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Have you fallen behind in your rent due to the COVID-19 pandemic?  Get help here.

COVID – 19 GENERAL INFORMATION
The City of Hopewell is located within the Crater Health District. The Crater Health District encompasses the localities of: Hopewell, Dinwiddie, Emporia, Greensville, Petersburg, Prince George, Surry and Sussex. The Crater Health District’s website is www.vdh.virginia.gov/crater and they can be reached via phone at 804-862-8989.

As of February 8, 2021, the city of Hopewell has had 1,878 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, with 76 hospitalizations and 21 deaths. The Crater Health District has had 12,310 cases, 462 hospitalizations and 163 deaths. The state of Virginia has had 530,825 cases, 22,167 hospitalizations and 6,820 deaths. The Crater Health District’s current status of COVID-19 is now at Substantial Activity – High Burden of Disease.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recommending these steps to slow the spread of COVID-19: everyone 2 and older should wear a mask; stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arm’s length) from others who do not live with you; avoid crowds (the more people you are in contact with, the more likely you are to be exposed to COVID-19); avoid poorly ventilated spaces; wash your hands often; cover coughs and sneezes; clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily; monitor your health daily and be alert for symptoms; and get vaccinated.

Multiple variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 have been documented in the United States and globally during this pandemic. Viruses change constantly through mutation, and new variants of a virus are expected to occur over time. Information about the characteristics of these variants is rapidly emerging. Scientists are working to learn more about how easily they spread, whether they could cause more severe illness, and whether currently authorized vaccines will protect against them. For more information on the COVID-19 variants, please visit the CDC’s website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/transmission/variant.html.

COVID-19 TESTING
The City of Hopewell has hosted at least 1 free testing event per month since May. Recently, (since December) the City has hosted 4 free testing events per month. Most testing events are held at Cavalier Square and require advanced registration. Follow the City of Hopewell on Facebook, or check the City of Hopewell’s website (www.hopewellva.gov) to stay updated on these free testing events. The next testing event is scheduled for Friday, February 12th from 10am-12pm at 400 Cavalier Square. This drive-thru testing is by appointment only, and registration is now open. To register please call 804-862-8989.

COVID-19 VACCINES
Currently, the state of Virginia and the Crater Health District are in Phase 1b of the COVID-19 vaccination process. Phase 1a includes: healthcare personnel, and residents of long-term care facilities. Phase 1b includes: frontline essential workers, people over 65 years old, people age 16-64 with an underlying health condition, and people living in correctional facilities, homeless shelters and migrant labor camps. 898,160 people in the state of Virginia have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 206,942 are fully vaccinated. 249 Hopewell residents are fully vaccinated.

The Crater Health District is receiving 800 doses of the Moderna vaccine per week, and 975 doses of the Pfizer vaccine beginning this month. The state is averaging 36,647 vaccines administered each day, with a goal of 50,000 vaccines administered each day.

Residents who fall into the 1a and 1b categories, and who wish to get the COVID-19 vaccine, should register with the Crater Health Department. Residents can register online by visiting the Crater Health Department’s website: www.vdh.virginia.gov/crater or calling 804-862-8989. Please note that the department is experiencing extremely high call volumes, and response times may be delayed. Your patience is appreciated. The City of Hopewell has worked with the Crater Health District to set up a local call center to assist with inquiries about the vaccine process and assist Hopewell citizens with registering for the vaccine wait list.

Registering for the Crater Health District’s vaccine waitlist does not reserve a vaccine or create an appointment. This list is used to collect your contact information so that Crater Health Department officials can contact you when vaccines are available. Please note that it could take weeks or months after completion of this form until you are contacted to set up a vaccine appointment. This is due to a very limited vaccine supply across the Commonwealth of Virginia.

More information about the COVID-19 vaccines can be found on the CDC’s website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html.

COVID-19 ASSISTANCE
As a result of the federal funding from the CARES Act, the City of Hopewell has been able to implement two programs to help residents. The first is the Hopewell CARES – Rent, Mortgage, and Utility Assistance program. This program will assist residents who need help with paying their rent, mortgage or utility payments during the pandemic. This office can be reached at 804-215-1107 or www.hopewell.cares@cccofva.org. This office is located at 102 S 10th Avenue and is open Tuesday & Thursday from 10am-2pm. The second is the Hopewell CARES Homeless Assistance Program, which helps those residents who are experiencing homelessness during the pandemic. This office can be reached at 804-215-1107 or www.hopewell.cares@cccofva.org. This office is located at 102 S 10th Avenue and is open Tuesday & Thursday from 10AM-2PM.

In addition to these programs, the Burnett & Williams law office is distributing 100 free lunches every Thursday at 11:30am in the gravel lot near the Hopewell library (at the corner of East Cawson Street and Library Street). No ID is required, and the lunches are grab & go through a contactless drive-thru. All are welcome to receive the free lunches, which are served on a first-come, first-served basis.

Information about COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccine can be found on the Crater Health District’s website: www.vdh.virginia.gov/crater, on the Virginia Department of Health’s website: www.vdh.virginia.gov and on the CDC’s website: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus. For questions, please call the Crater Health District at 804-862-8989.