December 18, 2020
Dear Washingtonians,
In a long and often difficult year, this week brought some much-needed hope as we kicked off the first phase of the District's Vaccination Plan. Since Monday, health care workers and first responders have been getting vaccinated at sites across DC. Just yesterday, I was proud to be there as DC Health Director Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt received the vaccine alongside medical professionals from Kaiser Permanente and members of our Fire and EMS team.
For the frontline health care workers who have been courageously caring for our community since March, this vaccine is going to protect them, their patients, and their families. For months, they have made sacrifices and taken risks to keep DC healthy. I know many have worried about getting infected or bringing the virus back home to their loved ones. With this vaccine, we have a light at the end of the tunnel.
As I said in last week's letter, we know that Washingtonians have questions about the vaccine. Some people are eager to take the vaccine, while others are more hesitant. On Monday, I shared some facts about the Pfizer vaccine:
- Years of vaccine research and development laid the groundwork for this vaccine.
- This year, more than 40,000 people participated in the Pfizer vaccine trial. And tens of thousands of people participated in other vaccine trials, including the Moderna trial. This means that no one taking the vaccine going forward will be among the first to take it.
- With two doses, the vaccine has proven to be 95% effective.
- It is expected that some people may have an immune response to receiving the vaccine - possible sore arm, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, and/or chills. This is similar to how some people get a sore arm with the flu vaccine. It is normal, expected, and resolves within a few days.
You can learn more about the vaccine and our Vaccination Plan at coronavirus.dc.gov/vaccine. Additionally, over the coming weeks, we will continue to share information and clear up misinformation so that when it is your turn, you will feel confident in taking a vaccine that could save your life and the lives of those around you. Some people have asked me whether I will take it. I want to be clear: I plan to take the vaccine. I am going to take it to protect myself, my family, my friends and coworkers, and my city.
For now, though, we all need to do everything we can to slow the spread of the virus, flatten the curve, and get our friends and families through the holiday season safely.
Stay safe,
 With COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths on the rise, we are urging Washingtonians not to travel this holiday season. Residents are urged to stay in DC and celebrate with your immediate household. Read DC Health's holiday guidance to learn more about celebrating the holidays safely.
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 The DC Volunteer Snow Team program matches volunteers with senior residents and those with access and functional needs for snow removal services in the aftermath of a winter event. Volunteers are deployed when there are 4 or more inches of snow.
Learn more about the Snow Team and register to help in your neighborhood at snowteam.dc.gov
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 This year, more than ever before, it is important to support small and local businesses. And we have a website to help you find gifts for everyone on your list – shopinthedistrict.com is your one-stop guide to the best of shopping local in DC.
To discover neighborhood-specific shops, curated gift guides, trending products, and more, visit shopinthedistrict.com
 DC CAN is the official COVID-19 exposure notification system for DC. Through the system, which uses Bluetooth technology, you will get an alert if you may have been exposed to a person who tested positive for COVID-19. DC CAN was developed through a privacy-first approach. The system does not share location data from the user’s device with DC Health, Apple, or Google. In addition, people who test positive for COVID-19 are not identified by the system to other users or to Apple or Google.
If you have an iPhone, just go into your settings, choose "Exposure Notifications," then select "United States" and "District of Columbia." (If you don't see "Exposure Notifications" in your settings, you need to update your phone.) iPhone users do not need to download a separate app.
If you have an Android, download the DC CAN app in the Google Play store.
Learn more at coronavirus.dc.gov/dccan
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 The Bowser Administration is collecting feedback about parks, rec centers, playgrounds, and community programming.
There are two days left to take a short survey that will help plan the future of fun and enrichment across all eight wards. Take the survey from the Department of Parks and Recreation HERE.
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