FEMA, STATE AND LOCAL PARTNERS TO OPEN COVID-19 COMMUNITY VACCINATION CENTER IN NORFOLK, VIRGINIA [https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20230511/fema-state-and-local-partners-open-covid-19-community-vaccination-center] Release Date: March 26, 2021 PHILADELPHIA - A COVID-19 vaccination site will be established at the Military Circle Mall in Norfolk, Va., on March 31, 2021. This vaccination site is a partnership between the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Health and Human Services (HHS), Virginia Department of Emergency Management Agency (VDEM),  Virginia Department of Health (VDH)  and the City of Norfolk to support FEMA’s Supplemental Allocation Vaccine Effort (SAVE). The site will be open 7 days a week, 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. FEMA and federal partners are planning to support this site through staffing, operations, logistics and vaccine allocations. The Norfolk site, like other federally supported sites across the country, was selected based on data analysis including the CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index and other Census data, as well as input from our state and local partners. The central location of the former Macy’s store at the Military Circle Mall was key to site selection and provides access to over 1.7 million people across 14 nearby localities. It is anticipated that once the facility is running at full capacity, the number of vaccine doses given will meet or exceed 3,000 per day. This site will come with its own vaccination allocation, which will not be drawn from the allocation the Commonwealth of Virginia already receives. “Vaccinating as many as people as possible, as soon as possible, is critical to ending this pandemic,” Governor Northam said. “This vaccination clinic will get more shots into arms in one of Virginia’s more populous regions. We are grateful to FEMA and our other federal partners for their support and assistance.”  “The Commonwealth of Virginia appreciates the additional support from our federal partners and FEMA as we race to safely vaccinate Virginians” said State Coordinator of Emergency Management Curtis Brown. “The Norfolk site aligns with the Commonwealth’s equitable prioritization objective of addressing the needs of our community members who have suffered disproportionately in disasters, while also providing a significant number of daily vaccine doses.” "Virginia appreciates assistance from our federal partners to ramp up COVID-19 vaccinations. We especially appreciate that the FEMA SAVE site is targeted toward our most vulnerable populations. These community vaccination centers are a great supplement to the vaccination clinics our Local Health Districts have held over recent months and continue to schedule," said Virginia State Health Commissioner M. Norman Oliver, M.D., M.A. "With everyone working together, we will reach our vaccination goals and turn this pandemic around." "We are excited to welcome FEMA to Norfolk's Military Circle Mall vaccination site as a critical partner in the effort to save lives and stop the spread of COVID-19," Norfolk Mayor Kenneth Cooper Alexander said. "The support, resources and presence of the federal government are greatly appreciated, and we are thankful that our most vulnerable residents will be prioritized." The Commonwealth of Virginia has prioritized equitable vaccine allocation to ensure its vulnerable and disproportionately impacted communities do not experience further inequities during this pandemic. The Norfolk site was consequently selected in line with this prioritization model. Similar to other vaccine sites across the Commonwealth, residents interested in receiving a vaccine must register at https://vaccinate.virginia.gov or call 1-877-VAX-IN VA (1-877-829-4682), 8am – 8pm. Language translation is available, TTY users dial 7-1-1. Please note that there are no walk-up appointments available, and individuals who show up without a scheduled appointment will not receive a vaccine. As of March 16, FEMA has provided more than $4.38 billion to 40 states, Washington D.C., four tribes and five territories for expenses related to COVID-19 vaccination at 100% federal cost share. These funds cover critical supplies, staffing, training, and transportation needs that support increased vaccination efforts. “Strong partnerships with our federal, state and local counterparts allow us to collectively bring the latest pilot community vaccination site to the Norfolk area. FEMA remains committed to helping Virginians and all Americans during this time. We will continue to collaborate with our partners to provide equitable, diverse, dynamic and innovative opportunities to help stop the spread of this disease,” said Region 3 Acting Administrator Janice Barlow. ### _FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. FEMA Region 3’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia._ _ Follow us on Twitter at __twitter.com/femaregion3_ [http://www.twitter.com/femaregion3]_ and on LinkedIn at __linkedin.com/company/femaregion3_ [http://www.linkedin.com/company/femaregion3]