COVID-19 Testing & Vaccination Resources

Children in the District will soon be able to get the Pfizer vaccine against COVID-19 this coming weekend. Clinical trials for children ages 5-11 showed no serious adverse events from the Pfizer shot and that the vaccine was more than 90% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 when fully vaccinated with two doses. Epidemiologists and infectious disease experts agree, getting a COVID-19 vaccine is the best way to protect yourself, your family, and your community from the coronavirus.

Vaccination rates in the District are higher than the national average. However, a significant number of residents remain unvaccinated in Wards 7 and 8. Only 36% and 31% of Ward 7 and Ward 8 residents over the age of 12 are fully vaccinated, respectively. Black residents, particularly those living in Wards 7 and 8 are understandably skeptical about the vaccine.

The gap in vaccinations is not an individual problem. The District routinely invests in the health of wealthy residents over the health of Black residents in neighborhoods lacking equitable health care access. Vaccine mistrust goes back decades for some in the African American community. Throughout history, disparity and institutionalized racism has been built into our health care system. In addition, everyday racism and vaccine disinformation are causing many Black residents to skip the vaccine. To begin rebuilding trust, we need to learn from the atrocities of the past to change our present.

To do that, we need more public health messaging coming directly from Black community leaders. We need more leaders like Philip Pannell, Executive Director of the Anacostia Coordinating, to share their stories and speak to the needs of Ward 7 and 8 communities. By acknowledging systemic racism, recruiting trusted messengers from the community, sharing credible information, and calling on all residents in all parts of the city, especially residents living east of the Anacostia River in Wards 7 and 8 to get vaccinated, we can prevent serious illness and death for those most vulnerable to infection.

Find out more about the COVID-19 vaccine and where to get vaccinated here. The District has also organized pop-up clinics to distribute vaccines in Wards 7 and 8 on the following dates:

Ward 7:

  • Kimball Elementary School, 3375 Minnesota Ave SE. First dose: Nov. 9

  • Friendship Blow Pierce Elementary & Middle, 725 19th St. NE. First dose: Nov. 12

  • Smothers Elementary School, 1300 44th St NE. First dose: Nov. 13

  • Plummer Elementary School, 4601 Texas Ave SE. First dose: Nov. 17

  • Thomas Elementary School, 650 Anacostia Ave NE. First dose: Nov. 19

Ward 8:

  • Ingenuity Prep Public Charter School/Statesman Academy, 4600 Livingston Rd SE. First dose: Nov. 8

  • KIPP DC Heights Academy, 2600 Douglass Rd SE. First dose: Nov. 10

  • Patterson Elementary School, 4399 South Capitol Terrace SW. First dose: Nov. 10

  • Center City PCS: Congress Heights, 220 Highview Pl SE. First dose: Nov. 18

  • Excel Academy Public School, 2501 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE. First dose: Nov. 16

  • Turner Elementary School, 3264 Stanton Rd SE. First dose: Nov. 20

In addition to theses pop-up locations, organizations may also request vaccine pop-ups here.

Anacostia Park and Community Collaborative