[ad_1]
Media contact: Kelli Hawkins | [email protected] | (509) 324-1539, c (509) 994-8968
Spokane, Wash. – Governor Jay Inslee and the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) today announced that Phase 1 Level B1 COVID-19 vaccination for people 65 years of age and older and over 50-year-olds living in a multigenerational household could start doing so. Spokane County health officials support expanding eligibility to the B1 level while continuing to ensure that the A1 and A2 levels, which include health care workers, first responders and staff and residents of long-term care facilities, have priority access.
Dr Francisco Velazquez, Interim Spokane County Health Officer with the Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD), explained that providers recruited to administer COVID-19 vaccines continue to see high demand from those eligible for the A1 and A2 levels and who want the vaccine.
“As with other countries that have higher populations, Spokane is always working diligently to ensure that those members of our community most at risk of exposure receive the vaccine first,” Velazquez said. “We are committed to being good stewards of our limited amount of COVID-19 vaccine.”
As one of many providers administering the vaccine as part of the DOH-led vaccination program, SRHD has received 3,400 COVID-19 vaccines and will receive 1,900 additional vaccines this week. 90% of our vaccines have been administered. Vaccine doses are not withheld and were administered as SRHD received them via the drive-through clinic at Spokane Fire Training Center (which ended Jan. 14, 2021) and continue to be administered by liaison officers capable of immunizing their facilities such as correctional facilities, collective health centers, shelters, schools and others.
The SRHD COVID-19 vaccination team works daily to collaborate with other community organizations and partners to define what mass vaccination efforts will look like in our community as they prepare for a steady supply of vaccines.
In addition, Governor Jay Inslee announced state-run mass vaccination clinics at four sites across Washington, including in Spokane County. Details regarding the clinic’s dates and accessibility have not yet been released.
“We are pleased to hear that there is planned state-level support that will compliment Spokane County’s vaccination efforts through the systems already in place,” said Kayla Myers, leading the task force. on SRHD’s COVID-19 vaccination. “Planning for mass immunization is already underway thanks to a collaborative working group made up of health care providers and the health district; state efforts will accelerate our ability to get more people immunized faster.
Those who are eligible for the vaccine are encouraged to use DOH’s Phase Finder at www.findyourphasewa.org to confirm their eligibility and be referred to vaccine providers in Spokane County.
Healthcare providers are encouraged to register for vaccine administration by completing the COVID-19 Provider Inquiry Form on the DOH’s COVID-19 Vaccination Program Registration Webpage (under Registration to the COVID-19 vaccination program).
[ad_2]
Source link