How does Whatcom’s COVID-19 vaccine supply compare to what other Washington counties get?
COVID-19 vaccine is scarce across Washington state and throughout the United States, but the numbers show it is in particularly short supply here in Whatcom County.
“We are hearing a lot from residents … about vaccine,” Whatcom County Health Director Erika Lautenbach said during an online briefing Thursday, Feb. 4. “It’s vaccine, vaccine, vaccine every day. We understand and share the frustrations many are feeling — unfortunately, it’s largely the result of one bottleneck issue, and that is the supply.”
But is Whatcom County getting its fair share of that limited supply?
During the first week of February, the Whatcom County Health Department reported that the county was allocated 700 doses of COVID-19 vaccine — approximately enough to give first doses only to every student in Lynden High School, with a handful leftover for some of the teachers and administrators.
It also represents less than half of a percent (0.42%) of the 165,850 first and second doses allocated to Washington state by the federal government, according to a Department of Health release Thursday.
While that percentage is shockingly low, it’s not entirely an aberration, either. Though Whatcom County represents 3% of the state’s total population, according to U.S. Census estimates, it has not received 3% of the state’s vaccine doses.
According to data on the Washington State Department of Health COVID-19 dashboard, 16,360 vaccine doses had been administered in Whatcom County as of Monday, Feb. 1. That’s just 2.1% of the 773,346 given statewide.
Those numbers have left Whatcom County officials and policymakers asking the state Department of Health for answers about how the state allocates doses to counties and why Whatcom is seemingly being shorted.
““Those questions are at the very bottom of what we’re trying to get to with the state,” Lautenbach said. “And unfortunately until we have that transparency and understanding, it’s really hard to explain any of this to residents and to your readership. We don’t know what the decision-making process is for allocating county by county.”
The Bellingham Herald crunched the numbers to find out where Whatcom County fits among Washington state’s 39 counties, comparing the number of vaccine doses administered in each county as of Monday, Feb. 1, to certain population characteristics, such as each county’s total population, residents 65 and older, residents in higher-risk racial groups and residents working in the healthcare field. It also looked at the number of vaccines given compared to COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in each county for numbers reported Thursday.
To make equal comparisons, The Herald used 2019 U.S. Census five-year estimates, as single-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau data is not available for some of the state’s smaller counties.
Here is where Whatcom County ranked:
▪ 10th in doses given: Whatcom County, which has the ninth largest population in the state with a five-year estimate of 220,821 people, has administered 16,360, according to the state dashboard. Leading the way is the state’s most populated counties: No. 1 King (277,177 doses), No. 2 Pierce (83,355), No. 3 Snohomish (57,576) and No. 4 Spokane (55,056). Only Benton County, with a five-year population estimate of 197,518 and 21,112 doses given slipped ahead of Whatcom County. Other counties joining Whatcom in the North Region of the state’s “Roadmap to Recovery” include: No. 13 Skagit County (13,605), No. 14 Island County (8,200), No. 32 San Juan County (1,161).
▪ 30th in doses given per 100,000 residents: Whatcom County is averaging 7,408.7 doses per 100,000 residents, based on the U.S. Census’ five-year estimated population of 220,821. That’s well below the state average of 10,444.8 doses per 100,000 residents. Wahkiakum County, with 975 doses administered and 4,268 residents has the state’s high mark at 22,844.4, while Douglas County (546 doses, 42,023 population) is last at 1,299.3. Other notable counties: No. 12 King (12,624.8), No. 17 Spokane (10,891.3), No. 18 Skagit (10,831.0), No. 20 Island (9,895.5), No. 23 Pierce (9,504.4), No. 31 Snohomish (7207.7) and No. 33 San Juan (6,915.7).
▪ 27th in doses given per 100,000 residents 65 and older: Whatcom County is averaging 43,835 doses per 100,000 residents 65 and older, based on the U.S. Census’ five-year estimated population for that age group of 37,321, which is eighth-highest in the state. That’s well below the state average of 69,192.5 doses per 100,000 residents 65 and older. Whitman County, with 5,001 residents 65 and older and 6,586 doses administered has the state’s high mark at 131,693.7, while Douglas County (546 doses, 7,229 residents 65 and older) is last at 7,552.9 doses per 100,000 residents. Other notable counties: No. 3 King (97,483.6), No. 7 Pierce (70,278.9), No. 10 Spokane (68,957.1), No. 19 Snohomish (55,020.3), No. 21 Skagit (53,455.7), No. 29 Island (41,314.0), No. 38 San Juan (21,006.0).
