WASHINGTON ā D.C. is set to open 11 walk-up vaccination clinics this weekend as it moves away from the preregistration portal. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced during a news conference Monday that residents will be able to get vaccinated without an appointment at walk-up sites across the city for the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Once you get the first shot, the city says you'll get an appointment for the second dose.
"Beginning on Saturday, May 1, the District will transition to the use of 11 high-capacity, walk-up, no appointment needed vaccination sites," the mayor tweeted. "Days, hours, and available vaccines will be listed on http://vaccinefinder.org."
Here's where the walk-up clinics will be located:
- Arena Stage | 1101 6th Street, Southwest
- Fort Stanton Recreation Center | 1812 Erie Street, Southeast
- Kenilworth Recreation Center | 4321 Ord Street, Northeast
- Lamond Recreation Center | 20 Tuckerman Street, Northeast
- Langdon Park Community Center | 2901 20th Street, Northeast
- Providence Health System | 1150 Varnum Street, Northeast
- Rosedale Recreation Center | 1701 Gales Street, Northeast
- Turkey Thicket Recreation Center | 1100 Michigan Avenue, Northeast
- University of the District of Columbia | 4200 Connecticut Avenue, Northwest
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center (GW MFA) | 801 Mount Vernon Place, Northwest
- Entertainment and Sports Arena (May 1 ONLY) | 1100 Oak Street, Southeast; After May 1: RISE Demonstration Center | 2730 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, Southeast
Bowser said children ages 16 and 17 will continue to be vaccinated through Children's National Hospital. Currently only the Pfizer vaccine is available for those under the age of 18, as Children's National paused the use of Johnson & Johnson, based on FDA and CDC guidance. The FDA has not yet approved vaccines for children younger than 16 at this time.
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As D.C. transitions to the walk-up clinics, they're also getting rid of the preregistration portal on Wednesday. Instead, the vaccine site will direct residents to the vaccine finder site, where people will sign up for each clinic individually.
From what many called a "hunger games hunt" to preregistration portal problems, the vaccine rollout has been a bit of a struggle in D.C.
"To see it evolve beyond that, to make it even easier for folks to get the vaccine is great," 1A ANC Commissioner Layla Bonnot said.
In her Monday news conference, Bowser also announced that capacity limits for entertainment venues, special events, pools, recreational activities, retail stores, libraries and museums will be increased starting May 1.
Bowser said that there was an expectation of there being some increases in cases throughout the District, but with the availability of vaccines, along with the remaining restrictions in place, city officials believe the number of cases will eventually decline.
As of Monday, 490,911 total doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, with 33.6% of D.C. residents being either partially or fully vaccinated, Bowser said.