Free community testing for COVID-19 continues.

The Richmond and Henrico County health districts are offering testing at the following location:

• Thursday, July 29, 4:30 to 6 p.m., Henrico West Health Department, 8600 Dixon Powers Drive.

Appointments are not necessary, but can be made by calling the Richmond and Henrico COVID-19 Hotline at (804) 205-3501 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or by registering online at https://bit.ly/RHHDCOVID.

Testing will be offered while test supplies last. COVID-19 testing also is available at various drug stores, clinics and urgent care centers throughout the area for people with and without health insurance. Several offer tests with no out-of-pocket costs.

A list of area COVID-19 testing sites is online at https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/richmond-city/richmond-and-henrico-area- covid-19-testing-sites/

The Virginia Department of Health also has a list of COVID-19 testing locations around the state at www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus/covid-19-testing/covid-19-testing-sites/.

Want a COVID-19 vaccine?

The Richmond and Henrico health districts are offering free walk-up COVID-19 vaccines at the following locations:

• Friday, July 23, 9 a.m. to noon – Henrico West Clinic, 8600 Dixon Powers Drive, Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson; 3 to 5 p.m. – East End Library, 1200 N. 25th St., Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson.

• Saturday, July 24, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Richmond Public Schools Summer Fest, Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, 1000 Mosby St.; noon to 2 p.m. – Richmond City Justice Center Community Food Distribution, 1700 Fairfield Way, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson

• Tuesday, July 27, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. – Varina Library, 1875 New Market Road, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson; 2 to 4 p.m. – Silk Hair Studio, 1657 W. Broad St., Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson.

• Wednesday, July 28, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Washington Football Team Training Camp, 2401 W. Leigh St., Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson; 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Third Street Bethel AME Church Food Pantry, 614 N. 3rd St., Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson; 3 to 6 p.m. – George Wythe High School, 4314 Crutchfield St., Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson.

• Thursday, July 29, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Washington Football Team Training Camp, 2401 W. Leigh St., Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson; 9 to 11 a.m. – Care Advantage Inc. West End Office, 3201 Hungary Spring Road, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson; 1 to 3 p.m. – Care Advantage Inc. South Side Office, 10041 Midlothian Turnpike, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson; 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. – Twin Hickory Library, 5001 Twin Hickory Road, Glen Allen, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson.

• Friday, July 30, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Washington Football Team Training Camp, 2401 W. Leigh St., Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson; 9 a.m. to noon – Henrico West Clinic, 8600 Dixon Powers Dr., Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.

Children ages 12 to 15 may only receive the Pfizer vaccine.

Appointments are not required, but individuals can schedule an appointment online at vax.rchd.com or by calling (804) 205-3501.

VaccineFinder.org and vaccines.gov also allow people to find nearby pharmacies and clinics that offer the COVID-19 vaccine.

The American Academy of Pediatrics this week recommended that everyone over the age of 2 should wear a face mask inside schools, regardless of their vaccination status.

In new guidance that came out on Monday, the physicians group said it is calling for masking in schools because a significant portion of the student population is not eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine and it would be difficult for schools to track students’ vaccination status and incorporate rules based on that status.

Currently, only the Pfizer, two-dose vaccine is authorized for emergency use for children 12 and older.

The AAP’s recommendations also differ from guidance released earlier this month by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that stated vaccinated teachers and students don’t need to wear masks inside school buildings.

The concern comes as the numbers of new cases of the coronavirus continue to rise across the nation, including in Virginia, with the more contagious delta variant.

The AAP also is encouraging all eligible to get vaccinated and for additional safety protocols be taken for in-person schooling, such as proper ventilation in buildings and cleaning and disinfecting.

Nationally, the U.S. recorded more than 62,000 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. All 50 states also have reported a rise in infection rates for the first time since January, driving largely by those who are unvaccinated. Reports indicate that the delta variant accounts for 83 percent of new cases in the United States, with experts warning it could become the dominant strain in Virginia.

The Virginia Department of Health reported 678 new cases on Wednesday, contributing to a total of 686,884 cases in the state, 31,037 hospitalizations and 11,491 deaths. Virginia’s seven-day positivity rate is 3.4 percent. Last week, it was 2.4 percent.

According to state data, more than 4.5 million people are fully vaccinated in Virginia, or 53.3 percent of the population, while 59 percent of the population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

According to state data, African-Americans comprised 22.5 percent of cases statewide and 25.1 percent of deaths for which ethnic and racial data is available, while Latinos made up 16 percent of cases and 6.5 percent of deaths.