From the Rappahannock Health District:
RAHD will be receiving 4,350 first doses of vaccines per week for the next 4 weeks. This does not include second doses. Please know that although this supply of vaccine may sound like a lot, we have over 375,000 people who live in our health district. It will take time to get to everyone. We anticipate we will be vaccinating Phase 1b, as well as anyone in 1a who has not yet been vaccinated, through at least the end of March.
Currently, the demand for the vaccine far outweighs supply in Virginia. This comes as a result of a limited supply coming from the federal level to the Virginia Department of Health, who then allocates to health districts throughout Virginia. Health Districts statewide are receiving a specific number of vaccines per week based on their population size.
RAHD will be sharing a portion of the allocated vaccine with MWHC and local pharmacies who are able to help vaccinate. These entities will be working in coordination with RAHD to provide vaccines to individuals and essential employers who have indicated an interest in being vaccinated via one of our surveys. Those who completed these surveys can expect to hear back via email from us, MWHC, or a local pharmacy. If no email address was provided, they will receive a phone call.
RAHD is finalizing a plan for equitable distribution of vaccine in each locality. This plan will likely involve offering vaccine clinics in each locality one day per week, and we will be announcing this schedule very soon. The amount of vaccine at each locality’s clinic will be based on their overall population.
We have received over 20,000 responses to the surveys for individuals age 75+ and 65+ or who have comorbidities. We will be providing vaccines to individuals on this list as quickly as we can.
Among frontline essential workers, at this time we are working to vaccinate 1) police, fire, and hazmat, 2) staff and individuals who reside in homeless shelters and correctional facilities, and 3) school employees. As vaccine becomes available, we will continue to reach out to Phase 1b essential workers in the order outlined at https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/covid-19-vaccine/#phase1b
Next week, we will be vaccinating a local homeless shelter on 1/26 and providing vaccines in Spotsylvania County on 1/27-1/29 before initiating the above plan.
