These 64,000 Whatcom County residents will be eligible for the COVID vaccine this week
Here is the latest on who is eligible for the COVID-19 virus vaccine and where you can get it in Whatcom County. The information is frequently updated as vaccine availability changes.
The Washington State Department of Health allocates vaccines it receives from the federal government based, in part, on reported need and providers’ ability to properly store and distribute doses. These allocations are going to state clinics and county clinics, private and public health care clinics, and pharmacies.
This is the week that COVID-19 vaccination eligibility opens up in Washington state to everyone 16 and older not yet covered in the earlier phased rollout.
The Whatcom County Health Department estimates 64,000 more Whatcom County residents will become eligible starting on Thursday, April 15.
For now, the Pfizer vaccine is the only one — of the three that have been authorized — that can be given to people as young as 16.
The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are for people 18 and older, although all three vaccines are undergoing trials for adolescents.
The state Department of Health said it is working to add which vaccine is being offered to the vaccine locator website and mobile app.
“In the meantime, we encourage providers to clearly identify the type of vaccine they are offering for available appointments. If the vaccine type is not listed, people may need to contact the provider,” state public health officials said.
This week, PeaceHealth will give 3,200 first doses of the Pfizer vaccine, and 2,400 second doses, according to the health care provider’s weekly vaccine update on Monday, April 12.
Youngsters getting vaccinated against the coronavirus may first need to get the consent of a parent or guardian unless they are legally emancipated, the state Department of Health said.
“Parents of minor patients, those 16 and 17 years of age, must provide a verbal consent to PeaceHealth prior to the vaccine appointment. This can be done in person at the time of the vaccine or over the phone prior to the appointment,” PeaceHealth stated in its weekly vaccine update.
With the next expansion on Thursday, a total of 186,000 Whatcom County residents can get vaccinated against the coronavirus under the state’s phased rollout.
Where to get vaccinated
As of Monday, most of these health care systems have an appointment-only process and those seeking appointments should do so primarily online. Some providers have said they will reach out to qualified patients themselves.
▪ Department of Health: The state’s Vaccine Locator tool searches for available doses within a 50-mile radius of a ZIP code.
The site also will let you know how recently the information was updated. This is a good site if you don’t want to search all over.
Go to vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov.
If you need more help, call 800-525-0127, then press #. Language assistance is available.
▪ Associates in Family Medicine: Says its vaccine supply remains limited. It asks people to fill out a form online for contact when more doses are available.
▪ Family Care Network: Is providing the Moderna as well as the Johnson & Johnson vaccines and will offer appointments to its established patients in eligible tiers as supplies become available.
The health care provider said it will open appointments for 150 first doses of the Moderna vaccine and 150 doses of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine (also called Janssen) at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 13.
Those appointments will be for vaccine clinics on April 19 to April 30.
“We will also be vaccinating a large number of patients due for their second dose over the next two weeks; those appointments are already scheduled,” Family Care Network said on its vaccine update on Monday.
Patients can schedule by going online to covidvaccine.fcn.net or by calling 360-733-1342.
The health care provider is reminding patients that the vaccines it is offering are authorized for those 18 years and older.
▪ PeaceHealth: Is administering the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines although its focus is primarily on Pfizer. People don’t have to be PeaceHealth patients to get an appointment.
People are being told to periodically check for available appointments by going to its online scheduling tool at peacehealth.org.
“The schedule for the following week is usually posted on Friday afternoons, but I learned that appointments are opened incrementally so the best bet is to encourage people to check throughout the week,” Bev Mayhew, spokeswoman for PeaceHealth, said to The Bellingham Herald.
People also can call 833-375-0285 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The phone line doesn’t accept messages.
▪ Sea Mar: Has a first-come, first-served walk-in system, but check availability online first. As of its last update on Monday morning, Sea Mar primarily had first doses of the Moderna vaccine for most of its clinics in the state, including in Bellingham and Everson.
Check at seamar.org.
▪ Unity Care NW: The health care provider said it has a limited supply of vaccines each week for its patients, who can check if there are appointments at unitycarenw.org/vaccine/.
If there aren’t any, check back on Friday, Unity Care said on its website.
▪ Federal pharmacy program: The federal government is sending vaccines directly to retail pharmacies.
