Dear Colleagues,

We’ve heard from many of you asking follow up questions about early access to the COVID-19 vaccine. Below are answers to those questions.

I would like to also make clear that we are asking for only one list from each market organization. This list is to only include the staff and vendors who wish to take advantage of this opportunity.

Thank you for your attention to this matter,
Kim Hutchinson
Virginia Farmers Market Association
Frequently Asked Questions

Google says I don’t have access to edit the spreadsheet.
You do not need edit access. You may download the document by selecting “File” and then “download”. Save the document to your computer, enter info for your market, and then email us the finished spreadsheet. Or you can just copy and paste the headers into your own spreadsheet.

DOWNLOAD the spreadsheet here

What will VAFMA do with this list?
VAFMA is creating this list in conjunction with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS). All lists will be combined into one document which will be forwarded to the VDH. We are doing our best to coordinate efforts so that there will not be duplication. However, if you are contacted by the VDACS coordinator, let them know you have already submitted a list to VAFMA.

Can’t I just get my vendors to contact you or the Department of Health directly?
No. The state does not want VDH flooded with 20,000 farmers market staff/producer/vendor emails. This is how the state has set this up. The lists for interested farmers market staff and vendors is being coordinated through VAFMA and VDACS. We’ve been asked to pull together lists of interested farmers market managers and producers and their contact info. When the time comes to get the vaccine, individuals will be contacted by VDH.

I have vendors from another state at my market, may they have early access to the vaccine?
Send us their information but indicate that they are out-of-state. At this time, VDH cannot answer this question while the states continue to work out distribution and availability of the vaccines. We will collect the vendor information and indicate in the spreadsheet that they are out of state. That way when VDH is ready to review the info, we have the most complete information possible for them.

What about the families of vendors?
Early access to the vaccine is for all people working in the market (paid and unpaid).

My market manager is not collecting a contact list, what do I do?
If none of the markets where you vend are collecting a list of interested staff and vendors, you may email a spreadsheet with your contact information directly to VAFMA.

I do not want the vaccine.
We are only collecting contact information of people who wish to take advantage of this opportunity. Notify your market manager that you do not wish to be included.

What is the deadline to submit my market’s list?
Wednesday, January 20, 2021

I missed yesterday’s email about early access to the vaccine. Where do I find it?
You may read it on our website at this link.