The newest province of Northern Virginia to announce that it will move to Phase 2 with the rest of the Commonwealth is Fairfax County. The country will begin vaccinating 16-year-olds from Sunday.
The newest province of Northern Virginia to announce that it will move to Phase 2 with the rest of the Commonwealth is Fairfax County.
According to an emergency statement on Wednesday, all individuals in the Fairfax Health District who are 16 years or older will be eligible to schedule an appointment with the vaccine directly through VaccineFinder.org from Sunday.
“We are excited to take the next step to Phase 2. Although our scheduling in Phase 1 went well, I am confident that the new scheduling process in Phase 2 will help, as everyone is eligible,” said Jeff McKay, chairman of the Board of Supervisors, said a statement.
The province no longer accepts registrations for the COVID-19 vaccine, as the new system displays available appointments from approved vaccine providers across the country, including the health department, pharmacies, hospitals and some private practices.
Clinics run by the Fairfax County Health Department and some of its partners may not be listed on VaccineFinder until late April or early May due to the available vaccine supply and the need to vaccinate those on the province’s waiting list. Fairfax County will contact those on the waiting list to schedule an appointment.
McKay said he wants to set expectations.
“The huge demand for vaccination in Fairfax County, coupled with the available vaccine supply, will continue to be a challenge, especially in the first weeks of Phase 2. With patience and care, we will get everyone vaccinated,” McKay said.
Fairfax County will join Loudoun County and the city of Alexandria, which has already begun vaccinating those in Phase 2.
Government Ralph Northam had earlier set April 18 as the deadline to have every Virgo over 16 eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
The availability of COVID-19 vaccine is expected to open in Northern Virginia soon
According to the briefing received by the Metropolitan Government Council of Washington on Wednesday, the Coronavirus vaccine will be eligible, reducing availability and appointments in Northern Virginia.
“I think people will be able to find appointments online in the next few weeks,” said Dr. Danny Avula, the coordinator of Virginia’s vaccination program, said.
More immediately, it can be more difficult to schedule appointments as jurisdictions begin to shift into Phase 2.
“I think very confident that everyone who wants to be vaccinated will get the chance by the end of May,” Avula said.
Worldwide, Avula said about 37.5% of the state’s entire population and about 50% of Virginians 16 and older had at least one COVID-19 shot.
When looking at the distribution of vaccines based on race and ethnicity, Avula concedes that more work needs to be done.
The number of people in the Latino community who are vaccinated corresponds approximately to their percentage of the population, approximately 9%. But in the African-American community, which makes up about 19% of the population, about 14.5% have been vaccinated.
Avula believes it can increasingly help rely on community partnerships and help outreach to mobile vaccine clinics.
“Churches, other networks in the field, faith communities, NAACP are part of how we use the voice and influence of key stakeholders or key networks to increase access to vaccination … we will do much more of this in the coming weeks,” he said. Avula said.
The push for true herd immunity to the coronavirus will depend on children being vaccinated.
“We are just reaching out to pediatricians’ offices,” Avula said.
He believes vaccinations, including children as young as 12, can start in early fall or late summer – perhaps earlier.
“Younger children up to 2 years old are currently enrolled for clinical trials across the country,” Avula said, pointing out that collecting enough data about them to start vaccinations could take until late 2021 or early 2022.
As for Virginia’s target of herd immunity with 75% of the people being vaccinated?
“I think we’ll be there by the end of the summer with adults,” he said.
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WTOP’s Abigail Constantino contributed to this report.