45,000 Pre-Registered for COVID-19 Vaccine in Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA-This afternoon the City of Alexandria sent out an Alexandria eNews update pertaining to COVID-19 vaccination. As of this writing, 45,000 residents are pre-registered for the shot in Phase 1b. Because of the limited supply – 2,000 doses per week – the Alexandria Health Department (AHD) has had to prioritize within a group that includes tens of thousands of residents.

According to the update, “Groups must be prioritized differently to better control disease transmission.”

AHD, based on the Public Health Justice Principles. is relying on the below criteria to determine appointment slots until supply meets demand.

1)  Alexandria residents ages 75 and older, long-term care residents and employees, and those under Phase 1a who live or work in Alexandria receive first priority for vaccine appointments. Phase 1a includes health care workers, human services workers, and primary caregivers for persons with severe conditions requiring a high level of daily care.

2) The remaining vaccine appointment slots are then divided in half and allocated according to this process:

a) Fifty percent of the vaccine is allocated for residents aged 65 to 74.These people are further divided into two groups.

• The first priority group includes residents of 13 census tracts within the city with the highest social vulnerability scores. Members of this group receive early access to appointments based on the order in which they pre-registered.
• The second priority group includes Alexandria residents outside of the 13 most vulnerable census tracts. Members of this group are invited to schedule an appointment based on the order in which they pre-registered.

b) The other 50 percent of the supply is reserved for Phase 1b essential workers and residents ages 16 to 64 with underlying medical conditions that make them more susceptible to severe illness. Essential workers in Phase 1b are invited to make an appointment based on the order in which they’ve pre-registered. Those with underlying medical conditions are split into two groups:

• The first priority group includes residents of 13 census tracts within the City with the highest social vulnerability scores. Members of this group receive early access to appointments based on the order in which they pre-registered.
• The second priority group includes Alexandria residents outside of the 13 most vulnerable census tracts. Members of this group are invited to schedule an appointment based on the order in which they pre-registered.

Although bound by Virginia’s phase guidelines, AHD has petitioned the state when data or equity concerns indicate that an industry or group should be positioned higher. They are prioritizing the top third, or 13, census tracts with the highest social vulnerability score on the CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index, to increase vaccine access for underserved or marginalized residents.

The update states that throughout the pandemic, “local, state, and national data has shown that those in the highest social vulnerability risk categories have higher rates of infection, hospitalization, and death due to COVID-19.”

In an effort to ensure that all in Phase 1b are cared for, AHD’s outreach has been persistent and proactive. They continue to modify scheduling procedures and contact businesses around the city. For residents who do not have email or internet access, department reps are scheduling appointments by phone.

RELATED: Statewide Pre-Registration System Operational