People age 75 and older can start making COVID vaccination appointments on Jan. 11

Healthcare workers at Inova Fairfax Hospital received the Pfizer COVID vaccine in December. [WJLA]

The Fairfax County Health Department will begin scheduling COVID-19 vaccinations for eligible people in group 1b on Monday, Jan. 11. 

Group 1b, as defined by the Virginia Department of Health, includes people age 75 and older and essential workers who can’t work remotely. 

Frontline essential workers include people in these sectors: police, fire, and hazmat; corrections and homeless shelters; childcare/k-12 teachers and staff; food and agriculture; manufacturing; grocery store workers; public transit workers; mail carriers; and officials needed to maintain continuity of government.

People 75+ can call the Health Department’s vaccine hotline at 703-324-7404 to schedule an appointment beginning Monday. The hotline is available Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.).

Related story: Everyone in Virginia could get COVID vaccine by this summer

Next week, people will be able to use an online form on the Health Department’s webpage to schedule a vaccination appointment. 

The ability to get an appointment will depend on the supply of vaccines available. Because the Health Department doesn’t have enough vaccine doses for everyone, it will vaccinate 1b essential workers in the following order: 

1. Police, fire, and hazmat
2. Corrections and homeless shelter workers
3. Childcare/K-12 teachers/staff
4. Food and agriculture
5. Manufacturing
6. Grocery store workers
7. Public transit workers
8. Mail carriers (USPS and private)
9. Officials needed to maintain continuity of government.

Beginning, Jan. 11, the Health Department will host closed vaccination clinics for police, fire, hazmat, corrections, and homeless shelter workers. People in those categories won’t need to schedule appointments.

Dates for the other group 1b frontline essential worker categories will be announced in the future. 

There will also be closed vaccination clinics beginning Jan. 11 for residents of correctional facilities and homeless shelters. 

Vaccinations for group 1a, which started weeks ago, are continuing. That group includes healthcare workers and residents and staff of long-term care facilities.