COVID-19 vaccine distribution update from the Washington State Department of Health

||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH |||

OLYMPIA – Next week Washington will open COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to those who qualify under Phases 1B tier 3 and/or 1B tier 4. This expansion is estimated to begin March 31 and will add about 2 million people to the roughly 3 million currently eligible for vaccine. This includes people 16 years or older with two or more co-morbidities or underlying conditions, people age 60 and older, people, staff and volunteers in certain congregate living settings, and high-risk critical workers in certain congregate settings. For a detailed list of who is eligible please refer to DOH’s vaccine allocation and prioritization guidance document.

If you need help finding a place to get your COVID-19 vaccine, the state’s new and improved Vaccine Locator website is a great resource. Within the last week, the site has helped more than 400,000 people find vaccine locations near them. Those who need further help can call the COVID-19 Information Hotline at 1-800-525-0127, then press #. Language assistance is available.

Allocation update

Washington’s three-week allocation forecast from the federal government shows a substantial vaccine increase next week:

• Week of March 28: 408,730 total doses (238,050 first doses, 170,680 second doses)
  • This includes 221,130 doses of Pfizer, 144,800 doses of Moderna, and 42,800 doses of Johnson & Johnson
• Week of April 4: 343,700 total doses (173,020 first doses, 170,680 second doses)
  • This includes 198,900 doses of Pfizer and 144,800 doses of Moderna
• Week of April 11: 368,270 total doses (173,020 first doses, 195,250 second doses)
  • This includes 223,470 doses of Pfizer and 144,800 doses of Moderna

The three-week forecast is subject to change as vaccine availability from the federal government may change.

Although allocation numbers have increased from weeks past, they remain fewer than what providers are requesting. This week providers requested 489,690 doses (321,260 first doses, 168,430 second doses) of vaccine.

Yakima mass vaccination site

Yakima has been chosen for an eight-week federal mass vaccination program by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), following an application from DOH and the Yakima County Health District (YCHD).

The site is scheduled to open March 31 and will administer close to 1,200 doses of vaccine per day using a fixed, drive-thru vaccination site at Central Washington State Fair Park as well as mobile vaccination units. The mass vaccination site will be a joint effort between YCHD, DOH, and FEMA. Vaccine will come directly from the federal government rather than from the state’s weekly allocation. The additional doses will help us vaccinate more Washingtonians, including those in rural and agricultural communities that have been particularly hard-hit during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Access your immunization records

Those vaccinated in Washington can keep up to date with past vaccinations, get reminders for their and their family’s upcoming routine immunizations, and print official records using MyIR, the state’s free online immunization records system. Through MyIR people can see which COVID-19 vaccine they received and when. This information is helpful to ensure people who receive the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines are given the correct second dose within the appropriate window of time. Two doses of Pfizer should be given 21 days apart. Two doses of Moderna should be given 28 days apart.

Encouraging people to get vaccinated

Vaccine is the best tool we have to bring the COVID-19 pandemic to an end. While most people in Washington plan to get the COVID-19 vaccine to protect themselves, their family, and their community, we recognize people have questions about the vaccines. The vaccine is a safe and effective way to protect yourself from severe COVID-19 symptoms and death. We encourage anyone with questions to talk them through with health care providers, faith leaders, key community members, and trusted voices. We also encourage individuals to use trusted, reliable sources when researching information regarding COVID-19 and the vaccine. People can learn more about the vaccines at COVIDVaccineWA.org, where we have information on safety and effectiveness, how the vaccines work, and other frequently asked questions. While we work towards vaccinating Washingtonians, we still encourage everyone to wear face masks, adhere to physical distancing, wash their hands, and avoid crowds.

The DOH website is your source for a healthy dose of information.