2 Coronavirus Vaccination Sites Open Monday In Kent, Auburn

KING COUNTY, WA — Public Health Seattle & King County will open its first two high-volume community vaccination sites Monday, offering appointments six days a week to the region's most vulnerable residents. Beginning Feb. 1, the sites will operate Monday through Saturday at the ShoWare Center in Kent and the General Services Administration Complex in Auburn.

While the current vaccination phase allows for a wider group, the community clinics will initially limit appointments to the populations at the highest risk for death and those who lack access to traditional health care.

Here are the groups eligible on day one:

• 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.).

In a news release, county officials said very limited supply made it necessary to limit doses for the time being and focus efforts on the groups in the highest risk groups. To date, 66 percent of coronavirus deaths in King County have been among patients ages 75 and older, while those ages 65 to 74 account for 19 percent of deaths. The locations were chosen as south King County continues to suffer disproportionately from coronavirus infections.

Once supplies become more available, the county plans to scale up both sites to serve the broader community.

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Related: Health Officer Pleads For Caution As King County Begins Reopening

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"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. "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."

Both sites will offer vaccines by appointment only, and registration opens Saturday, Jan. 30, at 8 a.m. Residents can register via the King County vaccination website. Those who require assistance or lack access to the internet can contact the state's COVID-19 hotline at 1-800-525-0127.

Here is where to find the county's first two high-volume sites:

• Kent: accesso ShoWare Center (625 W. James St.)
  • Park, walk, or arrive by transit and enter the building. Wheelchair accessible.
• Auburn: General Services Administration Complex (2701 C St SW.)
  • Drive-thru site

As of Thursday, at least 174,000 people have received at least one dose of coronavirus vaccine in King County, including all residents in nursing homes, officials said. The county continues to coordinate mobile vaccination teams staffed by local fire departments to reach adults in high-risk groups that cannot visit vaccination sites. The county continues to navigate deep supply chain issues, with 300,000 people newly eligible for the vaccine, but only enough shipments to serve 1 in 12 people each week.

When the two sites begin operating Monday, the county aims to administer 500 doses each day. When better supply is available, the sites will be ready to quickly scale operations to better meet the need.

"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 vaccination options available near you via the Department of Health.