In Washington state, participating pharmacies include Albertsons Companies (Safeway, Haggen and Albertsons); Costco; Health Mart Independent Pharmacies; Walmart, Rite Aid and Kroger (Fred Meyer and QFC).
Search for appointments at Albertsons in-store pharmacies at one website, mhealthappointments.com/covidappt.
Check whether Rite Aid is scheduling vaccine appointments at riteaid.com/pharmacy/covid-qualifier.
To check at Walmart, go to Walmart.com/covidvaccine.
To check Costco, go to costco.com/covid-vaccine.html.
Or go to the state’s vaccine locator site at vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov.
Pharmacies receive vaccines from the state Department of Health.
Government clinics
▪ Whatcom County: A mass COVID-19 vaccination effort has been launched by a coalition of Whatcom County health care providers and the health department
Appointments for the Community Vaccination Center are required and are based on vaccine supply. The center is in Building G at Bellingham Technical College.
Information has been released on Tuesdays for the clinics, which have been on Saturdays.
Go to vaccinatewhatcom.org to check for updates about the next clinic.
▪ Skagit County: The health department has set up a mass vaccination site at the fairgrounds in Mount Vernon but vaccinations depend on supply.
New appointments are announced at noon on Fridays on skagitcounty.net/covidvaccine, although appointments may be added throughout the week depending on vaccine availability.
Search for appointments at prepmod.doh.wa.gov.
People who can’t access online appointments can call 360-416-1500 for help Monday to Saturday. Spanish speakers will be available for those who need it.
The health department also has created a Facebook page where it announces if it has unclaimed vaccine doses because people don’t show up for an appointment.
When announced on its Facebook page, the extra doses are first come, first served and people have to be able to get to the fairgrounds within 30 minutes of the announcement.
These doses will typically be available at the end of a clinic, at 3:30 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. depending on the day, according to the post.
▪ Washington: The state is offering large-scale vaccination in Spokane, Ridgefield, Wenatchee and Kennewick. They are open by appointment only to people who register and are eligible for the vaccine phase.
See what’s available at prepmod.doh.wa.gov. The site also provides information on other vaccine clinics elsewhere in the state. Access information for other clinics by leaving the search windows empty.
Vaccine allocation
Here’s how much the federal government is expected to give Washington state over three weeks.
▪ Week of April 11: 386,810 total doses (191,560 first doses, 195,250 second doses).
▪ Week of April 18: 355,980 total doses (182,960 first doses, 173,020 second doses).
▪ Week of April 25: 356,940 total doses (180,620 first doses, 176,320 second doses).
The vaccine forecast is meant to help the state and providers plan but the number of doses could change based on vaccine availability.
The state Department of Health said the amount of the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine coming to Washington state is expected to drop substantially starting this week.
One-stop help
Volunteers are helping people find vaccines at these online sites.
▪ Covid Vaccine Tracker: Discussion in Bellingham WA Area, a private Facebook group, has volunteers who are stepping in to try to help Whatcom County residents find appointments. It has over 1,100 members, who share information about appointments and what people are experiencing (good and bad).
▪ CovidWA.com is compiling vaccine appointments throughout the state. Type in your zip code to get the information. You may have to travel to get your shots.
You also can follow @covidwashington for statewide alerts, as well as call or text your ZIP code to 206-222-9793, organizers said.
The site said it tries to check over 860 vaccine providers in the state about every 5 minutes.
▪ Find a COVID shot WA, a private group on Facebook, has volunteers that help people find appointments if they post using #searching. It has more than 51,700 members.
Organizers said their focus is on helping the state’s highest-risk communities get vaccinated, including Black, indigenous, and people of color by finding appointments.
About the vaccines
Vaccines approved and currently available in Washington are:
▪ Pfizer: Requires two doses 21 days apart; authorized for people 16 years and older; 95% effective.
▪ Moderna: Requires two doses 28 days apart; authorized for people 18 years and older; 94.1% effective.
▪ Johnson & Johnson: Requires only one dose; authorized for people 18 years and older; 66.9% effective.
The CDC provides more information about the vaccines. Or go to COVIDVaccineWA.org.
Who is eligible for vaccination
Washington state is allowing vaccinations by phases. Check yours at vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov.
Statewide as of Thursday, April 15:
Everyone 16 years and older will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccination.
So far, only the Pfizer vaccine has been authorized for people as young as 16 years old.
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 working 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.
This story was originally published April 12, 2021 at 1:51 PM.