▪ 29th in doses given per 100,000 people non-white-alone: Whatcom County is averaging 44,438.4 doses per 100,000 non-white-alone residents, based on the U.S. Census’ five-year estimated population of people who identify as at least one race other than white of 36,815, which is ninth-highest in the state. That’s slightly ahead of the state average of 42,422.1 doses per 100,000 non-white-alone residents. Wahkiakum County, with 975 doses given and 391 residents who identify as a race other than white-alone, is tops in the state at 249,360.6, while Douglas County (545 doses and 12,886 non-white alone residents) is last at 4,237.2. Other notable counties: No. 13 San Juan (89,930.3), No. 15 Spokane (89,211.5), No. 22 Island (64,092.5), No. 23 Skagit (60,517.8), No. 32 Pierce (35,111.5), No. 33 King (35,033.5) and No. 35 Snohomish (29,242.3).
▪ 33rd in doses given per 100,000 healthcare social assistance employees: Whatcom County is averaging 120,329.5 doses per 100,000 residents who work in the healthcare and social assistance field, based on the U.S. Census’ five-year estimated population o 13,596 people in that field, which is ninth-highest in the state. Wahkiakum County, with 975 doses given and 166 healthcare and social assistance employees, leads the way at 587,349.4, while Douglas (546 doses, 2,458 healthcare and social assistance professionals) is last at 22,213.2. Other notable counties: No. 15 King (194,432.4), No. 17 Island (189,376.4), No. 18 San Juan (189,087.9), No. 21 Skagit (172,740.0), No. 29 Pierce (140,439.4), No. 31 Spokane (135,492.4) and No. 34 Snohomish (112,081.0).
▪ No. 19 in doses given per COVID-19 case: Whatcom County is averaging 2.8 doses given per reported COVID case, based on the 5,856 total cases (confirmed and probable) reported Thursday, which is 11th most in the state. That’s more than the state average of 2.4 doses per reported case. Jefferson County, with 5,855 doses given and 312 cases reported, led the way at 18.8, while Douglass (546 doses and 3,051 cases) is last. Other notable counties: No. 4 San Juan (11.4), No. 5 Island (6.8), No. 13 King (3.5), No. 14 Skagit (3.3), No. 23 Pierce (2.4), No. 26 Snohomish (2.0) and No. 29 Spokane (1.6).
▪ No. 18 in doses given per COVID-related hospitalization: Whatcom County is averaging 56.6 doses given per reported COVID-related hospitalization, based on 289 hospitalizations reported Thursday, which is 11th most in the state. That’s above the state average of 42.8 doses per hospitalization. Clallam County, with 15,096 doses given and 40 reported hospitalizations, leads the way at 377.4 doses per hospitalization, while Douglas County (546 doses, 124 hospitalizations) is last at 4.4. Other notable counties: No. 4 San Juan (232.2), No. 6 Island (112.3), No. 16 Skagit (57.2), No. 17 King (56.7), No. 26 Pierce (33.3), No. 28 Snohomish (31.1) and No. 30 Spokane (30.4).
▪ No. 15 in doses given per COVID-related death: Whatcom County is averaging 240.6 doses given per reported COVID-related death, based on 68 reported deaths Thursday, which is 11th most in the state. That was better than the state average of 175.1 doses per death. Neither Wahkiakum nor San Juan counties has had a COVID-related death reported, so their rates were tops in the state, while Douglas County (546 doses, 19 deaths) was last at 28.7. Other notable counties: No. 9 Island (372.7), No. 14 Skagit (256.7), No. 18 King (218.6), No. 21 Pierce (173.3) and No. 31 Spokane (113.8).
So which of these metrics is being used to determine how much vaccine each county is allocated each week, or maybe it’s something else?
That’s what Whatcom County health and public officials want to know.
“We know that surrounding counties, some of our neighboring counties received nearly double what we received and have smaller populations. So it’s not based on population size,” Lautenbach said. “We don’t believe it’s based on the number eligible in the current 1A and 1B1 (phases). But that’s what we need to learn, and that’s what will help us all understand and have a little more predictability about what to expect from week to week from our state.”
And whatever metrics are being used, the vaccine supply shortage is being felt all over the state.
According to the state release, the 107,125 first doses received from the federal government the first week in February is less than one-third the 358,000 first doses that providers statewide requested.
Second doses were only slightly better, the state reported, with 58,725 allocated and providers requesting 14,000 more than that.
“We’ve really just scratched the surface in having the supply not only for all residents but those that are eligible,” Lautenbach said. “Many, if not all, of the pain points will be reduced with the supply of vaccine is more in line with the demand, which is just not the case right now.”
