While cases of flu, COVID-19, RSV, and other respiratory illnesses are trending downward across Virginia, Portsmouth continues to lag behind much of Hampton Roads in flu vaccination rates, according to data from the Virginia Department of Health.
As of Jan. 30, about 30% of Virginians had received a flu vaccine, with adults 65 and older accounting for the majority of those vaccinated. When broken down regionally, York County leads Hampton Roads with a 30% vaccination rate. Portsmouth ranks nearly last, with just under 20% of residents receiving a flu shot.
Michelle Winz, an epidemiologist with the Portsmouth Health Department, said the decline in respiratory illnesses is encouraging but warned the community is not completely in the clear…