How To Get Vaccine Around Fairfax: Availability For Week Of May 2

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — COVID-19 vaccination appointments are available at various providers in the upcoming week.

Fairfax City and the rest of Virginia have made everyone 16 and older eligible for the vaccine. The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are approved for use in people 18 and older, and the Pfizer vaccine is approved for use in people 16 and older.

Appointment availability is becoming more common than earlier months of vaccinations. Northern Virginia's health districts have teamed up for a new campaign called Stay Well NoVa to encourage people to get vaccinated. The campaign seeks to people who are hesitant but may be more open to getting vaccinated after seeing others do so.

The campaign comes as communities work toward herd immunity, which will make it more difficult for the virus to spread. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention doesn't set a specific percentage for achieving population immunity but says more broadly "population immunity means that enough people in a community are protected from getting a disease because they've already had the disease or they've been vaccinated."

Fairfax County and the rest of Virginia have made everyone 16 and older eligible for the vaccine. The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are approved for use in people 18 and older, and the Pfizer vaccine is approved for use in people 16 and older.

Appointment availability is becoming more common than earlier months of vaccinations. Northern Virginia's health districts have teamed up for a new campaign called Stay Well NoVa to encourage people to get vaccinated. The campaign seeks to people who are hesitant but may be more open to getting vaccinated after seeing others do so.

The campaign comes as communities work toward herd immunity, which will make it more difficult for the virus to spread. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention doesn't set a specific percentage for achieving population immunity but says more broadly "population immunity means that enough people in a community are protected from getting a disease because they've already had the disease or they've been vaccinated."

"For herd immunity to occur, high levels of immunity must be achieved in each community," said Dr. Gloria Addo-Ayensu, director of the Fairfax County Health Department. "It is our duty to vaccinate as many people as possible. With this campaign, we are supplementing grassroots outreach occurring directly in our neighborhoods to motivate people to get vaccinated."

In Fairfax County, 48 percent of the population has at least one dose, and 31.3 percent are fully vaccinated. These numbers include the towns of Vienna, Herndon and Clifton.

During the week of April 26 to May 2, the Fairfax Health District received 43,480 first and second doses. Separate allocations go to the federally qualified health center Neighborhood Health and pharmacies in the federal pharmacy program.

Residents can now book appointments with the Fairfax County Health Department or other providers found through vaccinefinder.org. Those needing help can contact the call center at 703-324-7404.

Below are some vaccination providers available during the week of May 2. Availability may change after the publication of this story.

• Fairfax County Health Department clinics and Tysons Community Vaccination Center: register for VAMS account to see appointment availability. Walk-ins also accepted at the Tysons Community Vaccination Center (former Lord & Taylor store at 7950 Tysons Corner Center) Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Inova Health System: Register for an Inova MyChart account to schedule an appointment.
• May 3-7, vaccine provided by Giant Pharmacy, 2932 Chain Bridge Road, Oakton, VA 22124
• May 3-8 and more, vaccine provided by Sameday Health, 1981 Chain Bridge Road, Mclean, VA 22102
• Tuesday, May 4, Giant Pharmacy,10653 Braddock Road
  Fairfax, VA 22032
• Tuesday, May 4, Moderna vaccine provided by CVS Pharmacy, 3921 Prosperity Avenue, Fairfax, VA 22031
• May 5-6, vaccine provided by Harris Teeter, 2675 Ave., Vienna, VA 22180
• May 5-7, J&J vaccine provided by CVS Pharmacy, 264 Cedar Lane SE, Vienna, VA 22180
• May 5-7, J&J vaccine provided by CVS Pharmacy, 3053 Nutley Street, Fairfax, VA, 22031

Patch editor Emily Leayman contributed to the reporting of this story.