week)
Stafford (no change from last week)
Surry (no change from last week)
Sussex (no change from last week)
Washington (no change from last week)
Westmoreland (no change from last week)
CDC
Low Community Level
- Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
- Get tested if you have symptoms
- 71 Virginia localities this week; up from 55 last week
Accomack (no change from last week)
Albemarle (no change from last week)
Alexandria (no change from last week)
Alleghany (ranked high last week)
Arlington (no change from last week)
Augusta (ranked medium last week)
Bath (ranked medium last week)
Bland (ranked medium last week)
Brunswick (ranked medium last week)
Buchanan (no change from last week)
Buckingham (no change from last week)
Carroll (no change from last week)
Charlottesville (no change from last week)
Chesapeake (no change from last week)
Clarke (no change from last week)
Covington (ranked high last week)
Culpeper (no change from last week)
Danville (no change from last week)
Emporia (ranked high last week)
Fairfax City (no change from last week)
Fairfax County (no change from last week)
Falls Church (no change from last week)
Fauquier (no change from last week)
Fluvanna (no change from last week)
Franklin City (no change from last week)
Frederick (no change from last week)
Giles (ranked medium last week)
Gloucester (no change from last week)
Greene (no change from last week)
Greensville (ranked high last week)
Hampton (no change from last week)
Harrisonburg (ranked medium last week)
Henry (no change from last week)
Highland (ranked medium last week)
Isle of Wight (no change from last week)
James City (no change from last week)
Loudoun (no change from last week)
Louisa (no change from last week)
Madison (no change from last week)
Manassas (no change from last week)
Manassas Park (no change from last week)
Martinsville (no change from last week)
Mathews (no change from last week)
Montgomery (ranked medium last week)
Nelson (no change from last week)
Newport News (no change from last week)
Norfolk (no change from last week)
Northampton (no change from last week)
Orange (no change from last week)
Page (ranked medium last week)
Patrick (no change from last week)
Pittsylvania (no change from last week)
Poquoson (no change from last week)
Portsmouth (no change from last week)
Prince William (no change from last week)
Pulaski (ranked medium last week)
Rappahannock (no change from last week)
Rockbridge (ranked medium last week)
Rockingham (ranked medium last week)
Shenandoah (no change from last week)
Southampton (no change from last week)
Staunton (ranked medium last week)
Suffolk (no change from last week)
Tazewell (ranked medium last week)
Virginia Beach (no change from last week)
Warren (no change from last week)
Waynesboro (ranked medium last week)
Williamsburg (no change from last week)
Winchester (no change from last week)
Wythe (ranked high last week)
York (no change from last week)
Full Virginia City/County-by-County Breakdown
Accomack Low
Albemarle Low
Alexandria Low
Alleghany Low
Amelia Medium
Amherst Medium
Appomattox Medium
Arlington Low
Augusta Low
Bath Low
Bedford Medium
Bland Low
Botetourt Medium
Bristol Medium
Brunswick Low
Buchanan Low
Buckingham Low
Buena Vista Medium
Campbell Medium
Caroline Medium
Carroll Low
Charles City Medium
Charlotte Medium
Charlottesville Low
Chesapeake Low
Chesterfield Medium
Clarke Low
Colonial Heights Medium
Covington Low
Craig Medium
Culpeper Low
Cumberland Medium
Danville Low
Dickenson Medium
Dinwiddie Medium
Emporia Low
Essex Medium
Fairfax City Low
Fairfax County Low
Falls Church Low
Fauquier Low
Floyd Medium
Fluvanna Low
Franklin City Low
Franklin County Medium
Frederick Low
Fredericksburg Medium
Galax Medium
Giles Low
Gloucester Low
Goochland Medium
Grayson Medium
Greene Low
Greensville Low
Halifax Medium
Hampton Low
Hanover Medium
Harrisonburg Low
Henrico Medium
Henry Low
Highland Low
Hopewell Medium
Isle of Wight Low
James City Low
King and Queen Medium
King George Medium
King William Medium
Lancaster Medium
Lee Medium
Lexington Medium
Loudoun Low
Louisa Low
Lunenburg Medium
Lynchburg Medium
Madison Low
Manassas Low
Manassas Park Low
Martinsville Low
Mathews Low
Mecklenburg Medium
Middlesex Medium
Montgomery Low
Nelson Low
New Kent Medium
Newport News Low
Norfolk Low
Northampton Low
Northumberland Medium
Norton High
Nottoway Medium
Orange Low
Page Low
Patrick Low
Petersburg Medium
Pittsylvania Low
Poquoson Low
Portsmouth Low
Powhatan Medium
Prince Edward High
Prince George Medium
Prince William Low
Pulaski Low
Radford Medium
Rappahannock Low
Richmond City Medium
Richmond County Medium
Roanoke City Medium
Roanoke County Medium
Rockbridge Low
Rockingham Low
Russell Medium
Salem Medium
Scott High
Shenandoah Low
Smyth Medium
Southampton Low
Spotsylvania Medium
Stafford Medium
Staunton Low
Suffolk Low
Surry Medium
Sussex Medium
Tazewell Low
Virginia Beach Low
Warren Low
Washington Medium
Waynesboro Low
Westmoreland Medium
Williamsburg Low
Winchester Low
Wise High
Wythe Low
