Admission to a West Seattle Vaccine Clinic. (MyNorthwest Photo)
On Thursday, eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine is open to everyone in Washington state over the age of 16. As it opens vaccinations to an additional 1.5 million people, the state warns people to stay patient and wait for possible delays in the appointment.
WA Secretary of Health: Must act quickly in counties with increasing cases of COVID
Washington currently distributes two types of vaccines, both of which require two doses: Pfizer and Modern. Pfizer is the only vaccine authorized for people over the age of 16, while Moderna is allowed for anyone over the age of 18.
On Tuesday, the state paused in the use of the Johnson & Johnson single vaccine, while the CDC and the FDA were investigating reported blood clots in six women. To date, more than 6.8 million doses of the J&J vaccine have been administered in the United States, the vast majority of which have produced little or no side effects.
The state will receive between 365,000 and 377,000 doses of federal government vaccine in each of the next three weeks. Given the limited dose availability, the state Department of Health says “it may be harder to find an appointment” starting Thursday.
“We ask people to be patient and know that even if you may not get the vaccine today, you will get it soon,” the DOH said in a written statement.
This is largely due to the fact that more vaccine supplies are still needed in Washington despite expanding eligibility.
“We want people to recognize that there is not enough supply,” Health Secretary of State Umair Shah said during a briefing in early April. “It won’t magically open on April 15.”
To find a vaccine appointment available near you, you can use the state’s “Vaccine Locator” tool at this link or call 800-525-0127 for help. Seattle residents can also use this link to schedule an appointment, with day-to-day availability.
For anyone who can’t schedule an appointment right away, state officials encourage people to keep checking daily.
The virologist explains how Gee Scott still got COVID after the first dose of vaccine
To support Thursday’s expansion, the FEMA-supported Yakima State Vaccination Site will be open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and will be open until 8 p.m. April 25th.
As of April 10, more than 22% of Washingtonians had been completely vaccinated, while nearly 35% of the state’s population has received at least one dose. By Thursday, approximately five million people were eligible for the combined COVID-19 vaccine in all previous phases.