Fairfax Vaccine Scheduling Advances Beyond Top Registration Day

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — The Fairfax County Health Department is now making COVID-19 vaccine appointments for people who registered beyond the highest registration day.

According to the health department's vaccine data dashboard, it is now making appointments for people who registered on Jan. 19. The highest number of people had registered on Jan. 18, the day eligibility in Virginia's phase 1b was expanded from 75 and older to 65 and older as well as 16 to 64 with underlying health conditions or disabilities. Over 44,000 people registered on that day.

Jan. 19 marks the next highest day for registrations with over 17,000 people signed up. The numbers drop considerably for the next days — 8,076 registered on Jan. 20, 8,114 on Jan. 21 and 7,654 on Jan. 22.

If you registered before Jan. 19 and have not received an invitation to make an appointment, use the online registration checker and contact the call center with questions at 703-324-7404.

The wait list in Fairfax County is due to limited weekly supply of doses. During the week of Feb. 22 to 28, Fairfax received 16,380 doses from the state and administered 18,843 doses. The higher number of administered doses may be attributed to extra doses in vials or leftover doses from the previous week due to weather-related rescheduling of vaccination clinics.

Vaccine partners are helping the health department work through the wait list. Last week, Giant Pharmacy and MyDr.’s Pharmacy joined Inova, George Mason University and Trusted Doctors to vaccinate people on the health department's wait list. Select Giant locations are offered as locations for people who receive an invitation to schedule their vaccine appointment through the health department.

The health department has not yet announced how much of the new Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine it will receive. Virginia as a whole is expected to receive its initial shipment of 69,000 doses this week.

"Fairfax County is currently evaluating how many Johnson & Johnson doses we will receive, how those doses will be given at our clinics, and how much vaccine will be distributed to our health partners," the health department said in a statement. "We will provide more information this week when it is available."

As of 11 a.m. Tuesday, there are 95,034 people on the health department's wait list, or 35 percent of the 270,714 who have registered. Anyone eligible in phases 1a and 1b can register with the health department, although essential workers are typically scheduled through their workplaces. Phase 1a includes health care workers and long-term care facility residents and workers. Phase 1b includes some essential workers, people 65 and older, and 16 to 64 with underlying health conditions or disabilities. The Fairfax Health District includes Fairfax County and the cities of Falls Church and Fairfax.

Registration can be completed online through the health department. The Fairfax County Health Department is not participating in the statewide vaccine registration form at this time. People who need help with registration, need to register in another language, or who do not have internet access or technology can contact the call center at 703-324-7404. Residents can confirm they are on the wait list through the online registration checker.

A separate federal pharmacy program offers the vaccine at select CVS locations and Safeway Pharmacy locations. Residents can check for appointment availability on each pharmacy's website.