January 12, 2021

Coronavirus Update: A Note On the Senior Registration Rollout

Dear Neighbors,

DC Health expanded vaccine registration access for District residents aged
65 years and older yesterday, and the rollout came with a significant
number of frustrations and challenges for seniors using the online
registration portal and call-in number.

My office is in contact with the team at DC Health to identify and correct
the many [1]vaccinate.dc.gov registration process redundancies and user
issues, such as the need to re-enter information ad nauseam. Thank you to
those who have already emailed and alerted me of these operational
problems—this helps me better communicate with DC Health as to what must be
changed. Happily, the agency notified me this afternoon that they will
launch user-friendly updates to the online portal and will clearly state
which sites have available appointments and which sites are full moving
forward.

Functionality problems with the website aside, the real challenge with
today's rollout has been the fact that DC Health has identified about
84,960 residents in the 65 and older group who now qualify to register for
a vaccine supply that does not yet meet this demand. Apparently, there were
only 6,700 vaccine registration appointments available today. The District
has typically received around 4,000 vaccine doses per week. This week we
expect to receive an additional 8,300 doses. But, even with this increase,
it is clear that there was simply no possible way that there would be
enough doses or appointments available for every senior anxious to receive
one. And while the production and distribution of vaccines will increase,
hopefully significantly under the new Biden Administration's [2]mass
distribution plan, we do not yet have a consistent distribution schedule or
allotment from the federal government; this makes planning and confirming
future appointments exceptionally difficult.

The registration process was undeniably disappointing, but we must keep in
mind that this is just the first day of registration for those in the
senior group.

Yesterday was by no means the only opportunity to sign up for a vaccine.
And, as DC Health receives new doses, so too will new appointments become
available. The agency has already committed to improving the online
registration portal and, with your input, this process will only continue
to improve. Due to DC Health's distribution site requirements, as informed
by the unique storage/thawing needs of mRNA vaccines and the capacity needs
of the agency, there are also limited options in our immediate area to make
an appointment. This is important to note as residents may need to book
appointments at larger distribution sites outside of Ward 3. I recognize
that this creates accessibility challenges, so I'll continue to work with
DC Health to identify potential additional sites for Ward 3 seniors.

I have a number of outstanding issues to address with DC Health (including
confirmation that the automatic alert system is functioning, whether
additional call volume can be added to the appointment phone line, and what
plan is in place for inoculating home-bound seniors), and will share agency
answers as I receive them. In the meantime, it is important to remember
that we still have access to simple, yet strong tools to protect ourselves:
always wearing a mask when outside of the home, maintaining social
distance, regular hand washing, and staying at home to the greatest extent
possible. These safety tools have not changed and make a world of
difference in terms of reducing community spread and reducing the risk of
coronavirus.

Vaccine rollout will continue, and so too should our prevention efforts.

Regards,

Mary

Please see [3]coronavirus.dc.gov for the latest District updates &
resources on COVID-19

The Public Emergency is active through January 21st and the Public Health
Emergency has been extended through March 31st

If you know someone who would like to receive these updates directly, he or
she may sign up through [4]marycheh.com

Our Office is Open

Connect with our staff - While Councilmember Cheh's physical office is
closed during the public health emergency, she and her staff are
teleworking and will remain accessible for residents.

You may continue to reach us via phone through our main line at (202)
724-8062 with legislative ideas, budget requests, and constituent services
requests.

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Mary Cheh
Mary Cheh Ward 3
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NWSuite 108
Washington, DC 20004
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