As COVID vaccinations readied to move to the next phase, this is what Whatcom can expect
Whatcom health officials are waiting to hear when more county residents, including those who are elderly, teachers and agriculture workers, can get the COVID-19 vaccine amid worsening case counts here and elsewhere in Washington state.
As of Wednesday, Jan. 13, there have been a little over 9,000 doses of the vaccine allocated for distribution in Whatcom County, the county Health Department announced on Thursday, Jan. 14.
“This number includes 800 doses that are being shipped this week,” the health department said in its announcement.
The announcement came as the state Department of Health on Wednesday said that vaccination will move into Phase 1B “in a matter of days,” county officials said, adding that they will provide an update when Whatcom County does so.
Several large health care providers have committed to working together on “large-scale” community vaccine clinics, but this effort is in the “very early stages of planning” and more information will be provided in the coming weeks, the Whatcom County Health Department said.
Meanwhile, the state and the county remain in Phase 1A of vaccination, which covers health care workers who are at the highest risk of getting or passing on COVID-19; first responders working in emergency medical services who are at high risk of exposure; people living and working in long-term care facilities; and other workers at risk in health care settings.
Anyone who is in this phase should get vaccinated, the Whatcom County Health Department said Thursday.
The Whatcom County Health Department estimates there are 14,000 to 16,000 workers here who fall into this phase, adding that the county has received enough doses of the vaccine to give one dose to about 60% of them.
The state Department of Health has approved 17 vaccination sites, while over 35 more sites have pending applications to provide the vaccine, according to county officials.
Next vaccination phase
Phase 1B of vaccination has four tiers.
Here’s the timing of when people in the tiers are likely to be vaccinated:
▪ Tier 1 — All people 70 years and older as well as those who are 50 years and older who live in multi-generational households. Estimated availability: January.
▪ Tier 2 — High-risk critical workers 50 years and older who work in congregate settings such as agriculture, food processing, grocery stores, prisons, jails, detention centers, child care, educators and staff in K-12, fire and law enforcement, and public transportation. Estimated start: February.
▪ Tier 3 — Residents who are 16 years and older who have two or more underlying conditions that put them at greater risk if they contract COVID-19. Estimated start: March.
▪ Tier 4 — High-risk critical workers under age 50 in certain congregate settings, such as those noted in Tier 2, and those who are homeless and accessing services or live in temporary housing and shelters.
This tier also includes other residents, staff and volunteers in group living settings, such as group homes for people with disabilities, prisons, jails and detention centers. Estimated availability: April.
More details wanted
State Rep. Alicia Rule, a Blaine Democrat, is urging the the state Department of Health to provide more information to Whatcom County residents about vaccine access, saying the “distribution of the vaccine has proven to be a confusing, inconsistent process.”
“Our communities have faced significant physical, emotional, and economic hardship. The grief and loss in our community is palpable. And with the approval of the vaccine, our community was starting to feel a sense of relief and an end in sight to this seemingly never-ending pandemic,” Rule said Friday, Jan. 15, in a letter to Umair Shah, the state’s Secretary of Health.
Rule, newly elected to represent the 42nd Legislative District that covers most of Whatcom County, said that while she appreciated the department’s work on the COVID-19 vaccination plan, she urged it to provide detailed distribution information.
“Every citizen deserves to know specifically: when, how, and where they can access the vaccine,” she said in the letter.
This story was originally published January 14, 2021 at 5:38 PM.
