Equity in vaccine distribution

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The phases are based on jobs and the people who work in the front lines. The phases aren’t based on color.

Last week, almost 2/3 of the doses in DC were reserved for "priority zip codes" based on race. People in these "priority zip codes" were also invited to compete with us for the remaining 1/3 of the doses even though this lot of appointments was the only one available to the rest of us. There can be no question that people in these communities need the vaccines, but the rest of us have family members with serious health problems too. The one day we were allowed to try to register last week left almost all of us empty handed, our families still unprotected, and it certainly left me with the feeling that no one on the City Council is actively representing my family's needs. We do actually need that from the people elected to represent us. This is not a situation where the "privileged" (or even relatively privileged) can get their needs fulfilled through some means other than city services. That's the argument that's used to keep parents with high-achieving students from demanding too much of DCPS, for example, but it doesn't apply here because we can't simply go private or move to Maryland for the vaccine.

Just stop. If you don't live in a priority zip code, it's because more vaccine has already gone to the zip code in which you live. Your neighbors already sucked up a larger share of the vaccine, so now all of you can make do with a smaller portion until things even out.

That isn’t true. Let’s take my neighborhood. From the DC website, Columbia Heights seniors got 1.2% of the vaccinations so far while Michigan Park seniors got 2.8% of the vaccinations. If you look at the total populations age 18 and above, Columbia Heights got 3.5% and Michigan Park got 4.4% of the vaccinations.

Now here is the kicker, Columbia Heights has the most cases in all of DC and has more than double the number of cases of Michigan Park - 2048 to 961, yet Michigan Park is a priority area and Columbia Heights is not. Please explain why the diverse neighborhood of Colombia Heights is not deserving of vaccinations.

You are ridiculous. Columbia Heights is Ward 1, which has 23 percent seniors vaccinated, versus Ward 5 which has 14 percent vaccinated.

The PP stated my neighbors sucked up the vaccinations. My neighbors in Columbia Heights certainly have not as the facts demonstrate and we have had the most cases of any neighborhood by far. Plus they are not giving priority to entire wards, but by neighborhoood zip code. They could easily add the Columbia Heights zip code to address this oversight. Would you be against simply adding Columbia Heights?

You don't get it. The idea is to funnel more vaccines into Wards 5, 7 and 8. Period. And within those wards, they are prioritizing zip codes to avoid having all the vaccines go to wealthier neighborhoods.

Giving priority to any zip code in Ward 1 is a nonstarter right now. Why would they want to make the balance across the city even more inequitable? Yes, there is inequity across your Ward; this is not uncommon.

Good news, there will 5700 shots available to residents with health conditions in all wards Friday at 9 am. That is the most ever that will be scheduled at one time, I think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You know folks, there is a middle ground between "make vaccine distribution decisions based entirely on race," and "ignore the fact that wealthy white people are vastly more likely to get the vaccine, despite being vastly less likely to suffer its consequences."

Better outreach, education, and planning by political leaders and public health officials can go a long way.

I'm guessing a lot of wealthy black people in the city got it too (as compared to not wealthy black people).

I'm guessing you're wrong.

What I DO know is that they prioritized the specific zipcodes that hadn't gotten many vaccines and HAD many deaths vs the areas that had not had many people vaccinated AND had low virus positivity and deaths.

But, I suspect you know this, you're just not used to being told to wait your turn.

[Anonymous]

If "turn" is being determined according to radical ideology and politics, it follows that the people being told they come last will not have faith in the process.

To the PP who wondered why Columbia Heights isn't on the list: it's because Brianne Nadeau is not interested in supporting her own constituents. Ever. She's here to change the world, not to speak for the people she's supposed to be accountable to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If "turn" is being determined according to radical ideology and politics, it follows that the people being told they come last will not have faith in the process.

To the PP who wondered why Columbia Heights isn't on the list: it's because Brianne Nadeau is not interested in supporting her own constituents. Ever. She's here to change the world, not to speak for the people she's supposed to be accountable to.

Saying that those who have had the most deaths.

and

those who have received the fewest vaccines

Should have priority access to the vaccine (not exclusive access, mind you, but priority) seems like a step in the direction of equity to me.

But, you know what, it sounds like it will be a matter of weeks before our whole city can be vaccinated if they choose to be. Our biggest challenge is going to be convincing people across the city to take it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If "turn" is being determined according to radical ideology and politics, it follows that the people being told they come last will not have faith in the process.

To the PP who wondered why Columbia Heights isn't on the list: it's because Brianne Nadeau is not interested in supporting her own constituents. Ever. She's here to change the world, not to speak for the people she's supposed to be accountable to.

