Here’s how to get one of 900 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine at Whatcom clinic
Whatcom County residents will have access to the largest number of vaccine doses yet at the Community Vaccination Center on Saturday, April 10, when 900 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will go into arms.
The Saturday clinic will run 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the center at Bellingham Technical College, 3028 Lindbergh Ave., the Whatcom County Health Department announced on Tuesday.
Vaccination is by appointment only.
People eligible to receive the vaccine under Washington state’s phased rollout plan can sign up starting at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 7, by going to prepmod.doh.wa.gov.
Clinic appointments won’t show up on the website until the sign-up time.
People who don’t have internet access or who need language interpretation can call 360-778-6075 for help in scheduling an appointment.
To avoid possible long wait times, online scheduling is recommended. The phone service needs to be prioritized for those who can’t schedule online, the health department said.
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Appointments will fill up quickly.
If you aren’t able to schedule one, sign up for the waiting list in case there are cancellations or no-shows, the health department advised. You’ll find it at the bottom of the scheduling page on PrepMod.
“Last week more than 40 people who signed up for the CVC waiting list were contacted by clinic staff and vaccinated,” the health department said in its announcement.
The waitlist is for that clinic date only.
The Community Vaccination Center doesn’t maintain an ongoing waitlist.
“Anyone without an appointment who shows up and wasn’t called from the waiting list will not be served,” the health department said.
Upcoming hours and days of clinic operation will be limited by the number of doses received from the Washington State Department of Health.
The vaccines provided will vary, based on what’s available.
The large-scale clinic for the community is a collaboration of health care providers and others that include Bellingham Technical College, Family Care Network, PeaceHealth, Sea Mar Community Health Centers, Unity Care NW, Whatcom County Health Department, Whatcom Unified Command, and Hoagland Pharmacy.
Students in the nursing programs at BTC and Whatcom Community College help staff the site.
Sign-up tips
Knowing what works best for the online system will help your chances given that appointments fill up quickly.
Readers have shared their frustration with The Bellingham Herald about being able to find the clinic on the site.
“We have heard this as well and are working on solutions and messaging,” the Whatcom County Health Department said in an email to The Bellingham Herald.
Here’s how to search for the clinic in prepmod.doh.wa.gov after you click on “Find a Clinic,” according to the health department:
▪ Easiest: Select “COVID-19 Vaccination” and type in “Bellingham” in the “Name of Location” search bar. The Community Vaccination Center will be the first clinic to come up, when it’s time for scheduling to go live.
▪ What about the ZIP? If you search by ZIP code and don’t select a “search within” radius, PrepMod will give results by the date of a clinic. That means the Community Vaccination Center will be farther down the list, especially since appointments open on Wednesday and the clinic is on Saturday.
▪ If you include a “search within” radius of 10 miles of a Whatcom ZIP code, the Community Vaccination Clinic at BTC is usually the first one to pop up.
▪ Need more help? Go to vaccinatewhatcom.org for videos that are in English and Spanish. That’s also where you’ll find information on what to expect at the clinic as well as directions for driving or taking public transportation.
Who is eligible for vaccination
Washington state is allowing vaccinations by phases.
Eligible phase 1B, tiers 3 and 4, since March 31:
▪ People age 60 to 64 years old.
▪ People with two or more comorbidities, which are underlying health conditions listed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control website that increase the risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
▪ More people living in congregate settings, including correctional facilities, group homes for those with disabilities, and people who are homeless and living in or access services in such settings.
▪ More workers in congregate settings, including restaurants, manufacturing and construction.
Eligible phase 1B, tier 2, since March 17:
▪ Critical workers employed in certain congregate settings, including agriculture, food processing, fishing vessels, grocery stores, public transit, firefighters, law enforcement, and prisons and jails.
▪ Those who are 16 years and older who are pregnant or who have disabilities that put them at high risk.
Previously and still eligible, Phase 1B, tier 1:
▪ All people 65 years and older.
▪ People 50 years and older in multi-generational households where they live with and care for their parents or a grandchild.
▪ People who are over 50 and unable to live independently, who either receive long-term care from a paid or unpaid caregiver or are living with someone who works outside the home.
▪ Educators and staff in grades pre-kindergarten through 12th grade as well as licensed child care workers.
Not eligible in this phase are people younger than 50, people over 50 who care for a partner or friend, or any parent or guardian caring for their small child or teen.
Previously and still eligible, Phase 1A:
▪ High-risk health care workers.
▪ High-risk first responders.
▪ Residents and staff of congregate living settings, such as nursing homes.
▪ All other workers in health care settings who are at risk.
