vaccine

State Sending More Vaccine to Arlington, County Says

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County is speeding up its vaccination effort thanks to an increase in vaccine supply from the state.

The county revealed the vaccination news in a daily “COVID-19 update” email Friday afternoon, following Thursday’s announcement from Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam that everyone in Virginia age 16 and older will be eligible to get the vaccine starting on Sunday, April 18.

The county will now work to accelerate through the current vaccination phase, 1B, as well as Phase 1C, which includes groups of other essential workers, before opening up to the general public in Phase 2.

“Based on an influx of vaccine supply at the state level, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has allocated an increase in local supply of vaccine to complete Arlington County’s aggressive vaccination schedule for the next three weeks in an effort to move to Phase 2,” the county wrote in the email.

“VDH has indicated all local health districts, including Arlington, will have enough vaccine to complete outreach to priority groups by the week of April 18,” the county continued. “Assuming that the necessary supply is received on schedule, we will hopefully then be able to reach Phase 2 open eligibility to the general public. Those at highest risk will continue to receive priority in the scheduling process.”

The county says it anticipates scheduling vaccinations for those in Phase 1C by mid-April, adding that Arlington is “committed to ensuring everyone on our priority pre-registration lists are notified to schedule appointments prior to going to Phase 2.”

As of Monday morning, 97,160 total vaccine doses have been administered in Arlington, and 32,706 people have been fully vaccinated, according to the state health department. Over the past week, an average of about 2,650 doses have been administered each day — a new local record, and nearly 2.5 times the vaccination rate one month ago.

Weekly COVID cases in Arlington, meanwhile, ticked up and hit a one-month high over the weekend. As of Sunday, 286 coronavirus cases had been reported over the past seven days, the highest seven-day total since March 2.

One additional COVID-related death was also reported over the weekend. No new hospitalizations were reported.

File photo (top)

Virginia to Expand Vaccine Eligibility to All People 16+ by April 18

By Jo DeVoe

Gov. Ralph Northam today (Thursday) announced that all individuals in Virginia age 16 and older will be eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine starting on Sunday, April 18.

That is about two weeks ahead of President Joe Biden’s nationwide goal of expanding eligibility to the general public by May 1.

The news comes as nearly every Virginian in the highest risk groups who have pre-registered for a vaccine appointment has received one, and those still waiting will receive appointment invitations in the next two weeks, according to the Commonwealth.

More than 3.7 million doses of vaccine have been administered in Virginia, the state said, adding that about one in three adults have received at least one dose and one in five are fully vaccinated.

“The COVID-19 vaccine is the light at the end of the tunnel — and that light is getting brighter every day as more and more Virginians get vaccinated,” Northam said. “Expanding vaccine eligibility to all adults marks an important milestone in our ongoing efforts to put this pandemic behind us, and I thank all of the public health staff, health care workers, vaccinators, and volunteers who have helped make this possible.”

Arlington is currently averaging just over 2,200 doses administered per day — a new local record, though it still lags in fully vaccinated individuals per capita. According to data from the Virginia Department of Health, nearly 12% of Arlington’s population has been fully vaccinated, compared to 13.3% for Alexandria and 14.5% for Fairfax County.

“We have seen a bit of an increase in doses recently, and we continue to be optimistic that our supply will increase even more,” Arlington County Public Health Division spokeswoman Cara O’Donnell tells ARLnow.

As of March 29, there are upwards of 35,000 people pre-registered to receive the vaccine in Arlington, about 15,000 who cited complication risks and 19,000 who cited work-related exposure risks, Public Health Director Dr. Reuben Varghese told the County Board in a work session on Tuesday.

“We’ve already reached out to all eligible residents who have pre-registered with the county,” said O’Donnell, in a vaccine Q&A video published today. “There have been quite a few cases where missing or incorrect info can make your record ineligible. Make sure your eligibility category is one of the one’s being scheduled. If you’ve tried everything and you think there’s a problem, let us know.”

Arlington County has been calling for more vaccine from the state. The Commonwealth, meanwhile, says it is distributing vaccine doses as quickly as they are provided by the federal government.

“Because the Commonwealth has followed guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prioritize those at highest risk, and because Virginia is a large and diverse state with many essential workers, many out-of-state commuters, and a high percentage of the population that wants to be vaccinated, it has taken some time to open eligibility to the general public,” according to a press release from the governor’s office.

