The entrance to a vaccination clinic in West Seattle. (MyNorthwest photo)
On Thursdays, everyone in Washington state over the age of 16 is eligible for vaccination. Because that opens up vaccinations to an additional 1.5 million people, the state is warning people to remain patient and expect possible delays in making appointments.
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Washington is currently distributing two types of vaccines, both of which require two doses: Pfizer and Moderna. Pfizer is the only vaccine approved for people 16 and older, while Moderna is allowed for anyone over 18.
On Tuesday, the state discontinued single-dose use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, while the CDC and FDA are investigating blood clots reported in six women. Up to this week, more than 6.8 million doses of the J&J vaccine had been administered in the United States, the vast majority of which have caused mild or no side effects at all.
The state will receive between 365,000 and 377,000 vaccine doses from the federal government in each of the next three weeks. Given the limited availability of doses, the State Department of Health says it may be more difficult to find an appointment starting Thursday.
“We ask people to please be patient and know that while you may not get the vaccine today, you will get it soon,” the DOH said in a written statement.
This is largely due to the fact that more vaccines are still needed in Washington, despite the expansion of eligibility.
“We want people to recognize that there is not enough supply,” said Secretary of Health Umair Shah at a briefing in early April. “It won’t magically open on April 15.”
To find an available vaccination appointment near you, use the state’s “Vaccine Locator” tool at this link or call 800-525-0127 for assistance. Seattle residents can also use this link to schedule an appointment, with availability varying from day to day.
For anyone who can’t make an appointment right away, government officials are encouraging people to keep checking it on a daily basis.
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To support Thursday’s expansion, the state’s FEMA-supported vaccination site in Yakima will be open seven days a week from 10am to 7pm and from April 25 to 8pm.
As of April 10, more than 22% of Washington residents have been fully vaccinated, while nearly 35% of the state’s population has received at least one dose. Before Thursday, about five million people were eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine combined in all previous stages.