Health & Fitness

Here's Where Vaccines Went In Washington This Week

More than 30,000 of Washington's frontline health workers have received their first dose of coronavirus vaccines, according to the state.

A vial of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is seen at the Seattle Indian Health Board on December 21, 2020 in Seattle.
A vial of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is seen at the Seattle Indian Health Board on December 21, 2020 in Seattle. (Karen Ducey/Getty Images)

OLYMPIA, WA — Washington distributed more than 170,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine across the state this week, ahead of an expected interruption in deliveries due to the winter holidays.

The state's second week of vaccinations was aided by the arrival of more than 127,000 recently-approved Moderna vaccines, which require a less complicated method for storage than the vaccine developed by Pfizer.

Officials said Washington received fewer doses from Pfizer than initially expected due to an error with federal calculations. Moving forward, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will provide allocation figures to states on a week-by-week basis.


Related: WA Coronavirus Trends Plateau, But Experts Urge Continued Caution


According to the Washington State Department of Health, 153,925 doses were delivered to 220 facilities in 37 counties by Wednesday afternoon, along with 18,825 sent to long-term care facilities and 14 Tribes. Widespread vaccinations at long-term care facilities are slated to begin on Dec. 28, under a federal partnership with pharmacies.

To date, more than 30,000 Washingtonians have received their first vaccinations. Immunizations from both companies require two doses to each full effectiveness, spaced about three weeks apart for Pfizer and four weeks apart for Moderna.


Here's how many doses were sent to the state's most populous counties

  • King: 34,000 Moderna/14,625 Pfizer
  • Pierce: 4,875 Pfizer/14,100 Moderna
  • Snohomish: 14,200 Moderna
  • Spokane: 15,800 Moderna
  • Clark: 1,950 Pfizer/8,100 Moderna

State officials said Wednesday that supply chains would be interrupted on Christmas and New Year's Day, and more consistent deliveries should resume in January.

The Washington State Department of Health said Wednesday it was hopeful to complete vaccinations for the first group, Phase 1a, by the end of January. Right now, vaccine eligibility is limited to frontline workers in health care settings, high-risk first responders, and residents and staff of long-term care facilities.

The state is also nearing a final framework for what groups will be eligible in future phases, with a decision possible before the end of the year. Health officials and the governor's office are consulting recommendations from a CDC advisory committee along with local input from various stakeholders.

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