Phase 1C essential workers in 21 of Virginia’s 35 local health districts have been able to secure vaccination appointments, according to the release, and beginning April 4 districts that have invited everyone pre-registered in Phase 1C may invite members of the general public who have pre-registered to schedule appointments.

Arlington is still working through Phase 1B, recently expanding access to clergy and janitorial staff eligible in this phase, according to the County Board work session. Phase 1C essential workers and the general public are still ineligible.

Despite demand currently outstripping supply in places like Arlington, all local health districts will have enough vaccines to open appointments to the general public by April 18, according to the Commonwealth. Those at the highest risk will continue to be prioritized in the scheduling process.

Arlington County is still striving for a more equitable distribution of vaccination doses.

Varghese said his department is aware of disproportionalities in Arlington among those who have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

Through March 27, more than 63% of Arlington residents and non-residents with at least one dose said they are non-Hispanic white. Meanwhile, Hispanic or Latino residents and non-residents make up 11% of those vaccinated and non-Hispanic Black Arlington residents and non-residents make up 7% of those vaccinated.

White people are slightly over-represented in vaccination rates compared to their proportion of the population, while Arlington residents who do not identify as white are slightly under-represented.

“All we can conclude right now is that this is who was able to get into the system,” Varghese said. “An Internet email system is going to disenfranchise some more than others, but it’s what the CDC had to put together.”

(more…)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Va. ‘Seals Deal’ for Rail Expansion — “Virginia finalized agreements Tuesday with CSX, Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express as part of the state’s $3.7 billion passenger rail expansion program that seeks to relieve a rail bottleneck and get more commuters onto trains. The signing of agreements advances a pledge Gov. Ralph Northam (D) made in December 2019 to significantly grow passenger rail service this decade by building a new rail bridge over the Potomac River, adding new track in the Washington-Richmond corridor and buying hundreds of miles of passenger right of way from CSX.” [Washington Post, Twitter]

Affordable Housing CEO Retiring — “Longtime CEO of the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing Nina Janopaul will retire June 30, 2021, after a remarkable 14-year career at the helm of the organization, leading APAH through a period of transition and rapid expansion. The APAH Board has appointed Executive Vice President Carmen Romero to lead APAH into its ambitious next phase of growth and service.” [Press Release, Twitter]

New Restaurant Fighting for Funding — “Andrew Darneille had a sense of deja vu when he clicked on the link from his certified public accountant. It led him to a page that said, in essence, that the Restaurant Revitalization Fund would not be the lifeline he had hoped for. Based on the fund’s grant calculations buried in the larger $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act, his Smokecraft Modern Barbecue in Arlington, Va., would not get a cent in federal relief during a pandemic that has left many restaurateurs hanging by a thread.” [Washington Post]

No GOP County Board Candidates Yet — “The Arlington County Republican Committee remains on the hunt for a candidate or candidates to challenge for the one County Board seat on the November ballot. ‘We have had people reach out to us,’ party chairman Andrew Loposser said on March 24, though none has yet stepped forward publicly.” [Sun Gazette]

Green Valley Church Helping with Vaccinations — “At Macedonia Baptist Church in Arlington, the sanctuary has sat empty since the start of the coronavirus pandemic… So when Harcum was recently approached about a new vaccine equity partnership with Arlington County and Neighborhood Health, he said he was happy to offer up space inside the church.” [WJLA]

Photo courtesy James Mahony

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Man Arrested for Alleged Carjacking — “Upon exiting the store, the suspect approached the vehicle associated with the female witness and attempted to hand the male occupant a drink. When the male declined, the suspect allegedly punched him on the side of the head and proceeded to open the vehicle’s door, pull him out and began assaulting him. The occupants from the suspect’s vehicle attempted to intervene and when the suspect refused to comply, they left the scene. Upon seeing that the suspect vehicle had left the parking lot, the suspect entered the victim’s vehicle and fled the scene.” [Arlington County]

Amazon Workers to Volunteer at Vaccination Site — “The company sent out an opportunity for employees to volunteer at the clinic on one of its listservs, and pulled in workers from all around the region, including those at Amazon Web Services, which has a hefty Herndon presence. Roughly 50 Amazon employees will help run the clinic each day… While Arlington health workers will deliver the vaccines themselves, Amazon volunteers will perform other important tasks, like monitoring people for symptoms after they’ve received a shot.” [Washington Business Journal]

