JUST IN: President Biden set to visit Alexandria vaccination site Tuesday

Updated at 9:45 a.m. — President Joe Biden will visit the Virginia Theological Seminary at 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday, according to the White House.

“I am thrilled that the President is visiting Alexandria to highlight our vaccination effort,” Mayor Justin Wilson said. “We have had great partnerships with non-profits, private partners and community organizations to both administer vaccinations and ensure equity in our distribution. The backbone of good planning and enormous volunteer support will get COVID into our rear-view mirror.”

The city got tipped off to the visit after Politico announced in its Playbook that “Biden will visit a vaccination site in Alexandria, Va., and deliver remarks about the vaccine effort Tuesday.”

The visit will come after the recent announcement that Virginia will be moving into Phase 1c, which greatly expands eligibility in Virginia, and a massive expansion of vaccination capacity at the Victory Center in the Eisenhower Valley.

Vaccine equity has been an issue, as African Americans residents are receiving the vaccine at a lower rate than other residents.

“The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will invest nearly $10 billion from the American Rescue Plan to address the COVID-19 response within communities of color, rural areas, low-income populations, and other under-served communities,” according to the City. “The additional funding will be used to expand COVID-19 vaccinations, testing, and treatment for vulnerable populations; deliver preventive and primary health care services to people at higher risk for COVID-19; and expand health centers’ operational capacity during the pandemic and beyond, including modifying and improving physical infrastructure and adding mobile units.”