FEMA clinic in Norfolk gets more supply, capacity
NORFOLK — A federal clinic set up to reach some of the most vulnerable Hampton Roads residents will get more supplies than initially thought, boosting the number it can fully vaccinate against the coronavirus to 105,000 people.
The new clinic at Military Circle Mall in Norfolk will run eight weeks, two more than announced, Federal Emergency Management Agency spokeswoman Corey DeMuro said Wednesday.
The center, which opened in the old Macy’s building, will spend three weeks giving Pfizer doses and the next three giving those recipients booster shots. During the final two weeks, DeMuro said residents will be inoculated with Johnson & Johnson supplies — the vaccine some public health officials have coined the “one-anddone” shot.
The FEMA clinic will be aimed at residents in underserved communities of Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Hampton and Newport News. The original goal was to fully vaccinate 63,000 people at a rate of 3,000 shots a day. With the addition of Johnson & Johnson supplies, it can inoculate another 42,000 people, DeMuro said.
But filling vaccination appointment slots will depend on having enough eligible people in the state’s pre-registration system. Larry Hill, a Virginia Department of Health spokesman, said the FEMA clinic, along with other new sites, has led to several local health departments making pleas for residents to sign up as soon as possible. Waitlists are starting to run low, he said.
FEMA has been helping states and other partners establish extra vaccination centers where immunizations have been lacking among underserved communities. Using data from the census and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s social vulnerability index, it is identifying places where it can reach some of the most at-risk populations. The index considers socioeconomics, household composition, minority populations, languages, housing type and transportation.
A majority of states have gaps in getting shots to vulnerable communities, according to a report posted by the CDC. The study looked at vaccine administration for 49 million U.S. residents between December and March 1 and found that, on average, the less vulnerable counties had a vaccination rate 2.5 percentage points higher than counties with high poverty, low education and other factors.
Based on the measurements in the study, Virginia ranked 26th among states for doses given to “high vulnerability” populations.
When asked about the study and what led to the state’s disparity, Gov. Ralph Northam did not reflect on the initial vaccine rollout but said he continues to ask staff to be “flexible and creative” in their approach.
White House officials said Norfolk was one of the three cities picked for new federal vaccine clinics because of its 19.4% poverty rate, with about half of the population being minorities. Over 3% of the population has a limited English proficiency, and more than 1 in 10 residents is over 65, they said. Military Circle also is considered to be in the center of the region with access to public transit routes. Volunteer organizations and 135 sailors are supporting the FEMA clinic.
Despite the number of uniformed personnel on hand, military and officers will be there to help with vaccines, not as law enforcement, federal officials said. The Biden administration does not want their presence to discourage people, regardless of immigration status, because U.S. officials believe everyone should have access to free shots to keep communities safe from the pandemic.
The clinic also is staffed with translation and American Sign Language services. Wheelchairs are available.
All shots given at the FEMA clinic will be appointment-only, open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. People who want to receive shots must pre-register at www. vaccinate.virginia.gov or call 1-877-VAX-IN-VA.