Carley WelchPetworth Library became a new walk-up site for free COVID-19 and flu vaccinations Thursday, making it the first walk-up vaccination site in Ward 4.
This walk-up vaccination site is in the District. The other five are spread out among each quadrant of the city.
The library vaccination site is open to all residents ages 5 and up for the Pfizer vaccine. For residents 18 and above, the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccine is available and the flu vaccine is available for residents ages 3 and up.
There were nearly 25 people in the basement of the library on Thursday night and a line of a dozen people outside 鈥� around half of them children 鈥� waiting to get in for their shots. Security guards handed people clipboards for them to complete personal information such as addresses and medical conditions. Then residents waited until there was enough room in the basement to get their shot.
When residents were brought inside, they sat six feet apart with masks on while waiting for medical staff to call them over to receive their vaccines. The whole process took about 30 minutes.
Tiana Lawrence, a Petworth resident, brought her two children so they could receive their first shot of the Pfizer vaccine. Her son is six years old and her daughter is eight. Lawrence said the new walk-up site is convenient because it鈥檚 close to her home and her children鈥檚 school, so she had time to stop by amid all the holiday planning she has had to do.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important to me that my kids are protected and same with the rest of my family,鈥� Lawrence said. 鈥淓veryone in my family ages 12 and up are already vaccinated.鈥�
Lawrence said it was especially important that her children get vaccinated so they can 鈥渞eturn to normal.鈥� She said last week there were only six children in her son鈥檚 class , as opposed to the normal nearly 20 children, because so many of them were not able to get the vaccine and were exposed to COVID-19 or had to be quarantined.
鈥淭his whole thing is really affecting us at home,鈥� Lawrence said. 鈥淪chool just hasn鈥檛 been the same for them and if this will help, I want to do it.鈥�
Like Lawrence, Tom Pavarini, a 27-year-old Petworth resident, said the new walk-up location was also convenient for him.
鈥淚 just learned about this on Twitter a few hours ago and I was like, 鈥楲et鈥檚 go! Why not?.鈥欌��
NEW: DC Health now has the full schedule for walk-up vaccine sites on so people can plan ahead to get their vaccine or booster!💉
Note the Start/Last Day for each site so you don’t go on the wrong day.
Thank you for following up on my request!
鈥� CM Janeese Lewis George (@CMLewisGeorgeW4)
Pavarini said he was waiting to get his booster shot and was glad there was a place close enough to do so, especially because he鈥檒l be coming in contact with more people than usual this holiday season. He said the process was 鈥渟uper easy鈥� because as soon as he arrived at the library, he was helped by the security guards.
Pavarini鈥檚 roommate, 28-year-old Andrew Ceruzzi, came with Pavarini to get his booster shot.
鈥淸Pavarini] told me he saw we could get our boosters here, so we just walked over and here we are,鈥� Ceruzzi said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really nice that it鈥檚 so close.鈥�
Petworth Library will be open for walk-up vaccinations on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1 p.m.-7 p.m. The last walk-ups will be accepted 15 minutes before closure. Vaccinations will be offered until Jan. 29, 2022.
鈥淚鈥檓 glad people are here, Lawrence said. 鈥淭his is the right thing to do to keep everyone safe.鈥�
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