You are receiving this message because you subscribed for COVID-19 updates from the Kitsap Public Health District. Find more local vaccine information at kcowa.us/vaccine
COVID-19 vaccine supply is limited; local appointments may not be available immediately
Kitsap Public Health and local healthcare providers are receiving an extremely high volume of COVID-19 vaccine inquiries. We are asking for your patience and understanding as local vaccination efforts scale up to meet demand.
On Monday, Jan. 18, the state announced that COVID-19 vaccination would be opened to everyone 65 and older, and people 50 and older in multigenerational households (Phase 1b Tier 1 of vaccination). The state also launched a Phase Finder tool to help people navigate the vaccination process.
While eligibility has expanded, be aware that the supply of COVID-19 vaccine remains very limited and many healthcare providers are not able to schedule appointments at this time.
“We know Kitsap residents are eager to get a COVID-19 vaccine. We are just as eager to get community members vaccinated and we are doing everything we can to speed up this process," Kitsap Public Health District Health Officer Dr. Gib Morrow said.
"More vaccine is on the way, but right now there is simply not enough vaccine in our county for everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated. We are asking community members to be patient as the supply increases and local providers are able to open more appointments. Everyone who is eligible for a vaccine will be able to get vaccinated.”
KEY POINTS TO KNOW
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Kitsap Public Health District and local vaccine providers are asking for your patience during this challenging phase of rollout. We are receiving a high volume of inquiries and may not be able to respond to individual requests for information. We are working to establish a local call center to help field vaccine inquiries.
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It will take weeks for everyone eligible under Phase 1B Tier 1 to get vaccinated. The number of eligible recipients far exceeds the supply of vaccine available. There are about 50,000 people in Kitsap County over the age of 65 and potentially thousands of residents older than 50 who live in multigenerational households. By comparison, about 9,250 vaccine doses have been delivered into our county to date, and most of these doses were already administered to recipients under Phase 1a.
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More vaccine is on the way. Clinics, pharmacies, hospitals and other healthcare organizations in our county that have registered with the state will receive shipments as more vaccine becomes available. As additional vaccine is allocated to our county, these providers will be able to open more appointments. Everyone who is eligible to get a vaccine will be able to get vaccinated.
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Kitsap Public Health is not administering vaccine to the public at this time, but we will be soon. We are working with our county’s Emergency Operations Center to stand up community vaccine clinics. We plan to open the first clinic this month to serve people eligible for Phase 1b Tier 1. The opening date is dependent on vaccine being allocated by the state. We will share more details about the clinic, including registration information, when the state confirms that vaccine has been allocated.
HOW DO I GET VACCINATED?
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Go to FindYourPhaseWA.org
- The Phase Finder tool will help you determine which phase of vaccination you are eligible for and link you to information about local vaccine providers.
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Be aware that the supply of vaccine is very limited and healthcare organizations are receiving a high volume of inquiries. Appointments may not be available immediately.
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If you are eligible to get vaccinated now, you can contact your regular healthcare provider to find out if they are offering COVID-19 vaccination. Or, you can choose from a list of local vaccine providers displayed in the Phase Finder tool. Follow instructions for contacting the listed providers.
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If you are eligible for a later phase, you can sign up to be notified when your phase begins.
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Kitsap Public Health is not administering COVID-19 vaccine to the public at this time. We are working with the Kitsap County Emergency Operations Center to open additional community vaccination clinics in January. We will share information about these clinics and how to register as details are confirmed.
More about multigenerational households
KEEP FIGHTING COVID-19
COVID-19 vaccination is underway in our community, but it will take months for vaccination to become available to the majority of Kitsap County residents. While we wait, remember to:
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Continue fighting the spread of COVID-19 by practicing the "Three Ws":
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Wear a mask
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Wash your hands frequently
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Watch your distance: stay at least 6 feet apart from people you don't live with
- Share accurate information about the COVID-19 vaccine and COVID-19 pandemic.
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Stay informed about vaccine rollout and be ready to get vaccinated when eligible.
Thank you for doing your part to keep our community healthy!
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COVID-19 VACCINE RESOURCES
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Questions?
- For general questions about the COVID-19 vaccine,call the state COVID-19 hotline at 1-800-525-0127 or email covid.vaccine@doh.wa.gov
- If you have questions about COVID-19 vaccination in Kitsap County, email covidvaccine@kitsappublichealth.org. Be aware that we are experiencing a high volume of inquiries and will respond as soon as we are able.
MEDIA CONTACT: pio@kitsappublichealth.org
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