Coronavirus Update: The District's Vaccine Distribution Plan

Dear Neighbors,

This past week has seen some major developments in local vaccine distribution planning, and this letter will focus on what we know about the District's Vaccination Plan. Initial vaccine doses will be distributed to the states, territories, and certain cities based on population. The District of Columbia will receive around 6,800 doses in the first batch of vaccines provided by the federal government, and we expect to receive the first doses by mid-December. New shipments of vaccines will likely occur on a weekly basis.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has required all states and territories to turn in an interim plan for coronavirus vaccine distribution. These plans are living documents and will likely change over time, but they provide a detailed analysis of the considerations and general plans underway by public health agencies. DC Health's current draft plan is available in its entirety here: COVID-19 Vaccination Plan. Here are some highlights:

The first group (1a) to be vaccinated in Phase 1 is the District's roughly 85,000 healthcare workers (broadly defined as anyone working in a healthcare facility, EMS personnel, and home-health aides)
DC Health has created subgroups within the first group of healthcare workers, starting with emergency care personnel as the first tier, to those working in ICU/respiratory care, and those with most contact with coronavirus patients
The second group (1b) to receive vaccines during Phase 1 will be other essential workers, including teachers, law enforcement, etc.
Residents experiencing homelessness, nursing home residents, teachers, those 65 years and older, and childcare workers are also included in the 1b distribution group
To see the full chart of priority groups and subgroups, please see page 26 of the District's COVID-19 Vaccination Plan

Based on the priority groups, DC Health has noted that the general public should expect to be vaccinated in the March to April time frame. The agency has also reported to the Council that the District has sufficient local cold storage capacity to safely store vaccine doses and that the Mayor and DC Health are strongly advocating for the District to receive additional doses.

As the vaccine is prepared for distribution, one additional aspect that everyone should be prepared for is that some of us in the vaccine trial did experience some unpleasant temporary side effects, such as fatigue, body aches and pains, and headache. It cannot be emphasized enough that these were temporary, and in my case the reaction lasted around 36 hours. Physicians have noted that these effects are evidence of one's immune system at work, and it should absolutely not deter anyone from receiving the initial vaccine or the follow up dose. Moreover, many who received the vaccine experienced only minimal effects, such as redness or soreness at the injection site.

This week alone, twelve District resident residents have died from the coronavirus. To date, the District has lost 693 of our neighbors, friends, and loved ones to this virus. And, as with the rest of the country, our local case data continues to rise. We must not give in to pandemic fatigue. Please stay safe, maintain social distance, and always wear a mask when outside of your home (and even inside your home if a family member has been exposed to the virus). These simple measures help keep you and others safe, and may save lives as we work toward widespread vaccine distribution.

Regards,

Mary