COVID
COVID spread levels jump in Richmond

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
It's time to mask up again, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What's happening: All of metro Richmond, and most of central Virginia, is experiencing high community spread of COVID-19, according to weekly community levels calculated by the CDC using hospitalization data.
Virginia's flu season surge

Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Yet another wave of viral illness — flu — is crashing on a health system already stretched to a breaking point by COVID-19 and, more recently, RSV.
Why it matters: The commonwealth surpassed last year’s peak a full two months before flu season typically begins, per the Virginia Department of Health.
COVID rates creep back up in Virginia

Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios
COVID-19 is making a comeback just in time to plague the holiday party circuit.
What's happening: Hospitalizations in Virginia were up 40% last week, per the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association.
Pediatric wards fill up in Richmond as flu season starts early

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
A surprising increase in respiratory illnesses in children is putting pressure on hospitals around the state.
Why it matters: The early onslaught of cases is filling pediatric units earlier than normal, prompting concerns about a challenging flu and respiratory disease season, the Virginia Mercury's Sarah Vogelsong reports.
Virginians are slow to get boosted

Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios
Virginians aren't rushing to get the new Omicron variant boosters — a trend that's worrying public health experts as the winter months approach.
What's happening: So far, 437,000 people in Virginia have gotten the new booster, which is about 7.5% of the eligible population, per Virginia Department of Health statistics.
No, Virginia, there’s no new COVID vaccine mandate

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
An advisory panel voted to add COVID-19 vaccines to the CDC's schedule of childhood immunizations, but that doesn't mean the shot will be required in Virginia or anywhere else.
Why it matters: Misinformation surrounding the decision spread widely last week, including in a tweet by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who vowed to fight the non-existent mandate.
How Virginia used COVID relief to fund law enforcement

Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios
Virginia spent millions in COVID-19 relief money to boost spending on police, jails and prisons — money that was initially touted as a lifeline for people struggling to afford housing, food and health care.
Catch up quick: President Joe Biden gave U.S. cities and counties $350 billion to recover from the pandemic through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Few limitations were put on how local governments could spend ARPA funds.
Most Virginia kids had COVID, CDC data shows
Nearly 8 in 10 Virginia kids have already been infected with COVID-19, new CDC data shows.
Driving the news: The CDC released the results of its latest findings on the seroprevalence of antibodies in children last week.

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