| Delaware News Journal
How was the pandemic for you? We want to hear from you
We would like to know your opinion about a story we are writing about COVID-19. Reporter Meredith Newman explains.
Meredith Newman, Delaware News Journal
A six-day drive-thru event at the Dover International Speedway will provide second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to thousands of Delawareans starting on Saturday.
The autopista event is only for people who received their first doses at the following state events, in mid-January.
- Dover DMV, January 16 to January 18
- Salesianum School, January 18
- Delaware City DMV, January 22-24
- Georgetown DMV, January 23 to January 24
Registration for the event opens on Wednesday at 11 am at de.gov/fema. Appointments will be made through the scheduling system created by the Public Health Division, and not through the VAMS system of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Those who do not have access to the Internet can call (833) 643-1715 to make an appointment from 11am
The vaccination event will take place for six consecutive days and will offer the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Why it is difficult to get the COVID-19 vaccine in Delaware, even when you are eligible
Residents who received their first doses outside state sponsored events should schedule a second appointment on their own at a pharmacy, primary care practice, or other provider. Vaccinations may take place at different locations, but the vaccine must be from the same manufacturer.
The Dover International Speedway vaccination event is being run by the state in conjunction with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It will be able to vaccinate 3,000 people a day, according to a FEMA press release.
To make an appointment, residents will need the location and date of the state event they attended. Residents will be able to create an appointment for someone else after creating their own, allowing a single email address to be linked to multiple appointments.
Vaccination will take place between 9 am and 7 pm and will be scheduled in 15-minute windows. The state plans to schedule appointments only for the first five days and will open on the sixth day as needed, according to the FEMA statement.
Earlier this month, Delaware shifted its focus from launching a vaccine to obtaining second doses for thousands of people who received their first doses at state-run drive-through events in January.
Last week, registration for the state’s second initial dose events filled up about three hours after the opening, highlighting the demand for the state’s limited supply of vaccines.
Events scheduled last week are being held on Delaware Technical Community College campuses across the state for residents who received their first doses at the Dover DMV and Salesianum events. From Monday to Thursday, the events will vaccinate about 4 thousand people. They are offering only the Modern vaccine.
COVID-19 IN PRISONS: With the high infection rates in Delaware prisons, who will receive the COVID-19 vaccine first?
Last week, a spokesman for the Public Health Division said the state is not allowing everyone who needs a second dose to register for one at their second dose events, because providers are “under obligation” to try to provide themselves the second dose.
“The provider of a first dose of the vaccine has an obligation to try to provide a second dose,” Public Health Division spokesman Robin Bryson wrote by email last week. “DPH has an obligation based on providing a second dose to those who received their first dose of DPH within the supply and logistics limits. The supply of the second dose is being allocated to other providers as the supply allows them to do the same.”
Last week, the director of the Delaware Emergency Management Agency, AJ Schall, said the state opted to hold events for the first and second doses separately, at least initially, to simplify the logistics of running the events.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Delaware administered 154,483 of the 162,050 doses (95%) it received.
The state’s vaccine tracker does not provide information on second doses.
Delaware is in phase 1B of its vaccination plan, which means that healthcare professionals, first responders, long-term care workers and residents and some essential frontline workers, as well as everyone aged 65 and over, are eligible for the vaccine.
Since moving to phase 1B on January 19, Delaware has focused on vaccinating people aged 65 and over. The group is responsible for 14% of COVID-19 cases in the state and 84% of deaths related to COVID-19.
The prevalence of COVID-19 in Delaware has plummeted in the past month. For the first time since November 26, less than 200 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 on Monday.
Delaware set a record with 474 hospitalizations on January 12.
Last week, Delaware averaged 318.1 cases a day, down more than 50% from the previous month.
What you need to prepare for the event
Only people by appointment will be vaccinated at the Dover International Speedway event, says the state. Here’s what those with commitments should prepare for.
- The vaccination site can be accessed through the entrance to Dover International Speedway’s Leipsic Road, not the main entrance to Route 13.
- To reduce the wait, the state is asking those with commitments not to arrive more than an hour early.
- It comes with a full tank of gas.
- Bring personal identification (driver’s license or photo ID).
- Bring your vaccination card to see when and where you received your first vaccination. If you have lost your vaccination card, send an email with your name and date of birth to [email protected] or call (833) 643-1715.
- Bring confirmation of your query.
- Come with snacks to wait in line.
Contact Brandon Holveck at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @holveck_brandon.