All DC residents 16 years of age and older will become eligible for covid vaccines on April 19, Mayor Muriel Bowser said late Monday, becoming the latest local leader to expand vaccine eligibility.
In a Tweet announcing the move, Bowser encouraged all unvaccinated residents to pre-register online or by calling 1-855-363-0333.
Bowser made clear that the development will not change things for the Phase 1C Tier 3 essential workers, who will still become eligible for vaccines this Monday, April 12. This group includes construction workers, IT professionals, property managers, essential university staff, and essential federal employees.
UPDATE: On Monday, April 19, all DC residents 16 and older will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.
All essential workers in Phase 1C Tier 3 still become eligible on April 12.
Everyone should pre-register now:
Online: https://t.co/BmyOxFg0Qx
Call: 1-855-363-0333#DCHOPE pic.twitter.com/eeSO4I5YU2— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) April 5, 2021
Bowser’s announcement follows similar steps from other local leaders. Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced last week that residents of the commonwealth ages 16 and up will become eligible for the vaccine on April 18. And Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said Monday that all state residents over the age of 15 are eligible for vaccines at mass vaccination states as of today, according to NBC 4.
DC’s slow timetable—relative to some other states—for expanding vaccinate eligibility to all adults has been the source of complaining. As my colleague Marisa Kashino discovered, some district residents have been traveling as far away as North Carolina or Ohio to get their jabs.
Luke Mullins is a senior writer at Washingtonian magazine focusing on the people and institutions that control the city’s levers of power. He has written about the Koch Brothers’ attempt to take over The Cato Institute, David Gregory’s ouster as moderator of NBC’s Meet the Press, the collapse of Washington’s Metro system, and the conflict that split apart the founders of Politico.
