1st Mass Vaccination Sites Open In King County: Here's Who Can Go

SEATTLE — Public Health - Seattle & King County on Monday opened its first two high-volume coronavirus vaccination sites, which now offer immunizations by appointment six days a week in Kent and Auburn.

Due to continued issues with vaccine supply, eligibility is more narrow than what's allowed in the state's current phase, prioritizing doses for residents most at risk of serious complications or death resulting from COVID-19 illness. The locations were chosen as south King County continues to suffer disproportionate effects of the pandemic.

Appointments are required in advance, and slots began to fill up quickly after registration opened Saturday morning. By Sunday afternoon, the Auburn site was booked until Feb. 10, and the Kent site until Feb. 20.

Here are the groups eligible for appointments right now:

• All adults ages 75 and older
• A family caregiver or home care worker taking care of someone age 50 or older who cannot live independently. The caregiver or home care worker does not need to be 50 or older.
• Specific groups of people age 50 and older. Those who are:
  • Unable to live independently and receiving care from a caregiver, relative, in-home caregiver, or someone who works outside the home.
• Living with AND caring for kin (examples include caring for a grandchild, niece or nephew. This does not include parents living with their child.)
• Registration is available online or by calling the state COVID-19 hotline at 1-800-525-0127.

Last Friday, the county estimated roughly a quarter of residents ages 75 and older had received at least one dose of vaccine, but the same age group accounts for 66 percent of coronavirus deaths. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults between 75 to 84 years old are 220 times more likely to die from the virus compared to young adults. For those 85 and older, the risks are even greater.

"With a limited supply of vaccine, we need to make the best use of every dose that comes to King County," said Patty Hayes, director of Public Health - Seattle & King County, last week. "The new high-volume sites will help us get life-saving vaccine to the highest risk King County residents. We're taking an equitable approach by starting in the part of our county that's been hardest hit by COVID-19."

Weekly allocations have complicated efforts to ramp up vaccinations, with shipments ranging from as low as 12,000 doses to as high as 73,000. Until supply chains are strengthened, public health will focus efforts at both sites on the county's oldest residents, with an initial goal to administer 500 vaccines each day. Once possible, the county plans to scale up operations at both sites, allowing for a broader eligibility group and more daily vaccines.

"This is all-hands-on-deck, coordinating County government with partners across the region to stand up community vaccination sites," King County Executive Dow Constantine said. "I share the frustration of not having enough vaccine from manufacturers, but we are determined to build the distribution infrastructure quickly and fairly get shots to eligible people as soon as those doses are available, and to expand capacity ahead of the increasing supply."

Learn more about the new community vaccination sites and other options for immunizations via the King County website.

Related coverage:

• Phase 2 Begins In King, Pierce And 5 Other WA Counties
• More Contagious Coronavirus Strain Found In King County
• King County Nears Reopening, But Health Officials Urge Caution