Expect Delays In Scheduling COVID-19 Vaccinations In Arlington

ARLINGTON, VA — Arlington County Public Health Division is warning county residents they may have to wait awhile before they're able to schedule an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

"Even though we are in Phase 2, it may take up to a few weeks to hear from us, as there is overwhelming demand and limited supply," said Jessica Baxter, a public information officer with Public Health, who was answering questions in a video posted Thursday to Arlington's official YouTube channel.

Arlington joined the rest of Virginia last Sunday in Phase 2 of the state's COVID-19 vaccination distribution program. All Virginians 16 and older are now eligible to receive the vaccine.

Arlington's Public Health Division recommends residents use the state's pre-registration system, vaccinate.virginia.gov, to start the scheduling process.

"This ensures you're added to our queue and we pull invitations based on the order of queue. So, the sooner that you preregister, the sooner you will hear from us," Baxter said.

Residents can also find appointments at nearby pharmacies or clinics by going to vaccinefinder.org.

Baxter confirmed that a driver's license or government issued ID is not required to receive the vaccine.

"However, we need to prove it's you," Baxter said. "Documentation like a utility bill, an insurance card, a medical card or paystub work just as well. We just need to ensure you are the right person."

As of Friday morning, 148,274 doses of COVID-19 have been administered in Arlington and 59,175 people fully vaccinated, according to the Virginia Department of Health. Statewide, 5,667,951 doses have been administered and 2,310,843 people are fully vaccinated.

VDH confirmed 41 additional cases of COVID-19 Friday in Arlington, which is more than double the 19 reported on Thursday. The total number of COVID-19 cases in the Arlington Health District stands at 14,944.

One new death connected with COVID-19 was reported the Arlington Health District, according VDH. To date, 823 people have been hospitalized due to COVID-19 in Arlington.

The positivity rate of COVID-19 testing in the Arlington Health District remains at the lowest level in months. VDH reported that a total of 256,602 COVID-19 tests have been taken in the Arlington, with a 4.5 percent positivity rate.

Arlington's positivity rate has been steadily declining since it peaked at 13.4 percent on Jan. 2. Statewide there have been 9,055,702 COVID-19 tests taken, with a 6.4 percent positivity rate.

More: Scheduling Your COVID-19 Vaccination Appointment In Arlington

There have been 65 outbreaks of COVID-19 in the Arlington Health District. There have been 28 outbreaks at long-term care facilities, 18 in a congregate setting, one at a correctional facility, four in health care settings, six at a child care facilities, one at a college or a university, and seven at a K-12 facility. The total number of cases associated with an outbreak is 1,058. There have been 348 reported coronavirus cases in Arlington involving health-care workers.

There have been 652,321 total cases statewide, according to data reported by the Virginia Department of Health. In Virginia, there have been 10,666 coronavirus-related deaths to date. There have been a total of 28,012 hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

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Globally, more than 144.8 million people have been infected by COVID-19, and over 3 million people have died, Johns Hopkins University reported Friday morning. In the U.S., more than 31.9 million people have been infected and over 570,000 people have died from COVID-19.

Arlington residents should take the following actions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. An alcohol-based hand sanitizer can be used if soap and water are not available.
• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

For more information on coronavirus vaccines in Virginia, see the Virginia Patch COVID-19 vaccination page and link to it: https://patch.com/virginia/across-va/topics/virginia-covid-19-vaccine-information-hub.

Also see ...

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• Arlington Board Sets Aside $17.5B For COVID-19 Contingency Fund
• 40 Percent Of Virginians Have First Coronavirus Vaccine Dose