Capitol Rioter Photographed in Arlington — “[Michigan] resident Anthony Williams used Facebook to show off photos and videos of himself inside the U.S. Capitol, which gave law enforcement officials enough evidence to arrest him last week… Williams posted updates to Facebook as he traveled to Washington, D.C. He posted his location in Bedford County, Pennsylvania with the caption “Operation Storm the Swamp” and posed for a photo with five other men at a sports pub in Arlington, Virginia.” [MLive]

Rosslyn Building Set for Foreclosure Sale — “A Rosslyn office building that hosts one of President Joe Biden’s favorite sandwich shops is slated to be sold at a foreclosure auction, the latest sign of distress in Greater Washington’s commercial real estate industry… a public auction is scheduled to be held 11 a.m. Wednesday outside the Arlington County courthouse for 1500 Wilson Blvd., a 17-story, 261,360-square-foot office building that stands at the intersection of North Oak Street and Clarendon and Wilson boulevards in Arlington County.” [Washington Business Journal]

Lopez’s Challenger Picks Up Endorsement — “The activist group Our Revolution Arlington has endorsed Karishma Mehta’s bid to unseat Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-Arlington-Fairfax) in the June 8 Democratic primary… The organization pointed to the challenger’s support for the Green New Deal for Virginia, single-payer healthcare, ‘slashing police budgets and re-investing those resources into securing people’s basic needs,’ repealing right-to-work laws and other ‘transformative policy proposals.'” [Sun Gazette]

Kiwanis Help Kids During the Pandemic — “Arlington’s pandemic-stressed safety net organizations received an infusion of funds from the Kiwanis Foundation of Arlington this month. The Foundation, the charitable arm of the Kiwanis Club of Arlington, distributed more than $50,000 to the Arlington Food Assistance Center, Arlington THRIVE, The Salvation Army, ASPIRE, Bridges to Independence, PRS Crisis Link, Doorways, Capital Caring, YMCA, Arlington 4-H, National Capital Treatment & Recovery, VHC Pediatrics and other non-profits serving children in the community.” [Press Release]

Arlington Opening Joint Vaccine Site With Amazon Today

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County is partnering with Amazon to open a new coronavirus vaccination site at the company’s temporary Crystal City HQ2 offices.

The appointment-only vaccination clinic is set to open today for eligible locals who pre-register through the state’s Vaccinate Virginia website.

“This new clinic at 2100 Crystal Drive, located in a street-level storefront next to Amazon office space, will add to the vaccination clinic sites available to the County as vaccine distribution grows,” notes a press release. “The County has offered vaccination clinics at Sequoia Plaza, Walter Reed Community Center, and Lubber Run Community Center.”

County and company leaders are touting the partnership.

“Since its arrival in Arlington in 2019, Amazon has demonstrated its commitment to partnering with our community,” Arlington County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti said. “By providing space at 2100 Crystal Drive for a transit-accessible vaccination clinic, Amazon is helping us reach more residents. And incorporating Amazon and JBG Smith staff into the clinic’s staffing is a force multiplier, allowing us to staff more clinics. We appreciate Amazon’s willingness to step up and offer assistance in this critical public health effort.”

“Since the outset of the global health pandemic, Amazon has targeted its resources toward protecting the health and well-being of its employees, customers, and the communities in which we operate,” said Brian Huseman, vice president of public policy at Amazon. “We’re proud to partner with Arlington and provide a safe and accessible space so that the Virginia Department of Health can continue to steadily vaccinate Arlington residents. We remain ready to provide ongoing support to our HQ2 neighbors as the entire nation works towards recovering from the pandemic.”

“We’re so happy to be partnering with Amazon and Arlington County as Virginia increases its vaccination roll out and more residents become eligible for vaccination,” said David Ritchey, Executive Vice President of JBG SMITH.

Last week Arlington County also announced partnerships intended to increase vaccination rates “among under-represented, at-risk populations.”

Arlington County has partnered with Neighborhood Health, Arlington Free Clinic, Macedonia Baptist Church, and local non-profit organizations to address disparities in COVID-19 vaccination rates among Arlington’s Black, Latino, low-income, and other communities that have been more severely affected by the pandemic. The Arlington County Department of Human Services has begun scheduling vaccine appointments for people referred by nonprofits.

