Inova Health System Hits 300,000 Vaccines; Pledges to Vaccinate Children Pending Authorization and Eligibility
Falls Church, VA — In just three and a half months, Inova Health System has administered more than 300,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and is continuing to expand operations to accommodate even more Northern Virginia community members. Inova hit this significant milestone this week, which accounts for 25% of all shots given in Northern Virginia and one in every ten administered in the Commonwealth of Virginia. This comes less than a month after surpassing the 200,000 shots milestone and is due, in part, to the recently opened Inova Stonebridge Vaccination Center located in Alexandria, Virginia.
The center is currently vaccinating 4,500 people per day and feels confident the number will grow as supplies and eligibility expand, enabling Inova to continue to deliver reliable and efficient care to the community. Inova is also partnering with local health departments and community partners to ensure that the COVID-19 vaccine is available to at-risk populations across Northern Virginia.
With the recent news that the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is proving 100% effective in children ages 12-15, Inova stands ready to accommodate newly eligible groups as soon as the FDA authorizes the vaccine for this group and the Commonwealth of Virginia declares them eligible.
As President and CEO Dr. J. Stephen Jones explained, “Inova’s strong relationship with many of our local school districts puts us in the unique position to help them quickly vaccinate their student bodies, particularly after vaccinating tens of thousands of their teachers earlier this year.”
While awaiting authorization from the FDA and eligibility from the state, Inova is already considering innovative ways to update its operations to accommodate new groups, including opening existing clinics after the school day concludes and on weekends, and communicating information specifically designed to answer health questions from newly eligible groups.
While waiting to receive a vaccine, patients of all ages are encouraged to continue existing well visits and other healthcare appointments to maintain their health. Visit Safe@Inova to learn more about the approaches we are taking to keep patients safe while keeping up with their care.
Media Contact: Tracy Connell, tracy.connell@inova.org, 703-289-2087
###
About Inova
Inova is the leading nonprofit healthcare provider in Northern Virginia and the greater Washington, DC region, recognized in 2019 and 2020 by U.S. News & World Report, which named Inova Fairfax Hospital the #1 hospital in the Washington, DC region, and #9 in the nation for Gynecology. All five Inova hospitals were awarded ‘A’ grades for the Fall 2020 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, recognizing Inova’s achievements in protecting patients from harm and providing safer healthcare. Each of Inova’s five hospitals holds a 5-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), distinguishing Inova as the highest-rated large health system in the U.S., and the only system to have all hospitals receive five stars. Inova Fairfax Medical Campus was named to the Fortune/IBM Watson Health 100 Top Hospitals list, ranking in the top 10 nationwide among Major Teaching Hospitals. Our mission is to provide world-class healthcare – every time, every touch – to each person in every community we have the privilege to serve. Inova’s 18,000 team members serve more than 2 million individuals annually through an integrated network of hospitals, primary and specialty care practices, emergency and urgent care centers, outpatient services and destination institutes. Inova is home to Northern Virginia’s only Level 1 Trauma Center and Level 4 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Its hospitals have a total of 1,936 licensed beds. More information and statistics about Inova can be found at www.inova.org.