CHRISTIANSBURG — The Virginia Department of Health’s (VDH) New River Health District has activated a telephone hotline at 540-838-8222 (VACC) for questions about COVID-19 vaccine.
The hotline is available for vaccine questions and for anyone who wishes to pre-register for vaccine under Phase 1b, in addition to those in Phase 1a who may have not yet received the vaccine. The number is staffed daily.
Residents in Phase 1a (including healthcare workers, emergency medical services personnel and long term care facility residents and staff) and Phase 1b (including other essential workers, residents of homeless shelters, correctional facilities and migrant labor camps and anyone age 75 and up) may call to pre-register to make an appointment for the vaccine.
Phases are described in detail at www.vdh.virginia.gov/covid-19-vaccine/. Those under age 75, even with serious medical conditions, are not eligible in Phases 1a or 1b, unless they qualify according to their place of work or of residence.
Residents also may register online at www.NRVRoadtoWellness.com.Anyone not eligible under Phase 1b should not pre-register by phone or online as that may delay or prevent others from receiving the vaccine.
Residents may call the hotline any time and may leave a message if they are unable to reach a call-center staffer. High call volumes are expected, so please be patient. Please do not leave duplicate messages as that will delay the process for everyone.
“We have had people showing up at the vaccination site who do not have appointments, which causes delays for everybody,” said Dr. Noelle Bissell, director of the New River Health District. “Please do not do this. We are working to vaccinate as many people as possible as quickly as possible, but we cannot vaccinate those without a specific appointment. We ask our fellow Virginians to honor the process so that we can move quickly.”
The district’s previous hotline number, 540-267-8240, will remain in operation for general questions about COVID-19, especially for questions about testing.
“We are committed to using every available vaccine, and to vaccinating as many Virginians as possible as quickly as possible,” said Dr. Bissell.
For more information, visit www.NRVRoadtoWellness.com, www.vdh.virginia.gov/covid-19-vaccine/ and www.vdh.virginia.gov/covid-19-faq/ or call 540-267-8240.
