Clarke County, VA
Home MenuCOVID-19: Clarke News & Resources
The United States’ COVID-19 public health emergency that began Jan. 31, 2020, expired on May 11, 2023, even though the coronavirus has not been eradicated and will continue to spread. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention no longer requires information from hospitals or testing labs about coronavirus cases, and it has stopped tallying community infection levels. Official case counts have become harder to track as Americans increase reliance on home testing, and confirmed cases are widely considered an undercount of the true toll.
Between Jan. 3, 2020, and May 10, 2023, there were 103,343,569 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. with 1,125,209 deaths confirmed. Globally, there were 765,903,278 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of May 10, including 6,927,378 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
In Clarke County (population 14, 881), at least 1 in 5 residents have been infected since the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020. As of mid-April 2023, there have been almost 3,600 cases of COVID-19 in Clarke County and at least 58 deaths.
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) reports that 73.8% of Virginians are fully vaccinated, and 65.8% of Clarke County residents are fully vaccinated as of April 2023.
In August 2023, the VDH reported COVID-19 indicators were increasing. While still low, COVID-19 hospital admissions increased 22 percent in Virginia in August, similar to national levels.
Free COVID-19 vaccinations are still available for ages 6 months and up at the Clarke County Health Department while supply lasts (and until a new vaccine arrives in fall 2023). Visit the Health Department between 9 and 11 a.m. and 1 and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. No appointment is necessary. The Clarke County Health Department, located at 100 N. Buckmarsh St. in Berryville, is part of the VDH Lord Fairfax Health District. Call the Clarke County office at (540) 955-1033.
COVID.gov offers COVID-19-related guidance by county as well as links to the most up-to-date information and resources across the country.
VDH recommends using its testing locator website to find available PCR tests and antigen tests, though it may not be complete. VDH provides no-cost rapid antigen tests to individuals who are 60 and older.
Winchester-based Valley Health maintains web pages dedicated to COVID-19 information.
Everyone in the United States can find free COVID-19 vaccinations using vaccines.gov. Virginia residents without computers should call (877) VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682).
COVID-19-Related Resources
• COVID-19 Funeral Assistance is offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for funeral expenses incurred after Jan. 20, 2020, for deaths related to coronavirus. Applications are submitted through a dedicated call center 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Central Time) Monday through Friday. Call COVID-19 Funeral Assistance at (844) 684-6333. TTY users call (800) 462-7585.
• COVID-19 Virginia Resources connects individuals and businesses to a number of sources of help with childcare, food, employment, finances, insurance, and more.
• COVIDWISE is a free app that quickly notifies users who have likely been exposed, so they can reduce the risk of infection among friends and family — and help Virginia stop the spread of the virus.
• Disaster Preparedness for Small Business is a resource offered by Business.com that includes COVID-19 as well as hurricanes, wildfires, and floods.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offers a collection of resources from across the federal government to support people experiencing economic hardship during this crisis.
• Federal Trade Commission provides information about COVID-19-related scams to help consumers avoid thieves who are taking advantage of the fear surrounding the coronavirus.
• Free public Wi-Fi in Clarke County is available at more than a dozen locations. Park near the building, follow social distancing standards, and keep at least six feet from individuals who are not members of your immediate family. These Wi-Fi networks are offered as-is with no guarantee of signal or speed quality.
• How to Protect Yourself and Others is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention site that offers guidelines for determining potential risks in public places.
• Main Street Forward, an initiative of the Main Street America program, is COVID-19 recovery-oriented resource center.
• National Endowment for the Arts has compiled COVID-19 resources for fine and performing artists.
• People Inc. is one of Virginia’s largest and most successful community action agencies.
• U.S. Small Business Administration provides guidance and loan resources for small businesses.
• Valley Health, which operates hospitals and medical facilities throughout West Virginia and the Top of Virginia region, has a designated phone number for questions about respiratory illness. Call the COVID-19 Respiratory Care Phone Line at (540) 536-0380 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Monday through Friday.
• Virginia 2-1-1 connects people with trained professionals, who listen and suggest resources using one of the largest databases of health and human services in Virginia.
• Virginia Cooperative Extension shares all the resources of Virginia Tech and Virginia State University.
• Virginia Department of Health staffs a 24-hour hotline at (877) ASK-VDH3. Find additional help at VDH COVID-19 Resources. Contact the local Lord Fairfax Health District at (540) 771-3992.
• Virginia Mortgage Relief Program has COVID-19 relief funds from the U.S. Treasury to support homeowners facing housing instability resulting from the pandemic. These funds can help prevent and/or ease mortgage delinquencies, defaults, foreclosures, and displacement of homeowners experiencing financial hardship due to the pandemic.
• Virginia Ready is an employment and training initiative in response to unprecedented unemployment rates related to COVID-19.
• Virginia Rent Relief Program (RRP) assists tenants and landlords with rent payments to avoid eviction because of COVID-19.
• Virginia Small Business Development Center provides customized counseling and education for small businesses.