DC Seniors 65 And Over Now Eligible To Receive COVID-19 Vaccine
WASHINGTON, DC — D.C. residents age 65 and older are now eligible to schedule an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. This is in addition to other residents already eligible under Phase 1A of the District's phased distribution of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
"We know the vaccine is safe and effective and available in the District of Columbia," Mayor Muriel Bowser said, during a Monday morning news conference. "Our health department has worked through our phasing criteria for the vaccine and today we move into yet another phase of vaccine eligibility."
To date, 26,672 doses of the vaccine have been administered in the District. So far, 45,425 doses have been received by the D.C. Department of Health, and 8,300 additional doses will be delivered this week.
On Monday, D.C. Health moved the District into Phase 1B Tier 1 of its distribution schedule. Under Phase 1A, public safety, healthcare workers, and frontline public health personnel were already eligible to receive the vaccine. In the new phase, D.C. residents 65 and older, correctional officers, staff workers in congregate settings, and non-healthcare personnel supporting operations of COVID-19 vaccination clinics join the Phase 1A personnel already eligible.
Eligible D.C. residents can make an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine by visiting vaccinate.dc.gov or calling the coronavirus call center at 855-363-0333. Appoints will be available Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m., and on Saturdays, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Additionally, residents can reach the coronavirus call center by dialing 311.
The call will take approximately 5 minutes. Residents will be asked to provide the following details:
Demographic information (e.g., race, gender, age)
Medical history
COVID-19 history
Contact information
Insurance information (if you have insurance)
Residents will need to bring their confirmation code, photo I.D., and insurance card to their scheduled appointment.
D.C. Health Director Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt said during the news conference that the District will not wait for all of the individuals in a particular phase or tier of the distribution schedule to be vaccinated before moving on to the next stage. Once a new stage is entered, all previously eligible residents will still be able to schedule an appointment to be vaccinated. The decision of when to move on to the next stage will be made once demand for the vaccine in the then-current stage starts to drop off.
D.C. Health confirmed 202 new positive cases of COVID-19on Monday. That's down from the 334 reported on Sunday. This brings the District's total number of positive cases to date to 31,993.
D.C. Health also confirmed one four new deaths in the District due to COVID-19. The deaths are described as:
55-year-old man
72-year-old man
84-year-old man
89-year-old man
The total number of deaths due to COVID-19 in the D.C. now stands at 821.
According to D.C. Health, 960,916 coronavirus tests have been administered in the District, 371,094 residents have been tested, and 22,153 have been cleared from isolation.
The District currently has 34 intensive care unit beds available out of 345 total intensive care unit beds. There are currently 224 in-use ventilators and 216 available. Also, there are 71 COVID-19-positive ICU patients.
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Globally, more than 90.4 million people have been infected by COVID-19, and over 1.9 million people have died, Johns Hopkins University reported Monday morning. In the United States, more than 24.4 million people have been infected and over 374,000 people have died from COVID-19.
Total of Positive COVID-19 Cases By Age and Gender
Total of Positive COVID-19 Deaths By Gender
Total of Positive COVID-19 Deaths By Age
Total COVID-19 Deaths By Ward
Total of Positive COVID-19 Cases By Race
Total of Positive COVID-19 Deaths By Race
District residents should take the following actions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19:
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. An alcohol-based hand sanitizer can be used if soap and water are not available.
Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
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This article originally appeared on the Washington DC Patch
