Northam, Hogan, Bowser Send Letter to FEMA Asking for Increased Assistance With Vaccination Effort

ALEXANDRIA, VA-Earlier today, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, and DC Mayor Muriel Bowser sent a two-page letter to FEMA and HHS leaders requesting increased support for COVID-19 vaccination efforts of essential federal employees. It specifically asks that the federal government vaccinate its own workers, including contractors and WMATA employees.

“The federal Office of Personnel Management reports that more than 281,000 Federal Civilian Employees work in the National Capital Region around the nation’s capital,” reads an except of that latter. “The federal government has identified more than 10 percent of these workers—more than 30,000 individuals—as critical personnel to ensuring the continuity of national societal functions.”

Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson is in support of their letter and effort, as many federal workers live in the city. The move would permit easier access to the vaccine.

“Every resident of ours that is vaccinated by their employer, in this case the federal government, frees up a dose we can use for another Alexandria resident,” Wilson told The Zebra by email.

Northam, Hogan, and Bowser also requested the following:

1) A federally supported and operated vaccination site in the Capital Region for federal workers

2) Coordinated messaging for employees regarding the vaccination effort

To view the full text of the letter, click HERE.

Alexandria Vaccination Update

Wilson also shared news of the vaccination effort here in town. As of this writing, there is a waiting list of 36,000-plus for Phase 1B. The city is currently receiving just under 2,000 doses a week from the state.

“As a result,” Wilson wrote, “it’s going to take quite a while to get through Phase 1B and the rest of our community until the vaccine supply coming to the states from the federal government increases significantly.”

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