“We are committed to ensuring that all of our residents who want a vaccine will have access to the vaccine.” said County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti. “And we are committed to doing all we can to equitably distribute the vaccine.”

Overall vaccination rates have been steadily increasing in Arlington. Over the past week, nearly 1,700 vaccination doses have been administered per day, on average. That compares to just over 1,100 doses per day at the beginning of March.

As of Monday morning, about 23% of Arlington’s population has received at least one vaccine dose, while 11% are fully vaccinated, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data.

Despite the vaccinations, the rate of new coronavirus cases in Arlington is up slightly — around 250 new cases per week — compared to two weeks ago, when the seven-day total briefly fell below 200. Two deaths and five COVID-related hospitalizations have been reported over the past week, bringing the pandemic total for both in Arlington to 245 and 795, respectively.

Image (top) via Arlington County/YouTube

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

County Still Prepping for Preservation Hearing — “Even though the razing of the Rouse estate may be at hand, the Arlington County government’s historic-preservation staff is taking the steps necessary if public hearings on preservation of the site go forward in April… But nearly all parties now expect that the buildings on the 9-acre site will be razed before those hearings occur.” [Sun Gazette]

Preservationist Compares Estate to Auschwitz — Tom Dickinson, who’s leading the charge to save the Rouse estate, directed the following statement to the County Board over the weekend, referencing the likelihood that enslaved people built part of the estate: “If you, the board, do not intervene to stop this destruction of this sacred site, your individual and collective legacy will be stained forever by a lack of honor and respect for those who labored and suffered to create these structures at this site, and the desecration of them… It would be the equivalent of allowing the destruction of the crematory ovens at Auschwitz.” [Sun Gazette]

Northam Further Easing COVID Restrictions — “Governor Northam has further amended Executive Order 72 to modify public health restrictions in place to prevent transmission of COVID-19. These changes come as Virginia’s vaccination rate is steady and case counts are fluctuating. Effective April 1, limits on social gatherings will increase from 10 to 50 for indoor gatherings, and from 25 to 100 for outdoor gatherings.” [Arlington County]

NAACP Head Receives FBI Community Award — “FBI Washington Field Office (WFO) Assistant Director in Charge (ADIC) Steven M. D’Antuono is pleased to announce Mr. Julius Spain, Sr., as the recipient of the 2020 FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award (DCLA) for WFO. Mr. Spain serves as President of the Arlington Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).” [FBI]

Arlington Free Clinic’s Vaccination Effort — “Officials and community organizations are scrambling to close this racial gap in vaccine access. One such organization is the Arlington Free Clinic, which serves uninsured adults, many of them undocumented immigrants, in Arlington County. The clinic is holding vaccination days twice a week and working with other local social service organizations to develop an alternate pathway for low-income communities of color to get vaccinated.” [WAMU]

Former AP Bureau Chief Dies — “Charles Lewis, a former Washington bureau chief for The Associated Press and The Hearst Newspapers who tirelessly advocated for the release of AP journalist Terry Anderson from kidnappers in Lebanon, died Saturday. He was 80. Lewis, of Arlington, Virginia, died at a hospital from complications from cancer.” [Associated Press]

Arlington Joins Neighbors in Asking for More Vaccine Supply

By ARLnow.com
A vial of the COVID-19 vaccine (DOD Photo by Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Carlos M. Vazquez II)

Arlington County has the capacity to administer 14,000 vaccine doses per week, but has been getting at most 8,000 doses per week from the state.

That’s according to a letter sent to Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam from the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, which represents Arlington and other local government in the region. The letter asks the governor to send Northern Virginia localities more doses to quicken the pace of vaccinations.

“We have assembled the capacity to administer many more doses of coronavirus vaccine than we are currently administering,” the commission’s letter says. “With additional doses allocated to our health districts immediately, we can put that capacity to work to quickly assist the Commonwealth in achieving its vaccination and equity goals.”

The letter notes that Arlington has over 28,000 people who meet current Virginia’s Phase 1A and 1B guidelines waiting for their vaccinations to be scheduled. Meanwhile, the state announced last week that some health districts — including less populated areas where there is less vaccine demand — would begin transitioning to Phase 1C.

“Each of our health districts have waiting lists for vaccines for individuals in the 1A and 1B categories that far outstrip the supply we have received to date,” the letter says. “We stand ready to meet your expectation that everyone, even those who have not yet registered, will have a place in line six weeks from now, but we will need more doses immediately to make that reality.”

