Vaccines and Security – Mayor Bowser’s January 21 Situational Briefing

Vaccines and Security – Mayor Bowser’s January 21 Situational Briefing

by Larry Janezich

Posted January 21

On Friday, January 22, at 9:00 a.m., 740 additional appointments will become available to any DC resident who is 65 and older or any individual who works in a health care setting in DC.

Here’s the link to additional information AND the DC vaccination portal:  https://coronavirus.dc.gov/vaccinatedc   

 If you previously attempted to get an appointment and you did not receive a notification with a confirmation code, date and location, you must re-register.

Here are some highlights from today’s briefing.

• Next week, DC will receive 8,775 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 5,600 doses of Moderna vaccine.
• Going forward: Appointments will be released every Friday a 9:00am for eligible groups in ALL DC zip codes.  Appointments will be released every Thursday at 9:00am for eligible residents in PRIORITY zip codes – most of Wards 1, 4, 5, 7, and 8.
• Vaccinations are prioritized based on two factors: Prevention of morbidity and mortality and preservation of societal functions.
• Vaccinations to prevent morbidity and mortality are well underway for those over 65 and others. (See CHC post from January 11.)
• Preservation of societal functions vaccinations have also started – including health care workers, EMS workers, and frontline public health workers.
• Beginning the week of January 25, additional groups will become eligible under preservation of societal functions including teachers and support staff at DC Public Schools and DC Public Charter Schools, members of the MPD, and “Continuity of DC Government” personnel.
• Public school teachers and staff will receive direct communication to schedule their appointments far vaccinations at Dunbar High School.
• DC Public Charter Schools will receive guidance from the Office of the State Superintendent of Education.
• Restaurants will be able to resume indoor dining up to 25% capacity as of Friday, January 22.

Inaugural Security

• The out-of-state National Guard is beginning to return home starting today.
• DC National Guard will remain in DC through January 30.
• The Mayor will make a to-be-determined request for National Guard assistance for the State of the Union address before a Joint Session of Congress, likely to occur in late February.
• Right wing extremism will continue to be a persistent threat and the city is planning for a short, medium, and long range posture to counter the threat.
• Fences lining DC Streets are being taken down and most will be removed by tomorrow.  The fences around the Capitol Building – maybe the Capitol Complex – are likely to remain through the end of the month.