Virginia Department of Health (VDH)
VDH hotline: 877-ASK-VDH3 (877-275-8343) 8am-8pm. Language translation services available.
Si usted tiene alguna pregunta llámenos al 877-275-8343 8am-8pm.VDH COVID-19 Vaccine Webpage
Download your COVID-19 Vaccination Record here
- Daily Dashboards:
- COVIDWISE – VDH’s exposure notification app
- Johns Hopkins University
- Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
- World Health Organization
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation – COVID-19 Projections
Information about testing:
BRHD free COVID-19 PCR testing dates and locations
- Watch: Covid tests are complicated. A guide to understanding types and trade-offs
- Three reasons a negative coronavirus test doesn’t necessarily mean you’re not infected
Information about the COVID-19 vaccine:General Information about the Vaccine:
- Comparing the Covid-19 vaccines developed by Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson
- Every Covid-19 Vaccine Question You’ll Ever Have, Answered. Clear guidance on everything you want to know about the vaccine (and then some)
- Video – How mRNA COVID Vaccines Work to Fight COVID-19
- Why You Should Still Wear A Mask And Avoid Crowds After Getting The COVID-19 Vaccine
- FDA: Do not use antibody tests to assess immunity after COVID-19 vaccination.
COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effects:
- UVa Health: Common vaccine side effect could skew mammogram screenings – “For those who get the COVID-19 vaccine, it is typical to end up with enlarged lymph nodes for some time, especially in the armpit. This can also be a sign of breast cancer on a mammogram… We’re telling women, if they need a screening mammogram, to come in either before your first Covid vaccine, or four to six weeks after your second shot”
Children and the COVID Vaccine:
COVID-19 Vaccine during Pregnancy and Lactation:
Myths about the COVID-19 Vaccines
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Information about childcare and school:
BRHD School recommendations based on the new CDC Guidelines:
***Please note that Piedmont Pediatrics supports our local school districts, understanding that 14 day quarantines are safer than 10 day protocols. While the CDC is now recognizing 10 days of quarantine as the standard, our return to school letters will continue to recommend the 14 day quarantine, respecting some local schools using this original timeline, while knowing that other schools will allow children to come back sooner.***
“In the absence of updated guidance from CDC, VDH recommends the following interim
guidance to address specific situations:
- The new [CDC] guidelines apply to K-12 settings when individuals can properly and
consistently mask for an additional 5 days after ending their 5 day isolation or
quarantine. - For isolation (people with confirmed or suspected COVID-19):
- If an individual is unable to consistently and correctly wear a mask (e.g.,
young children, developmental issues, etc.), they should isolate at home
for the full 10 days.
- If an individual is unable to consistently and correctly wear a mask (e.g.,
- For quarantine (certain people exposed to someone with COVID-19):
- If an individual is unvaccinated or has not yet received their
recommended booster dose (more than 6 months since the second
mRNA dose or more than 2 months after the J&J vaccine), and is unable
to consistently and correctly wear a mask, they should quarantine at
home for the full 10 days. - In the absence of further guidance from CDC, if a child was fully
vaccinated more than 6 months ago, but is not currently eligible to receive
a booster (specifically children aged 12-15 years), they should follow the
previous guidance for fully vaccinated individuals, which does not require
them to quarantine after an exposure. They should wear a well-fitting
mask for 10 days. VDH is making this interim recommendation balancing
disruptions to in-person learning with the risk of transmission.
- If an individual is unvaccinated or has not yet received their
Do VDH and all of its local health departments recommend quarantine for
unvaccinated and not fully vaccinated school-age children? (Last updated
12/30/21)
- Yes. VDH recognizes that there are some situations in which individuals are not able to
comply with quarantine. However, quarantine remains the best practice and safest
option.
The VDH recommendation is that school-age children should quarantine. If an individual
is unable to quarantine, VDH is not able to enforce it. Feasibility of quarantine is a
decision that must be made in consultation between families and schools, and must
include the student’s ability to correctly and consistently use well-fitting masks and
obtain recommended testing.
How should lunch time be handled for children who are in the 6-10 day period
after isolation or quarantine? (Last updated 12/30/21)
- Children who are in the 6-10 day period after isolation or quarantine should ideally be 6
feet away from others during meals and snacks, or other unmasked periods. To ensure
confidentiality, VDH recommends that all students maintain 6 feet of distance between
each other during unmasked periods. If a child with COVID-19 is in the 6-10 day
isolation period and they spend greater than 15 minutes unmasked and less than 6 feet
from others (i.e. 6 feet is not feasible), then the other individuals are considered close
contacts and will need to follow the quarantine protocol.
Should school aged children refrain from participating in sports until after Day 10
of isolation and quarantine? (Last updated 12/30/21)
- Individuals can participate in sports as long as they can adhere to strict mask usage on
days 6-10, including during play. If strict mask use is not possible, participating in sports
should be delayed until after day 10 of isolation or quarantine.
Schools and families should be aware that team sports or other extracurricular activities,
especially indoor activities involving shouting or singing, increase the risk of SARS-CoV2 transmission.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Articles about sports participation and activities:
- Summer camp advice – keep masks and distancing – gets an update from the CDC
- AAP: Wear face coverings during most sports
- Kids and Masks: Why Cloth Face Coverings are Needed in Youth Sports During COVID-19
- Youth Sports and COVID-19: Understanding the Risks
- Youth Sports Participation During COVID-19: A Safety Checklist
General Information about COVID-19:
- Healthy Children article about coronavirus
- Does My Kid Have a Cold or Is It COVID-19?
