In Thursday’s situational update, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt spoke about the B.1.17 variant and future plans for the vaccine rollout.
B 1.1.7 Variant
Nesbitt announced that last night the Center for Disease Control (CDC) reported that cases of the B 1.1.7 variant of the virus have been reported in DC. Cases as a whole have continued to decrease this week.
She encouraged all DC residents to go “back to the basics” of hand washing, mask wearing and staying 6 feet apart to help curb the spread of the virus and this variant. Nesbitt also emphasized the importance of answering the contact tracing calls to help DC contain the virus.
Vaccine Rollout
Next week’s vaccine allotment is up approximately 50 percent from two weeks ago. At the current pace, the District expects to have vaccinated 70 percent of seniors by the end of the month, Nesbitt said.
This morning, approximately 2,500 appointments became available to DC residents in priority zip codes including Wards 5, 7 and 8. Tomorrow starting at 9:00 a.m. 2,500 additional appointments will open to all residents 65 and older and those working in a healthcare setting.
In March, the District plans to unveil a program to allow residents to sign up to be alerted when the vaccine becomes available to them.
MPD Carjacking Task Force
This week the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced the creating of a task force to address the increasing number of carjackings, auto thefts and vehicle offenses in DC.
MPD said its goal is not only to address ongoing crime, but also to equip communities and inform them about how to stay safe. They recommend always locking your vehicle and not leaving it unattended while running. Additionally, residents can report suspicious activity to 202-727-9099.
Sarah Payne is a History and Neuroscience student at The University of Michigan interning with HillRag. She writes for and serves as an assistant news editor for Michigan’s student newspaper, The Michigan Daily. You can reach her at sarahp@hillrag.com.
