Coronavirus updates: Washington state DOH opening 4 mass vaccination sites
This page includes coronavirus developments around Washington state for Monday, Jan. 25.
Paul G. Allen Family Foundation announces $1.4 million in additional COVID-19 relief funding
Updated 11:30 a.m
The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation announced Monday it would contribute an additional $1.4 million to “address the evolving needs for underserved populations” across Washington in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
New funding will focus on security, child care and stability for those in need, the release says.
“We cannot overlook communities that are disproportionately burdened by the economic and social impacts of this pandemic,” Jody Allen, the foundation’s co-founder and chair, said in the release. “These grants provide resources supporting the urgent needs of vulnerable populations during this unprecedented health and economic crisis.”
Six nonprofits, including the Na’ah Illahee Fund’s Native Community Crisis Response Fund, The Potlatch Fund, the WA Food Fund, the University of Washington Foundation, the All In WA Child Care Initiative and the Pride Foundation, received immediate support.
“Many of these grants prioritize support to Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), and LGBTQ+ communities, as well as people living in rural or remote areas who are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19,” the release says.
This round of funding builds on the foundation’s previous contributions totaling $12 million in COVID-19 relief funding to underserved communities in the Pacific Northwest.
State’s COVID-19 phone line receiving high volume of calls
Updated 11:30 a.m.
The Washington State Department of Health tweeted Monday morning its COVID-19 phone line, reachable at 800-525-0127, is currently receiving a high volume of calls and reports of trouble getting through.
“Apologies for the inconvenience,” the tweet says. “We’re working to add more capacity.”
COVID-19 information updates from the state are still available via text at 211-211.
Washington opening 4 mass vaccination sites across state
Updated 11 a.m.
The Washington State Department of Health, along with the Washington State National guard and other partners, is launching four mass COVID-19 vaccination sites across the state.
The sites, which are located in Kennewick, Ridgefield, Spokane and Wenatchee, are available to those currently eligible to receive the vaccine under the state’s plan.
Currently, those in Phase 1A or Tier 1 of Phase 1B — which includes high-risk health care workers, high-risk first responders, long-term care residents, other workers at risk in health care setting, all people 65 years or older and all people 50 years or older in multigenerational households — can receive the vaccine.
Eligibility must be confirmed through certification from the state’s Phase Finder.
“Locations will be appointment only and appointments must be made in advance,” the state DOH website says.
Walk-ins will not be accepted and masks are required to receive the vaccine.
The initial goal is to provide about 500 vaccinations per site, per day, the site says.
“In the beginning it will be less, as sites ramp up to that goal and beyond,” the site says. “To ensure success, a limited number of initial appointments will be accepted to start, and some sites will have reached capacity for week one quickly. Please don’t be discouraged. Sites will eventually have the capacity for larger numbers of people as more vaccine becomes available.”
Appointments at each site can be made for the first or second dose of the vaccine.
“If you are coming for a second dose, bring the proof or card indicating the date of the first dose and vaccine product,” the site says.
The Kennewick, Ridgefield and Wenatchee sites are offering the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine, while the Spokane site is offering the Moderna vaccine.
The site at the Benton County Fairgrounds in Kennewick is scheduled to open at 1 p.m. Monday, according to the Tri-City Herald. The site will be open 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, said local organizers. Appointments are required starting Tuesday.
The Ridgefield site at the Clark County Fairgrounds will run 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays.
The Spokane site at the Spokane Arena will be open daily beginning Wednesday. Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
The Wenatchee site at the Town Toyota Center will be open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays.
Appointments at all four sites can be made online or by calling 1-800-525-0127.
Pierce County holding two vaccination events this week
Updated 10:30 a.m.
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department is holding two COVID-19 vaccination events this week.
The events, which are by appointment and open to people in Phase 1A and Tier 1 of Phase 1B of the state’s vaccination plan, are Tuesday in Lakewood and Thursday in Puyallup.
“We saw a huge response, and spots for both clinics are now full,” the health department wrote Friday on Twitter. “We know demand is high for vaccine, but supplies remain limited.
“We’re working with partner agencies countywide to get vaccine to those of you who are eligible as quickly as it becomes available. Expect more pop up clinics like these.”
The health department wrote it is currently “working on details” for another pop up site in Gig Harbor.
Due to registration issues for the Lakewood and Puyallup pop ups involving email responses, the health department wrote Saturday it was “working on resending confirmation emails to everyone who registered.”
Those who received a green check mark at the end of their registration process should be “good to go.”
But, through a form error, there are some instances where individuals signed up for the correct location, but the wrong date.
Those individuals will have to swap locations for their appointment.
For example, the form allowed people to receive their vaccine dose at the fairgrounds in Puyallup on Tuesday, but that event is not until Thursday.
Those who signed up for Tuesday at the fairgrounds still have an appointment scheduled, but it is at Clover Park Technical College in Lakewood.