Same PP. Please note that Ward 1 representative Nadeau has been vaccinated: https://twitter.com/brianneknadeau/status/1359187404259753985

She described her own vaccination as a gift to her community. I had no objection at the time, but then I didn't know she would participate in this denial of city services for others in the ward she's supposed to represent.

[Anonymous]

https://mayor.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/coronavirus/release_content/attachments/Situational-Update-Presentation_03-08-21.pdf

I'd like to see how they run this model. To my eyes, 20% + 20% + 20% + 20% adds up to 80% high priority zip code chances for randomized selection. Are they going to cap it at 50%? Confused by this pie graph and percentage chart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://mayor.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/coronavirus/release_content/attachments/Situational-Update-Presentation_03-08-21.pdf

I'd like to see how they run this model. To my eyes, 20% + 20% + 20% + 20% adds up to 80% high priority zip code chances for randomized selection. Are they going to cap it at 50%? Confused by this pie graph and percentage chart.

There is no excuse for holding it back from the rest of the city. If it's randomized selection, then access to a computer is not an advantage. I agree that we should be prioritizing those in higher risk zip codes, but this is a bit aggressive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://mayor.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/coronavirus/release_content/attachments/Situational-Update-Presentation_03-08-21.pdf

I'd like to see how they run this model. To my eyes, 20% + 20% + 20% + 20% adds up to 80% high priority zip code chances for randomized selection. Are they going to cap it at 50%? Confused by this pie graph and percentage chart.

Learn to read better. 20 + 20 + 10 = 50

20% go to DC residents in priority zip codes who are 65 and older
20% go to DC residents in any zip code who are 65 and older
20% go to DC residents in priority zip codes who are 18-64 with a qualifying medical condition
20% go to DC residents in any zip code who 18-64 with a qualifying medical condition
10% go to DC residents in priority zip codes who are members of an eligible workforce who are 18 and older
10% go to members of an eligible workforce who are 18 and older regardless of home address

[Anonymous]

And those are the vaccinate.dc.gov shots, not the ones that are distributed through hospitals and other initiatives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://mayor.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/coronavirus/release_content/attachments/Situational-Update-Presentation_03-08-21.pdf

I'd like to see how they run this model. To my eyes, 20% + 20% + 20% + 20% adds up to 80% high priority zip code chances for randomized selection. Are they going to cap it at 50%? Confused by this pie graph and percentage chart.

Learn to read better. 20 + 20 + 10 = 50

20% go to DC residents in priority zip codes who are 65 and older
20% go to DC residents in any zip code who are 65 and older
20% go to DC residents in priority zip codes who are 18-64 with a qualifying medical condition
20% go to DC residents in any zip code who 18-64 with a qualifying medical condition
10% go to DC residents in priority zip codes who are members of an eligible workforce who are 18 and older
10% go to members of an eligible workforce who are 18 and older regardless of home address

But the people in the priority zip codes are also eligible for the OTHER 50%. And based on last week’s briefing it sure sounded like there would be a big thumb on the scale for giving the priority zip codes the other 50% as well. That’s why the rest of the city is frustrated. At least under the ridiculous web sign up system people had a punchers chance of getting a vax. Under this registration system it seems like there will be very limited chance of anyone WOTP getting a should until supplies ramp up later in the spring.

[Anonymous]

Also must keep in mind that the identified %% splits is only for vaccines distributed through the portal, which will be a little over half of those distributed next week. Another 7210 does are being distributed by hospitals and health centers and another 2870 doses for "special initiatives". Not really sure who is prioritizing these 10,000 doses.

It's such a familiar feeling - the more the DC government claims it is being transparent, the less transparency I actually feel like I am receiving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://mayor.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/coronavirus/release_content/attachments/Situational-Update-Presentation_03-08-21.pdf

I'd like to see how they run this model. To my eyes, 20% + 20% + 20% + 20% adds up to 80% high priority zip code chances for randomized selection. Are they going to cap it at 50%? Confused by this pie graph and percentage chart.

Learn to read better. 20 + 20 + 10 = 50

20% go to DC residents in priority zip codes who are 65 and older
20% go to DC residents in any zip code who are 65 and older
20% go to DC residents in priority zip codes who are 18-64 with a qualifying medical condition
20% go to DC residents in any zip code who 18-64 with a qualifying medical condition
10% go to DC residents in priority zip codes who are members of an eligible workforce who are 18 and older
10% go to members of an eligible workforce who are 18 and older regardless of home address

But the people in the priority zip codes are also eligible for the OTHER 50%. And based on last week’s briefing it sure sounded like there would be a big thumb on the scale for giving the priority zip codes the other 50% as well. That’s why the rest of the city is frustrated. At least under the ridiculous web sign up system people had a punchers chance of getting a vax. Under this registration system it seems like there will be very limited chance of anyone WOTP getting a should until supplies ramp up later in the spring.