As of Tuesday morning, 24,690 people in Arlington — 10.4% of the county’s population — have been fully vaccinated, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data. In all, just under 67,000 doses have been administered in Arlington, at a trailing seven-day average rate of 1,372 doses per day. That figure includes doses administered by pharmacies and other private entities.

County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti said the county is also seeking more autonomy from the state to make decisions about vaccination priorities.

“We hope that the Governor will respond to the NVRC’s request to increase Northern Virginia’s vaccine supply, and to allow our Health Directors greater discretion to make decisions about how we administer the vaccine to our residents going forward,” de Ferranti said in a statement. “We have the capacity and the demonstrated commitment to vaccinating our community as quickly and equitably as possible.”

Arlington’s Congressman, Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), also weighed in, tweeting his support Monday for more vaccine doses.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Alleged Carjacking Crew Busted in Arlington — “The audacious spree, police officials said Thursday, accounted for five of 21 armed robberies and armed carjackings in the D.C. region linked to the same four-person crew in January and February… Two were arrested Feb. 5 and Feb. 19. The other two were apprehended a week later after a SWAT team converged on them in a hotel in Arlington.” [Washington Post]

Va. Expands Eligibility for Retail Vaccinations — “The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) announced today that Federal Retail Pharmacy partners will expand within Phase 1b to offer vaccines to individuals who are 16-64 with high-risk medical conditions, as well as frontline essential workers.” [Virginia Dept. of Health]

Still a Thing: Homes with Septic Tanks — From Chris Slatt on Twitter: “I was today years old when I learned that there are 38 residences in Arlington County with septic tanks.” [Twitter, Arlington County]

Maintenance Worker Exposes Himself — “5300 block of N. Carlin Springs Road. On March 16, police received a message on the Telephone Reporting Unit phone line regarding an indecent exposure. The victim stated that at approximately 3:30 p.m. on March 15, while having maintenance completed inside her residence, the suspect exposed his genitals to her.” [ACPD]

Rosslyn-Based Rosetta Stone Acquired — “IXL Learning, developer of personalized learning products used by more than 12 million students, announced that it has acquired Rosetta Stone, the leader in technology-based language education.” [PRNewswire]

Origin Coffee Lab Profiled — “For the coffee, Mekonnen relies on a 5-kilo-capacity Probat P5-2 roaster to turn out fresh roasts. The machine also serves as an industrial centerpiece and natural focal point, one the company plans to highlight more through educational events and tastings as the COVID-19 pandemic subsides.” [Daily Coffee News]

As Va. Transitions to Next Vaccination Phase, Arlington Still Working Through Current Group

By ARLnow.com

Virginia health districts have the option of transitioning to the next vaccination phase this week, but Arlington will not be among those doing so.

The county is still working to vaccinate those in the Phase 1b group, a spokeswoman said, and it’s unclear when it will be able to join other health districts in Phase 1c.

Arlington — where demand for the vaccine is proportionally higher than in more rural parts of the state and, in fact, higher than almost anywhere else in the country — is not alone in being unable to move to Phase 1c quite yet. DCist reports that other Northern Virginia localities will also not be making the transition this week.

“Fairfax, Arlington, and Prince William counties, and the city of Alexandria, are among the D.C.-area localities still moving through Phase 1B, and not moving into Phase 1C this week,” the site reported.

The Virginia Dept. of Health announced Tuesday that Phase 1c will be starting in some parts of the state within days. From the announcement:

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) announced today that some health districts will begin the transition to Phase 1c vaccinations this week, and that all communities across Virginia should be able to open to this group of essential workers within weeks.

The decision to move from one phase to the next is made in coordination with local and state health officials and is dependent upon a variety of factors. Before moving to 1c, local health departments must have made strong efforts to reach all those eligible in 1a and 1b populations, particularly communities that have been disproportionately impacted, such as communities of color. Local health departments also must consider whether demand for vaccine has decreased among 1a and 1b populations.

“Finally, the light at the end of this long journey seems to be coming into view,” said State Health Commissioner M. Norman Oliver, M.D., M.A. “Vaccine is our best hope of ending the pandemic. My heartfelt thanks to the many Virginians who are signing up and getting vaccinated and for the health care workers and volunteers who are administering vaccines.”

