District residents 65 and over will be able to register and sign up to schedule the COVID-19 vaccine as of noon, Monday, Jan. 11.
It is the first time the vaccine will be circulated among the community. The vaccine was administered to workers in health care settings beginning in late December.
Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) is expected to make the formal announcement at her Press Conference earlier that same day, scheduled for 10:00 a.m., DC Department of Aging and Community Living (DACL) Director Laura Newland told an audience gathered by the Northwest Neighborhood Neighbors (NNV) during an online presentation Friday.
Starting at noon Monday, adults 65 and over may begin registering to get the vaccine at vaccinate.dc.gov or by calling a the DC Call Center at 1-855-363-0333.
Although some non-healthcare workers were able to register on the vaccinate.dc.gov website over the past two weeks, seniors who want a vaccine MUST register with the city’s vaccination program on or after Monday, Jan. 11.
Seniors who have not received an appointment should register starting Monday, even if they have already received a prior confirmation of registration.
The District’s program to vaccinate seniors will serve residents of the District, including permanent residents and others who can show a residential address in DC, even if they are not US citizens. That will include undocumented individuals living in the District.
Vaccines are free, and patients will not need to provide a Medicare card or proof of health insurance. Patients must wear a facemask to the appointment and bring an ID that shows date of birth or age 65 or over. Wear loose-fitting sleeves that allow for administration of the injection in the upper arm, Newland advised.
This time, it is best not to be too early for your appointment, Newland said. That is because vaccination time slots are being assigned to avoid crowding and maintain safe social distancing.
Newland said the vaccines administered to seniors at community facilities during this phase, such as grocery store pharmacies, will be the two-dose Moderna vaccine.
At the first appointment, patients will be given a reminder card that shows what vaccine was received, the date and location of the first dose, and the provider’s contact information. Although patients should receive a telephone call to remind them of the second appointment, they should keep that card (Newland recommends photographing it with your smartphone). The second dose is administered about 4 weeks after the first dose.
During this phase of the District’s vaccination program, vaccines will be administered to seniors at locations in every ward around the city, including at Safeway and Giant pharmacies, some independent pharmacies and some recreation centers and senior wellness centers. Private physicians are not yet expected to be administering the vaccine.
The District’s reported data for Saturday, Jan. 9, includes 334 new coronavirus cases, bringing the District’s overall positive case total to 31,791. Four additional residents lost their lives due to COVID-19. 817 District residents have lost their lives to the disease.
More information about specific locations will be shared by the Mayor and other city officials in and after the morning press conference on Monday, January 11. Sign up for email or text alerts about the vaccine at vaccinate.dc.gov. If you’d like to watch Newland’s entire presentation to NNV or share it with a neighbor, find it here: https://vimeo.com/nnvdc
