Grocery Store Workers, Outreach Workers, Manufacturing Workers, and Food Packaging Workers Now Eligible for Vaccinations

From the Mayor’s Office:

“Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and DC Health, led by Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, announced that beginning on Thursday, February 18, individuals who work in four categories will become eligible to book vaccination appointments through vaccinate.dc.gov or by calling the District’s coronavirus Call Center: individuals who work in a grocery store setting, health and human services and social services outreach workers, individuals who work in manufacturing, and individuals who work in food packaging (e.g. persons who work at Food & Friends and other similar facilities).

Additionally, going forward, vaccination appointments will become available on an alternating weekly schedule, with appointments becoming available at 6:00 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays one week, and at 9:00 a.m. on Thursdays and Fridays the following week.

Tomorrow, on Thursday, February 18, at 6:00 p.m., approximately 2,450 appointments will be made available to DC residents who live in priority zip codes and are 65 years old or older and/or are members of an eligible workforce group. This means, for example, that a grocery store worker who lives in a priority zip code can book at an appointment, regardless of the location of the grocery store they work in.  

The priority zip codes are focused in Wards 5, 7, and 8 and include: 20422, 20011, 20017, 20018, 20002, 20001, 20019, 20020, 20032, 20593. Priority zip codes include areas of the city where residents are disproportionately affected by COVID-19, including number of cases and mortality rate. Wards 5, 7, and 8 are being prioritized because they have the lowest percentages of residents who are 65 and older who have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

On Friday, February 19 at 6:00 p.m., DC Health will make approximately 2,450 additional appointments available for all District residents who are 65 years of age and older and/or individuals who are members of an eligible workforce group.

Grocery store workers include individuals who work at larger chain grocery stores and superstores as well as those who work at smaller establishments that sell food such as convenience stores, neighborhood markets, bodegas, and delis.

At this time, the portal is only open to individuals 18 years old and older.

As of this week, the following populations are now eligible for the vaccine in Washington, DC: individuals who work in health care settings; members of the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department; residents of long-term and intermediate care facilities and residents of community residential facilities/group homes; DC residents who are 65 years old and older; individuals experiencing homelessness; members of the Metropolitan Police Department; Continuity of District Government personnel; Department of Corrections employees and residents; teachers and staff who are, or will be, working in person at a traditional or public charter school; child care workers and teachers and staff at independent schools in DC; individuals who work in a grocery store setting; health and human services and social services outreach workers; individuals who work in manufacturing; and individuals who work in food packaging.

On Thursday evening and throughout Friday, more than 200 call takers will be available to help residents make appointments over the phone. Last week, DC Health updated the booking process to set aside a dedicated supply of appointments for the Call Center to ensure that more residents who are only able to book an appointment by phone are successfully able to do so; this week, that process will continue. On days when appointments open at 6:00 p.m., the Call Center will remain open until 8:00 p.m. If not all available appointments are booked Thursday evening, eligible individuals from priority zip codes can book appointments throughout the day on Friday.”