The shortage of COVID-19 vaccine supplies forced the Inova Health System to cancel first-dose appointments for people in Group 1B in Northern Virginia as of Tuesday, a group that includes officials from Fairfax County Public Schools .
The news comes when elected leaders directly appeal to the governor for more doses.
At Inova’s large vaccination clinic on its main campus, she has been giving up to 3,000 vaccines a day, including to thousands of FCPS employees since January 15.
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“We understand and share the frustration that this news brings to our patients. When we receive more stock of supplies, we will first prioritize patients who have had an appointment scheduled and then we will focus on opening more appointments for eligible groups,” said Inova in your site .
People who have already received the first dose will still have appointments scheduled for the second dose, but Inova said its vaccine supply is now severely reduced.
Meanwhile, Northern Virginia families, like Maryanne King and her parents, are well aware of the dangers of coronavirus. When the Springfield family became infected last fall, King’s father almost died.
“My father was one step away from using a respirator. We were beyond ourselves, ”said King.
All three are eligible for the vaccine: King because of a serious medical condition, his parents because of age.
After days and hours of phone calls, she finally made vaccination appointments at a small clinic, but only for her parents.
“She said, ‘We’re 65 or older and we don’t know when we’ll be able to make your group yet,'” recalls King. “I collapsed. It was like a knife to the heart. I hung up the phone, looked at my mother and said, ‘What am I going to do?’ “
I collapsed. It was like a knife to the heart. I hung up the phone, looked at my mother and said, ‘What am I going to do?’
Maryanne King, when she learned she would not be able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine
It is an experience that is repeated in different ways in Northern Virginia.
Health departments learned last week that the national vaccine shortage means that their state distribution is now dramatically reduced.
“We just don’t have enough supply right now, I mean, that’s the problem. We are out of supply, ”said the mayor of Alexandria, Justin Wilson.
Wilson, along with 13 other elected leaders from Northern Virginia, has just sent a letter to Governor Ralph Northam seeking a larger share of Virginia’s vaccine supply.
Thousands of people in Arlington learned that their appointments to receive the COVID-19 vaccines were canceled at the Virginia Hospital Center. News4 Darcy Spencer reports.
In it, they asked Northam to “allow priority for our region, as we are ready and can vaccinate a significant number now”.
A Northam spokesman said the governor shares the frustration, but he hopes that, working with President Joe Biden’s team, the offer will increase in the coming weeks.
King hopes the supply of bullets will increase in time for her.
“I’m afraid. I don’t want to catch it again, ”said King.