Friends,

This past Thursday, you did not receive a newsletter from me; last week was quite difficult because I lost my father suddenly on Tuesday morning, March 9. My family and I joined my mother and siblings as we honored my father’s life and laid him to rest in Florida. My father was an extraordinary man, an academician who taught political science and international relations at Georgia Southern University, and a role model for his countless students. Above all else, he was a devoted husband of nearly 60 years to my mother and a profoundly loving father and grandfather. I will miss my weekly phone calls with him and his advice.

Vaccine Updates for Richmond/Henrico and Chesterfield Health Districts

Richmond/Henrico Health District
The Richmond/Henrico Health District (RHHD) has shared that--starting yesterday, March 17--seniors aged 65 and older who live in Richmond City or Henrico County can now schedule a vaccination appointment directly by calling the Call Center (804-205-3501), Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM. They anticipate a high call volume over the next few weeks and will work to answer those calls as quickly as possible.

Over the past few weeks, RHHD has called or emailed almost every senior in Richmond and Henrico who had pre-registered for a COVID-19 vaccine. They are now opening up the phone lines to make the process easier for seniors in the area who have not yet received their COVID-19 vaccine.

Chesterfield Health District (CHD includes Chesterfield County, Powhatan County, and City of Colonial Heights)
For residents in the Chesterfield Health District (CHD), the statewide COVID-19 vaccine pre-registration system is available at vaccinate.virginia.gov or by calling 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682). The Commonwealth’s centralized system allows individuals to easily pre-register for the free vaccine, confirm they are on the waitlist and verify/update their pre-registration information, and learn more about Virginia’s vaccination program.

The statewide call center is open seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and has English- and Spanish-speaking agents, as well as a callback service in more than 100 other languages. TTY service (dial 7-1-1) is available to assist those who are deaf or hard of hearing. If wait times are long, Virginians can choose to get a call back and avoid having to stay on hold.

Special Thanks to Chesterfield County Public Libraries
For residents who may need assistance with pre-registering or verifying a pre-registration Chesterfield County Public Library (CCPL) staff are generously helping with the process. Library staff are available to assist residents over the phone or in-person if needed. If visiting in person, please follow safe distancing protocols. For CCPL's assistance, call 804-751-2275.

Major Community Vaccination Clinics
This week, four major community vaccination clinics were opened across the Commonwealth, and Virginia State University in Petersburg is the site of one of them. The VSU site is expected to begin vaccinating 3,000 people a day this week, with a goal of vaccinating 6,000 daily, dependent on supply availability. These events are by appointment only. People who have pre-registered and are eligible will be contacted to sign up for an appointment.

International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month
March is Women’s History Month, and I have a series of events to recognize the contributions of women who have led in every aspect of our common history and experience.

On Monday, March 8, in recognition of International Women’s Day, I spoke to students, faculty, and staff at an event organized by the Office of Student Life at Reynolds Community College. That evening, I also joined an international gathering to recognize the leadership of Asian women.

Tonight, I will be joining a panel hosted by Attorney General Mark Herring. I hope that you will listen to the discussion as it's shared live at 7pm (EST) on facebook.com/markherringva.

Throughout the remainder of March, I have a series of other speaking engagements for Women’s History Month, but I especially want to highlight my upcoming March Town Hall on Thursday, March 25. I will be speaking with Dr. Megan Healy, Chief Workforce Advisor to the Governor. We will be discussing the ways in which the pandemic has especially affected issues of women’s unemployment, the large-scale exit of women from the workforce, Virginia’s plans to rebuild the economy, access to child care, and the G3 program. I hope you will join us:

Contacting our office
As always, if you need assistance, or if you want to schedule a Zoom or phone call with our team, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office. Email is the best way to contact us. We can be reached at [email protected].

— Ghazala Hashmi