Conversely, those who signed up for Thursday at Clover Park, though that event is Tuesday, still have an appointment, but will need to travel to the fairgrounds.
A full list of current vaccination sites in the county is available on the health department’s website.
Washington, Oregon have both confirmed multiple cases of virus variant
Updated 9:30 a.m.
Both Washington and Oregon have confirmed variants of COVID-19, according to a report from the Associated Press.
The B.1.1.7 variant of the virus, which was first discovered in the United Kingdom in September and is more contagious, was first reported in Washington on Saturday.
The UW Medicine Virology Lab detected to cases of the variant in samples from two residents of Snohomish County.
“We thought this variant of concern was here and now we know it’s here,” Dr. Alex Greninger, assistant professor of the Clinical Virology Lab at UW Medicine, said in a release from the state Department of Health.
Pierce County confirmed its first case of the B.1.1.7 variant Sunday.
“This new information does not change how we fight COVID-19,” Dr. Anthony Chen, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department’s director of health, said in a statement. “Everyone needs to continue to do their part to minimize the spread — and get vaccinated when it is your turn — so we can put this pandemic behind us.”
The Oregon Health Authority reported a second case of the variant Saturday in Yamhill County. The first case in the state was reported a week earlier in Multnomah County.
This variant of the virus could become the “predominant variant” in the United States by March, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has projected.
“While finding the B.1.1.7 variant is concerning, we knew it was only a matter of time before we found evidence of it here in Washington,” Washington Secretary of Health Dr. Umair A. Shah said in a release. “That said, the health and safety of all Washingtonians remains our top priority. Now that this variant has been found, it underscores the absolute importance of doubling down on all the prevention measures to protect Washingtonians against COVID-19.”
Washington has reported 300,198 total COVID-19 cases and 4,114 deaths since the pandemic began. Oregon has reported 138,168 cases and 1,880 deaths.
Pierce County reports first local case of virus variant
Updated 9 a.m.
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department has confirmed the first case of a variant of COVID-19 in the county, according to a Sunday news release.
The health department had “already completed case and contact investigation for this positive case,” the release says, and the individual “had mild symptoms and completed their isolation period.”
The individual had the B.1.1.7 variant, the release says, which is the strain first discovered in the United Kingdom.
“This new information does not change how we fight COVID-19,” Dr. Anthony Chen, the department’s director of health, said in a statement. “Everyone needs to continue to do their part to minimize the spread — and get vaccinated when it is your turn — so we can put this pandemic behind us.”
This variant of the virus could become the “predominant variant” in the United States by March, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has projected.
“Viruses always change as they spread,” the health department’s release says. “Several known variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 exist. The variants are often named for the regions where they are first detected, such as UK, South Africa, Brazil.
“We expected the first case of the UK variant in Pierce County and prepared for its spread since it was discovered.”
Pierce County reported 240 new COVID-19 cases Sunday. No additional deaths were reported.
The county’s totals are now at 31,526 cases and 379 deaths since the first confirmed case was reported in March.
The county has reported 3,255 cases in the past 14 days and its 14-day case rate per 100,000 is now 360.9. Average cases per day in the past 14 days are at 232.5.
There were an estimated 7,601 confirmed cases still active in the county as of Saturday.
Testing is available at various sites in the county. More information on testing sites is available on the health department’s website.
The health department also has a page on its site with information about the COVID-19 vaccine, including how individuals can determine eligibility as well as a list of locations around the county where the vaccine may be available.
State passes 300K total cases over weekend, has distributed more than 390K doses of vaccine
Updated 9 a.m.
The Washington State Department of Health reported 1,949 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, and has passed 300,000 total cases.
The state no longer reports updated case counts on Sundays.
Deaths are no longer reported on weekends.
Statewide totals have reached 300,198 cases and 4,114 deaths, up from 298,249 cases Friday. The new case total includes 13,167 cases that are listed as probable.
Previous case and death counts are revised daily by the state DOH.
King County continues to report the state’s highest counts for total cases (75,433), hospitalizations (4,720), deaths (1,203) and vaccine doses distributed (145,286).
Pierce County reported 240 new COVID-19 cases Sunday. The county’s totals are now at 31,526 cases and 379 deaths since the first confirmed case was reported in March.
Spokane County (31,930 cases, 438 deaths) and Snohomish County (26,925 cases, 470 deaths) have each reported more than 400 deaths, while Yakima County has reported 23,690 cases and 360 deaths.
Each of the state’s 39 counties have reported positive cases and all but three have reported more than 100. Only two counties have not reported a virus-related death.
More than 4.3 million tests have been administered in the state since the pandemic began.
The state had distributed 391,195 doses of vaccine as of Saturday, with its current seven-day average at 17,618. The state’s average goal is 45,000.
Annette Cary, Jon Manley and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
This story was originally published January 25, 2021 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Coronavirus updates: Washington state DOH opening 4 mass vaccination sites."