Cara O’Donnell, acting spokeswoman for Arlington’s health department, said the county does not have statistics for how many people are currently in line to be vaccinated under Phase 1b, nor is there an estimate for when Phase 1c would start.

“We’re still working our way through 1b priority groups – both resident eligibility and essential employees,” O’Donnell told ARLnow Tuesday afternoon. “We’ll move into 1c after those eligible in 1b are notified to schedule – I can’t really speculate on a timeline.”

Arlington’s smaller neighbor to the south, the City of Alexandria, said last night in a press release that it had 20,000 people still on its 1b waitlist.

Alexandria continues to make strides in vaccinating residents and essential workers, but AHD has nearly 20,000 pre-registrants in Phase 1b on the waitlist, who have not yet been contacted or vaccinated. Vaccine supply has been slowly increasing, from less than 2,000 total doses per week to the current approximately 5,000 doses, which are a mix of first and second doses. VDH and AHD anticipate these numbers to increase considerably in the coming weeks. AHD anticipates moving into Phase 1c in the next 3-4 weeks depending on an adequate supply of vaccine.

(more…)

Arlington Hits Vaccination Milestone, But Lags Neighbors

By ARLnow.com

More than 20,000 people have now been fully vaccinated in Arlington County.

That’s according to the latest stats from the Virginia Dept. of Health. But despite the minor milestone, the county’s rate of vaccination lags some of its Northern Virginia peers.

While Arlington has fully vaccinated about 8.5% of its population of more than 235,000, Alexandria and Fairfax County have each fully vaccinated more than 10% of their respective populations.

The disparity is despite a recent mass vaccination event and other local efforts. Previously, county officials have said they’ve been constrained by a lack of vaccine supply from the state.

In all, 56,946 vaccine doses have been administered in Arlington, and just over 39,000 people have received at least one vaccine dose.

In terms of coronavirus cases, Arlington hit another milestone today: the rolling seven-day total of new cases dipped below 200 for the first time since Halloween. No new hospitalizations nor deaths have been reported in the county since the middle of last week.

Arlington’s test positivity rate has been on a downward trajectory since reaching double digits at the beginning of the year. The rate currently stands at 3.7%.

There is some cause for concern, however.

The first confirmed Northern Virginia case of the South African COVID-19 variant, which is more vaccine-resistant than the current dominant strain, was just reported. And in Europe, which — to an extent — has been a harbinger of what’s to come in the U.S., coronavirus cases are on the rise.

Some experts, on the other hand, say the higher rate of vaccination and prior infection in the U.S. may help avoid a resurgence here, despite loosening restrictions.

Average Daily Vaccinations in Arlington Remain Above 1,000

By ARLnow.com

More than 1,000 vaccine doses are being administered per day in Arlington, on average.

The seven-day trailing average of vaccine doses given in Arlington has remained above 1,000 for the past 10 days. As of this morning, it stands at 1,139.

Just over 31,500 Arlingtonians have received at least one vaccine dose, while just over 16,000 have been fully vaccinated, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data.

The county last week announced that it would work to ensure that more people eligible for vaccinations get the shots, via a partnership with Arlington Free Clinic. From a press release:

Under the partnership agreement, the County’s Public Health Division will provide a limited portion of its weekly vaccine allocation to AFC to increase vaccine access to people who are uninsured or underinsured. Vaccines will be allocated to those who meet AFC client criteria and who are already eligible to receive it based on VDH priority guidelines. All vaccines will be by appointment only.

“This partnership is a way to ensure our most vulnerable populations — those disproportionately affected by COVID-19 — have more equitable access to vaccines when they are eligible,” said Dr. Reuben Varghese, Public Health Director for Arlington County.

More retail pharmacies, from CVS to Safeway, have recently started offering vaccine appointments in Arlington and across Virginia, increasing supply.

Throughout the Commonwealth, 17.5% of the population has received at least one vaccine dose, according to VDH data. Arlington trails that figure, with around 13.3% of the population having received at least one dose, per figures reported by VDH.

Coronavirus cases in the county, meanwhile, have hovered around an average of 40 per day since the start of the month. The seven-day trailing average stands at 39.1 as of this morning.

Seven new COVID-related hospitalizations have been reported over the past week, along with 10 new deaths, as VDH continues to tally backlogged death certificates from earlier in the year. A total of 238 people — just over 0.1% of Arlington’s population — have died of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

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