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Data through April 20 shows that 493,730 vaccines had been given. Thanks to an allocation of more than 50,000 vaccines coming to Snohomish County this week, and roughly 5,000 doses now being given daily, the county has surpassed a milestone of 500,000 vaccines administered in 18 weeks.
This includes doses administered by all providers in Snohomish County, including clinics, the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, and all mass vaccination sites and activities coordinated through the Snohomish County Vaccine Taskforce. The taskforce brings together public health, emergency management, law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services, human services, transit, public works, tribal governments and other partners within Snohomish County.
“We now have 1 out of every 3 residents over the age of 16 fully vaccinated in Snohomish County, and that’s pretty remarkable in less than five months,” said Dr. Chris Spitters, Health Officer for the Snohomish Health District. “Finding a vaccine is getting easier every day, which is encouraging news given the urgency we have in getting eligible people vaccinated. We’ll be working to complete the remainder of the effort on an even shorter timeline, but we also need everyone to sign up and get vaccinated as soon as possible.”
The most recent release of the weekly variant report from the Washington State Department of Health shows the proportion of variants of concern identified has been increasing. These emerging variants of concern are easier to spread, can cause more severe illness, and are a big part of the rising number of COVID cases in Snohomish County. The variants coupled with a notable increase in ill-advised gatherings are fueling a fourth wave.
“Our case investigations and any scan of social media highlight many of the reasons behind our surge,” added Dr. Spitters. “There are too many episodes of too many people getting together with friends or family members who aren’t fully vaccinated, who aren’t wearing masks and who aren’t keeping their distance.”
Social gatherings aren’t the only place where cases are growing. The Health District is also seeing a rise in workplace-associated cases and outbreaks. More details can be found in a detailed case report through April 10, along with monthly outbreak and school case reports being released next week.
It’s time for everyone to step up their efforts. This means:
- Wearing a mask when outside the home and around people you don’t live with;
- Taking it outside for small gatherings and avoiding large gatherings, especially indoors;
- Keeping indoor spaces well ventilated;
- Washing hands and sanitizing frequently touched surfaces often; and
- Getting vaccinated as soon as possible once eligible.
As a reminder, there are a number of ways to look for available vaccine appointments:
- Information on the Snohomish County Vaccine Taskforce’s mass vaccination site is provided at http://bit.ly/snocovaccine, along with appointment registration links and which vaccine (Johnson & Johnson, Moderna or Pfizer) is being administered at each site.
- Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has updated its vaccine locator page at https://vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov allowing people to search by their ZIP code.
- For a full list of Federal Retail Pharmacy Program locations, visit vaccinefinder.org.
- Veterans of all ages may contact the VA’s Puget Sound Health Care System at 206-716-5716 to schedule an appointment or contact their VA primary care team directly.
For more information, read the full press release here.
With roughly a half a million doses of COVID-19 vaccines distributed in Snohomish County, 3 in every 10 adults here are now fully vaccinated. Find appointments: http://bit.ly/snocovaccine #vaxupsnoco #InItTogether
On Wednesday, Governor Inslee announced that the next round of assistance under the Washington COVID-19 Immigrant Relief Fund is now open for applications. The additional $65 million allocated by the Legislature this year will provide relief to support new applicants. This round of funding builds on the governor’s prior allocations totaling $62.6 million for COVID-19 relief to immigrants in 2020, which provided much-needed assistance to nearly 60,000 individuals who were not eligible for federal COVID assistance due to immigration status. You can find additional information about this announcement here and you can find the Washington COVID-19 Immigrant Relief Fund website here.
COVID-19 small business assistance grants are currently open for applications through the state’s Department of Agriculture website for four specific sectors: shellfish growers, farmers markets, agritourism farms and craft beverage producers. Grant awards will be approximately $15,000 and the application period closes April 26. You can find additional details here.
 Eligibility for COVID-19 vaccination expanded to all Washingtonians age 16 and older starting April 15. The same thing happened nationally this morning, April 19.
At the mass vaccination sites operated by the Snohomish County Vaccine Taskforce, people who are 16 and older may be vaccinated with parent or guardian consent for the Pfizer vaccine. No other vaccine has been authorized for people younger than 18 at this time. An adult parent or legal guardian must accompany anyone under 18 to a vaccination appointment for the Pfizer vaccine to sign the consent form on site. They should also bring identification showing proof of age for the minor, such as a driver’s license or birth certificate. The registration process is the same as for any other eligible patient – they can sign up via the registration links at http://bit.ly/snocovaccine or call the call center at 425-339-5278.
In Snohomish County, we are still seeing more demand than availability of vaccines, and we know the opening of eligibility has increased that demand. This could make it difficult for older adults to book an appointment.
Please don’t get discouraged. Here are four reminders to help make sure you and those around you get vaccinated.
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Make the call. If you’re having trouble finding available appointments online, consider calling your primary healthcare provider or pharmacy, or the COVID-19 call center for Snohomish County. The call center is staffed 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and the number is 425-339-5278. They can help register for appointments at the mass vaccination sites or connect with resources to overcome barriers to vaccination. This includes referring homebound individuals to mobile vaccination teams, or providing information on transportation or other assistance.
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Bring a friend.If you are signing up for an appointment, consider seeing if a friend or family member wants to book one, too. Help them get a time on the same day as you, if another spot is available. You can even carpool if you’ve both got appointments at the same location.
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Get the vaccine that is available.We know people may have preferences on which vaccine brand they want to get, based on convenience or what they’ve heard from friends and family who received that vaccine. While you have the ability to wait for appointments to be available for the brand you want, the Snohomish County Vaccine Taskforce encourages people to get the vaccine that is available to them soonest, unless there is a medical reason to get one vaccine over another. The vaccines currently in use are all safe and effective, and if you are waiting for a brand that has less supply, it could delay your vaccination unnecessarily.
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Get both doses of a two-dose vaccine.You might not feel great after the second dose – side effects like headache, chills, mild fever, aches and fatigue are fairly common. That can be discouraging. But the second dose of a two-dose vaccine is important to be fully vaccinated and as protected as possible from COVID-19.
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Share your experience.If you have been vaccinated, share your experience with friends and family. Let them know what it was like, how you felt, and why you chose to get vaccinated. Hearing from trusted loved ones is one the most impactful ways to encourage vaccination.
More info: http://bit.ly/snocovaccine ; www.snohd.org/covidvaccine
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