Washington State announces new COVID-19 vaccination plan

As of Tuesday, 425,900 doses of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines have been distributed around Washington State.

Out of these doses, over 110,225 have been administered since mid-December.

“Right now, our priority is getting [the] vaccine to people quickly so that we can stay on track and hit our goals of moving into Phase B1 by the middle of January,” said Assistant Secretary Michele Roberts, one of the leaders of the state’s vaccine effort, in a press release.

“We need the continued partnership of our local health and healthcare providers to plan and host clinics to get more vaccine[s] into arms.”

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The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) expects that it will take until around mid-to-late January to finish vaccinating high-risk health workers and those in long-term care facilities (Phase A1 and A2).

While phase A1 is still the priority, the DOH is hoping that the release of phase B1 guidance will help facilities, counties, and individuals plan for the months ahead. Once the state is ready to start phase B1, they will let communities know how and where to get the vaccine.

Those in Phase B1 include all people 70 years or older and those 50 years or older in multigenerational households.

doh.wa.gov

For their fourth week of vaccine allocation, the DOH anticipates 62,400 people receiving their second doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 44,850 to receive their first dose.

They expect 44,100 people to receive their first dose of the Moderna vaccine, as well as an additional 200 doses available from a previous week.

103,825 doses will go to 135 sites in 34 counties, while 47,725 doses go to support long-term care facilities and 5 tribes and Urban Indian Health Programs.