Alexandria adds restaurant workers to vaccine eligibility list

COVID-19 mass vaccination center to open in Alexandria

A new COVID-19 mass vaccination center in Alexandria hopes to do its part in bringing the coronavirus pandemic to an end by administering thousands of vaccine shots a day to residents of northern Virginia.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - The city of Alexandria has added restaurant workers to its list of people eligible for the coronavirus vaccine.

Under the new guidance issued this week, restaurant workers will have the same eligibility as front-line workers – including police, teachers and grocery staff.

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City officials noted that workers in restaurants are often unable to socially distance while serving food or providing other services to customers. Meanwhile, kitchen workers are often confined to small spaces.

In addition, they noted, food service workers are often drawn from "vulnerable communities" – and are frequently underinsured, if at all.

The move comes as restaurants in Virginia and other neighboring states ease restrictions on indoor dining.

On March 1, the Commonwealth expanded alcohol sales to midnight.

Meanwhile, neighboring Maryland will soon lift indoor dining restrictions practically altogether.