A new COVID-19 vaccination site is open near the Potomac Mills Mall in Prince William County, Virginia.
County officials said Walmart will distribute 2,400 doses at the former Gander Mountain store in Woodbridge. The location is seemingly the long-awaited large vaccination site that county officials have been negotiating over the past few weeks.
Walmart will deliver about 600 shots a day through Saturday. County leaders hope the site becomes the first of several to open and give out vaccinations.
During a recent county board meeting, Prince William Health District leaders said they are working with churches and influencers in minority communities to improve providing vaccines to minority populations.
Data presented during the meeting showed that even though white residents only represent 41% of the county’s population, 54% of the vaccines given so far have gone to white people. Latinos have received 17% of the county’s allotment, and 13% of shots have gone to Black residents.
“My community is always forgotten,” Supervisor Andrea Bailey said. “It happened with the COVID testing, and now, it is happened with the administration of the vaccines.”
Supervisor Pete Gandland said the numbers are “unacceptable,” and there needs to be some plan from now on to make receiving the vaccine more equitable for all county residents.
“If we are still seeing this numbers a month from now, and there is still that disparity, then people need to start getting fired,” Gandland said.
Those looking to receive a vaccine can register for an appointment on the statewide website.
Those who do not have access to the internet can preregister for the vaccine by calling 1-877-VAX-IN-VA. The state’s call center is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Prince William County is currently vaccinating people in Phase 1a and 1b.
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Looking for more information? D.C., Maryland and Virginia are each releasing more data every day. Visit their official sites here: Virginia | Maryland | D.C.