Based on this week's numbers, there will be nearly 3,000 shots for 65+ citywide and 3,000 shots for 18-64 health conditions citywide. That is more than the 5700 offered last Friday for those same groups. Unlike last week, residents in the priority zips will NOT be assigned vaccines out of those buckets.

Once the target zips catch up to the rest of the city, of course, they can rebalance the allocations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also must keep in mind that the identified %% splits is only for vaccines distributed through the portal, which will be a little over half of those distributed next week. Another 7210 does are being distributed by hospitals and health centers and another 2870 doses for "special initiatives". Not really sure who is prioritizing these 10,000 doses.

It's such a familiar feeling - the more the DC government claims it is being transparent, the less transparency I actually feel like I am receiving.

What information are you looking for? They have discussed the special initiatives ad nauseum - some go to homeless groups, some are going through the housing authority, some are going to faith based clinics, some are going to Children's for high risk teens 16-17 years old.

The familiar feeling I am getting is that when something is in short supply, entitled people feel cheated if they somehow aren't getting all of it immediately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://mayor.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/coronavirus/release_content/attachments/Situational-Update-Presentation_03-08-21.pdf

I'd like to see how they run this model. To my eyes, 20% + 20% + 20% + 20% adds up to 80% high priority zip code chances for randomized selection. Are they going to cap it at 50%? Confused by this pie graph and percentage chart.

Learn to read better. 20 + 20 + 10 = 50

20% go to DC residents in priority zip codes who are 65 and older
20% go to DC residents in any zip code who are 65 and older
20% go to DC residents in priority zip codes who are 18-64 with a qualifying medical condition
20% go to DC residents in any zip code who 18-64 with a qualifying medical condition
10% go to DC residents in priority zip codes who are members of an eligible workforce who are 18 and older
10% go to members of an eligible workforce who are 18 and older regardless of home address

But the people in the priority zip codes are also eligible for the OTHER 50%. And based on last week’s briefing it sure sounded like there would be a big thumb on the scale for giving the priority zip codes the other 50% as well. That’s why the rest of the city is frustrated. At least under the ridiculous web sign up system people had a punchers chance of getting a vax. Under this registration system it seems like there will be very limited chance of anyone WOTP getting a should until supplies ramp up later in the spring.

Based on this week's numbers, there will be nearly 3,000 shots for 65+ citywide and 3,000 shots for 18-64 health conditions citywide. That is more than the 5700 offered last Friday for those same groups. Unlike last week, residents in the priority zips will NOT be assigned vaccines out of those buckets.

Once the target zips catch up to the rest of the city, of course, they can rebalance the allocations.

Where does it say that? 20% go to DC residents in ANY zip code who 18-64 with a qualifying medical condition. So doesn’t that also include priority zip codes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://mayor.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/coronavirus/release_content/attachments/Situational-Update-Presentation_03-08-21.pdf

I'd like to see how they run this model. To my eyes, 20% + 20% + 20% + 20% adds up to 80% high priority zip code chances for randomized selection. Are they going to cap it at 50%? Confused by this pie graph and percentage chart.

Learn to read better. 20 + 20 + 10 = 50

20% go to DC residents in priority zip codes who are 65 and older
20% go to DC residents in any zip code who are 65 and older
20% go to DC residents in priority zip codes who are 18-64 with a qualifying medical condition
20% go to DC residents in any zip code who 18-64 with a qualifying medical condition
10% go to DC residents in priority zip codes who are members of an eligible workforce who are 18 and older
10% go to members of an eligible workforce who are 18 and older regardless of home address

But the people in the priority zip codes are also eligible for the OTHER 50%. And based on last week’s briefing it sure sounded like there would be a big thumb on the scale for giving the priority zip codes the other 50% as well. That’s why the rest of the city is frustrated. At least under the ridiculous web sign up system people had a punchers chance of getting a vax. Under this registration system it seems like there will be very limited chance of anyone WOTP getting a should until supplies ramp up later in the spring.

Yes, I have learned to read but I am not understanding the formula. If you are in a priority zip code, you are allotted 20% + 20% off the top, plus are part of the next pool of 20% and 20% (how much), plus the next pool of essential workers 10% + 10% if you happen to be one. I am not arguing at this point; just want to know what the actual priority formula is, how they will follow it, and how much goes to residents in other parts of the city. And yes, how does the hospital portals factor in? Are those counted or separate? There is a lot to be clarified here. My issue is you can't really hold the government accountable to something confusing/opaque. And there should be a high degree of accountability when people hand over their info. to DC GOV and then wait for the magic Q ball to bubble up their name.