- Tips for Coping with a New Baby During COVID-19
- Video – The Coronavirus Explained
- People without symptoms spread virus in more than half of cases, CDC model finds. The finding underscores the importance of following guidelines to wear masks and maintain social distancing
- What’s Going On With All These Coronavirus Variants? An Illustrated Guide
- Fauci Warns Dangerous Delta Variant Is the Greatest Threat to U.S. COVID Efforts
Information about face masks:
- CDC: Improve How Your Mask Protects You
- VDH: Using Masks to Slow the Spread of COVID-19
- 5 Hacks And Tips To Make Your Face Mask More Protective
- FAQ: What you need to know about masks and COVID-19
- Masks Work. Really. We’ll Show You How
- How to help children adjust to masks, according to experts and parents
- Mask Mythbusters: 5 Common Misconceptions about Kids and Cloth Face Coverings
- How NOT to Wear a Mask
- COMIC: You’re Wearing It Wrong! A Face Mask Safety Refresher
Other articles about COVID-19 prevention and the community:
- Stop wiping down groceries and focus on bigger risks, say experts on coronavirus transmission
- COVID-19 rarely spreads through surfaces. So why are we still deep cleaning?
- To boost immunity, forget ‘magic pills.’ Focus on sleep, exercise, diet and cutting stress.
- A College Student is Coming Home. Should the Whole Family Wear Masks?
- Misinformation Goes Viral
- The false promise of herd immunity for COVID-19
- Debunking the False Claim That COVID Death Counts Are Inflated
Articles about physical distancing:
- COVID-19: Keep On Keeping Your Distance
- Just a Small Playdate? You Still Need to Be Careful.
- I Practiced Social Distancing Before Coronavirus. It Works.
- Now’s a Good Time to Teach Kids to Play On Their Own
Articles about stress and anxiety in children and teens:
- Opinion: The pandemic is taking an alarming toll on children
- Parenting in a Pandemic: Tips to Keep the Calm at Home
- Parents, you are the filter through which your kids see this crisis. How you talk about it matters.
- How parents can protect kids’ mental health during the pandemic
- Mental Health During COVID-19: Signs Your Child May Need More Support
- Talking to Teens and Tweens About Coronavirus
- Helping Teens Make Room for Uncomfortable Emotions
- Child Psychiatrists Warn That The Pandemic May Be Driving Up Kids’ Suicide Risk
- Coronavirus and kids who learn and think differently
- Teaching our kids (and ourselves) mindfulness to get us through coronavirus anxiety
Articles about stress and anxiety in parents and caregivers:
- Stanford researchers identify four causes for ‘Zoom fatigue’ and their simple fixes
- 9 Ways to Avoid Panicking About Current Events
- Parents Need Stress Relief, Too
- That Discomfort You’re Feeling is Grief
- Pandemic anxiety is making us sleepless, forgetful and angry. Here are tips for coping.
- Virginia Community Response Network (website that includes resources for first responders and healthcare workers)To our fellow essential workers, support is available! VCRN is offering free counseling services to essential workers, including healthcare professionals, frontline workers, & school staff.For more info, visit www.vcrn.org or call 434-202-6322.
Why it is especially important to get an influenza vaccine:
- Why COVID-19 Means You Need to Get A Flu Shot This Year
- Kids Who Got Flu Shot Had Milder COVID Symptoms
- Flu Shots for Kids Protect Everybody, Study Shows
- Flu shots don’t give you the flu
Fun resources for kids:
- My Hero is You, How kids can fight COVID-18! – Free storybook
- We’re going to be O.K. – Free storybook written by two UVA physicians, designed for children ages 5-9 years old, providing information about staying healthy during COVID-19. This book is designed to help children and families, particularly communities of color, deal with the uncertainties related to the pandemic.
- We Wear Masks – A Social Story by Mr. Mike
- How does a vaccine go from an idea into reality? In this video, inspired by Schoolhouse Rock!’s iconic “I’m Just a Bill” cartoon, we explain the steps through Phase 3 clinical trials—and show how a hypothetical vaccine for COVID-19 gets developed.
- Live Science Activities and online resources for homebound kids: A coronavirus guide
- Dear Zoo #ReadyKidsReadAThon
- Songs and Stories with Mary and Mike
Other important pandemic resources:
- Autism Society online resources
- Understood.org online coronavirus resources
- Region Ten Child and Family Clinic
- Public School Meal Services during COVID-19:
- “Street Sheet” Resources During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Blue Ridge Health District’s “COVID-19 Care Support Services” program – If someone tests positive in our health district, they can call 434-981-4103 to request assistance obtaining food or PPE during their isolation period, or for help applying for financial assistance. Or they can request to be connected to this program when they speak with their BRHD case investigator. Please note: The language on this flyer about prescription meds delivery will be updated soon — this is not currently available. Also note: Close contacts needing to quarantine are, unfortunately, not eligible for this program due to capacity limitations.
Thank you for working so hard to keep your families and communities safe:
- A PSA from your UVA Med Students
- Alicia Keys – “Good Job”| Cover by One Voice Children’s Choir | A Tribute to COVID-19 Heroes
- Brown & Gray – “You Didn’t Have To” (Song for Nurses Everywhere)
Updated 2022.01.04