COVID Cases In Prince William County Reach 5-Month High

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA — COVID cases in Prince William County have reached their highest levels since the middle of April, according to the most recent data from the Virginia Department of Health.

On Monday, Aug. 23, the Virginia Department of Health reported 121 new COVID-19 cases in Prince William County. It's the highest number of new cases in a single day since April 13.

The rolling 7-day average for cases in Prince William County is now 95 cases per day, the highest weekly average since April 18. Similarly, the number of cases per 100,000 people in the county, 20.2, is at a five-month high.

As cases continue to rise, the Prince William Health District is urging residents to get vaccinated. On Tuesday, Aug. 24, the health district is hosting a back to school vaccination event for county residents, with a focus on Prince William County's students.

The vaccination event will offer several vaccines and immunizations including the Tdap vaccine, the Meningococcal vaccine, and the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine. On Monday, the Pfizer vaccine received full approval from the FDA from people aged 16 or older. It still has an emergency authorization for use in people as young as 12 years old.

Read more: Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Gets Full Approval From U.S. Regulators

The health district's back to school vaccination event will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday. Appointments are not required. The clinic will be held at the Manassas Mall, near the Uptown Alley entrance at 8300 Sudley Road.

After granting the Pfizer vaccination its highest endorsement, public health officials hoped it would encourage more Americans to receive the vaccine. ""The public can be very confident that this vaccine meets the high standards for safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality the FDA requires of an approved product," said acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock. "Today's milestone puts us one step closer to altering the course of this pandemic in the U.S."