News & Information
COVID-19 Testing Results Update for Kitsap County as of 2 p.m. Dec. 14
* View the COVID-19 Risk Assessment Dashboard for the latest data and additional details about this report.
COVID-19 vaccine arrives in Washington
The Kitsap Public Health District distributed an update on local vaccine planning and distribution today.
The first doses of a Pfizer vaccine to prevent COVID-19 arrived in Washington state Monday. Supplies of vaccine are very limited at this time and not everyone can be vaccinated immediately. Vaccination is being prioritized based on federal and state guidance.
The first phase of vaccination — called "Phase 1a" — starts this week. This phase will focus on high-risk priority groups, including:
- High-risk workers in health care settings
- High-risk first responders
- Staff and residents of long-term care facilities
Kitsap Public Health will reach out to organizations and individuals eligible for vaccination as part of Phase 1a. Please do not contact your health care provider or Kitsap Public Health regarding your eligibility for COVID-19 vaccine at this time.
Supplies of vaccine will increase in coming months and vaccination will be offered to additional priority groups. Eventually, vaccination will be available to everyone. Find more local vaccine information at kcowa.us/vaccine.
COVID-19 vaccine update from the Department of Health
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is happy to announce that COVID-19 vaccines are on the ground in Washington state, and this week, the first doses will be administered to high-risk health workers, as well as patients and residents of long-term care facilities.
DOH expects to receive 62,400 doses of vaccine this week. The first distribution will go to 17 sites across 13 counties. The first doses of vaccine will go to people in Phase 1a. This phase includes high-risk workers in health care settings, high-risk first responders, and patients and staff of long-term care facilities. It is estimated around 500,000 people in Washington will be eligible for the vaccine in Phase 1a.
In this first phase of vaccination, DOH will only be sharing the names of counties receiving vaccine, and the number of doses each county will receive. As vaccination expands to broader groups in future phases, details will be shared about where vaccine is located and how and where to get it. View the interim plan at CovidVaccineWA.org.
COVID-19 vaccine approved by multi-state workgroup
Gov. Jay Inslee yesterday announced the authorization of the first COVID-19 vaccine by the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup. The governor was joined for the announcement by workgroup members Drs. Ed Marcuse and John Dunn and State Health Officer Dr. Kathy Lofy.
The announcement comes after the FDA and CDC granted their initial authorization to the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The Western States Workgroup, comprised of vaccine experts from Washington, California, Oregon and Nevada, have been meeting to review the data and analysis to ensure the safety and efficacy of all vaccines federally authorized.
Workgroup members hope that their independent review inspires confidence around the vaccine’s safety. See the governor's news release for more details.
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