The COVID-19 vaccine supply shortage has forced Inova Health System to cancel scheduling of first doses for people in Group 1B in North Virginia as of Tuesday, a group that includes public school employees in Fairfax County.
The news comes as elected leaders turn directly to the governor for more doses.
At the large Inova vaccination clinic on its main campus, it gave up to 3,000 photos a day, including thousands of FCPS employees since January 15th.
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“We understand and share the frustration this news brings to our patients. When we receive more supply inventory, we will first prioritize patients who had a scheduled appointment and then focus on opening new meetings to eligible groups.” said Inova on its website.
People who have already received their first dose will still have honored appointments for the second dose, but Inova said its vaccine supply is now severely diminished.
Meanwhile, families in North Virginia, such as Maryanne King and her parents, are well aware of the dangers of coronavirus. When the Springfield family became infected last fall, King’s father nearly died.
“My father was about to walk into a fan. We were beyond ourselves, “King said. (…)
All three are eligible for the vaccine: King because of a serious medical condition, her parents because of their age.
After a few days and hours of phone calls, she finally got vaccination appointments at a small clinic, but only for her parents.
“She said, ‘We’re just 65 and older and we don’t know when we’ll be able to do your group yet,'” King said. “It simply came to our notice then. It was like a knife to the heart. I hung up the phone and looked at my mother and said, ‘What am I going to do?’ ”
I broke down. It was like a knife to the heart. I hung up the phone and looked at my mother and said, “What am I going to do?”
Maryanne King, when she found out she would not be able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine
It is a playable experience in various ways in North Virginia.
Health departments learned late last week that the lack of vaccines nationwide means their state allocation is now dramatically reduced.
“We simply do not have enough supply right now, that is the problem. We are without supplies, “said Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson.
Wilson, along with 13 other elected leaders from North Virginia, have just sent a letter to Governor Ralph Northam seeking a higher share of Virginia’s vaccine supply.
Thousands of people in Arlington have learned that their appointments to receive COVID-19 vaccines have been canceled at Virginia Hospital Center. Darcy Spencer of News4 reports.
In it, they asked Northam to “allow the priority of our Region, because we are ready and able to vaccinate a significant number now.”
A Northam spokesman said the governor shared the frustration, but hoped that, in collaboration with President Joe Biden’s team, the offer would increase in the coming weeks.
King hopes the supply of gunfire will increase in time for her.
“I’m afraid. I don’t want to take it anymore, “King said.