Dear Neighbor,

I want to provide an update on DC’s COVID-19 vaccination program. Starting tomorrow, March 10, 2021, eligible residents can pre-register for a COVID-19 vaccination appointment through vaccinate.dc.gov or by calling 1-855-363-0333. Below are some answers to common questions about how the process will work.

Why are we moving to a pre-registration system?

A pre-registration system will allow residents to express an interest in receiving the vaccine without needing to scramble each week to access the appointment system at a certain time. The new approach aims to reduce the anxiety and frustration associated with getting a vaccine appointment.

What happens after I pre-register?

After pre-registering, each week the system will randomly select eligible individuals and send an invitation to schedule an appointment. The invitation will come via call, text and/or email (your choice). After receiving the message, you will have 48 hours to schedule a vaccination appointment. The link will be unique to each individual and therefore cannot be shared.

When I receive the invitation to schedule a vaccine appointment, will I still be able to choose the date, time, and location for my appointment?

Yes.

What happens if I missed the message to schedule my appointment?

You will go back into the pool of eligible individuals. If you do not respond after the third time you are selected, you will need to re-register in the system. Please check your spam folder regularly if you have requested to be contacted via email.

How often will appointment invitations be sent out?

The first batch of invitations will go out on Friday, March 12 and more invitations will go out on Monday March 15. Moving forward, starting Thursday, March 18, invitations will be sent at 10:00am every Thursday and Sunday. Invitations may also be sent on Tuesdays depending on appointment availability.

How will the District advance equity with this new model?

Half the appointments offered will be reserved for eligible D.C. residents who live in priority zip codes in Wards 5, 7 and 8, which are areas with low vaccination rates but high rates of COVID-19 infections.

• 20% go to DC residents in priority zip codes who are 65 and older;
• 20% go to DC residents in any zip code who are 65 and older;
• 20% go to DC residents in priority zip codes who are 18-64 with a qualifying medical condition;
• 20% go to DC residents in any zip code who 18-64 with a qualifying medical condition;
• 10% go to DC residents in priority zip codes who are members of an eligible workforce who are 18 and older;
• 10% go to members of an eligible workforce who are 18 and older, regardless of home address.

What are the current priority zip codes?

20422, 20011, 20017, 20018, 20002, 20001, 20019, 20020, 20032, 20593

Do I need to register right away to guarantee I’ll receive an appointment?

This is not a first-come, first-served system. The order in which people register does not affect the order in which they are offered appointments. However, if you are currently eligible to receive the vaccine and would like to be considered for the first batch of appointments, you should register sometime before Friday, March 12. Additionally, all teachers and staff of schools and licensed childcare centers in D.C. are encouraged to pre-register this week. Anyone in the general population is asked to wait to register. If they do register, they will face a lengthy wait.

Hopefully, this helped answer some of your questions regarding the new pre-registration system for vaccine appointments. Please share this information with your neighbors and help others get registered.

Sincerely,

Christina Henderson
Councilmember, At-Large