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FILE – This March 16, 2020, an archive photo shows vials used by pharmacists to prepare syringes used on Day 1 of a first-stage safety study of the potential COVID-19 vaccine at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle. Moderna said Monday, November 16, that its COVID-19 vaccine was proving to be very effective in a major trial. (AP Photo / Ted S. Warren, file)
“Help is on the way,” Governor Inslee said on Tuesday.
The governor said he learned during a call with other U.S. governors and members of the White House administration of more details about the vaccines currently under review by the FDA. A vaccine against COVID-19 is expected to arrive in Washington state by mid-December. In addition, the state and local agencies plan the distribution of vaccines.
COVID-19 Updates
Snohomish County Health District Dr Chris Spitters said on Tuesday that the county, health district and emergency management office were preparing for the vaccine’s arrival.
“If the FDA, then subsequently, the CDC’s review of the data confirms that these are safe and effective vaccines, appropriate for use, we may begin to see the first doses of COVID vaccine shipped to our region between mid-December and late December, ”Spitters said.
He said the first to benefit from the limited supply of vaccines will be health workers, first responders, highly vulnerable populations like nursing homes and other high-risk elderly people. Spitters said the vaccine will likely take 6-9 months to distribute, which will not solve our current problems or bring us closer to “normal” for many months.
Jason Biermann, of the Department of Emergency Management, said planning in Snohomish County for distribution began in August. Last week, his team completed the first draft and a tabletop exercise of this plan. He estimates that participating agencies can distribute the vaccine to around 160,000 people per week.
“Most of these vaccines will go through the normal routes – through the existing health care system,” Biermann said, reminding people that the vaccines currently under study will require two doses.
“We are going to work our way so that everyone has access to the vaccine,” Governor Inslee said.
The governor added that if the timeline gives us hope, we must remain vigilant with mask wearing and social distancing efforts.
Inslee isn’t the only one with hope for the future. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 30,000 points for the first time on Tuesday as progress in the development of coronavirus vaccines and the announcement that the transition of power in the United States to President-elect Joe Biden will begin and finally kept investors in a buying atmosphere.
The gains extend a month-long market recovery, driven by growing optimism that the development of coronavirus vaccines and treatments will loosen the pandemic’s grip on the economy. They also mark a rapid rise for the Dow Jones from its March 23 low of just under 18,600 at the worst of its early pandemic dive.
Learn more about the Dow Jones from AP.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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