The entrance to a vaccination clinic in West Seattle. (My Northwest photo)
On Thursday, admission to the COVID-19 vaccine is open to anyone in Washington state over the age of 16. As the vaccinations open to another 1.5 million people, the state is warning people to stay patient and expect delays with making appointments.
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Washington is currently distributing two types of vaccines, both of which require two doses: Pfizer and Moderna. Pfizer is the only vaccine allowed for people from 16 years of age, while Moderna is allowed for everyone over 18.
On Tuesday, the state suspended the use of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine while the CDC and FDA investigated blood clots reported in six women. More than 6.8 million doses of the J&J vaccine have been administered in the United States to date, the vast majority of which have had minor or no side effects.
The state will receive between 365,000 and 377,000 vaccine doses from the federal government in the next three weeks. Due to the limited availability of doses, the state Department of Health says it may be more difficult to find an appointment from Thursday.
“We ask that people be patient and know that, although you are not getting the vaccine today, you will get it soon,” the DOH said in a written statement.
This is largely driven by the fact that more vaccination is needed in Washington, despite the expansion of suitability.
“We want people to realize that there is not enough stock,” Umair Shah, the state secretary of health, said in a briefing in early April. “It will not magically open on April 15.”
To make a vaccination available near you, you can use the state’s “Vaccine Locator” tool at this link or call 800-525-0127 for assistance. Seattle residents can also use this link to schedule an appointment, with availability varying from day to day.
If someone can not immediately schedule an appointment, government officials encourage people to keep watching daily.
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To support the expansion of Thursday, the state’s FEMA-supported vaccination room in Yakima will be open seven days a week between 10:00 and 19:00 and start until 25:00 from 25 April.
As of April 10, more than 22% of Washingtonians have been fully vaccinated, while nearly 35% of the state’s population has received at least one dose. Prior to Thursday, approximately five million people had been eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in all previous phases.