FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 12, 2021
CONTACT:
Snohomish County Joint Information Center
425-388-5171
eccjic.activation@snoco.org
Vaccine Taskforce to Offer Second Dose Clinics and Other COVID-19 Updates
Vaccine eligibility expands to Phase 1b2 on March 17; County advances to Phase 3 of Healthy Washington Plan on March 22
SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. – The Snohomish County Vaccine Taskforce has second doses available by appointment during limited clinics for anyone who is within the window for their second dose and has not yet received one.
The second dose clinics are:
What to know:
- People are eligible if it has been at least 21 days since their first Pfizer dose or at least 28 days since their first Moderna dose.
- People can get their second dose at one of these clinics regardless of which provider administered their first dose.
- Second dose registration links have already been provided to patients who received their first dose at these vaccination sites. These clinics are separate from those appointments.
- People MUST bring verification of your first dose, showing date and type of vaccine received (Pfizer or Moderna). Options include:
- the vaccination card received at the first dose appointment, or a photo of the card,
- their immunization record, which can be downloaded at https://wa.myir.net/rorl, or
- an immunization record from their first dose provider, typically requested directly from the clinic or pharmacy, or download through an online tool such as MyChart.
Vaccine Phase 1b2 Eligibility to Start March 17
Opening a few days earlier than previously announced, individuals eligible under Phase 1b2 will be able to seek vaccination beginning March 17.
Phase 1b2 includes critical workers in certain work settings listed below where physical distancing is not possible, women age 16 or older who are pregnant, and people 16 or older who have a disability that puts them at higher risk. Qualifying disabilities include Down syndrome, a developmental disability, an intellectual disability, hearing-impaired, blind/low-vision, or deafblind.
Congregate setting refers to an environment where individuals work and/or live in an enclosed space where they are interacting with a high volume of people over extended time and not able to consistently maintain 6 feet apart.
This does not include all critical worker groups. This tier is focused on workers in a congregate/enclosed setting working within six feet of other workers over an extended time. An extended period of time is defined as three or more hours in 24-hour day. Specific groups and guidance are outlined below:
- Congregate agriculture – specifically those who work and/or live in a congregate setting and interacting with a high volume of co-workers over extended periods of time. Relevant roles are more likely to include crop selection, production and packaging.
- Congregate food processing – specifically those who work and/or live in a congregate setting and interacting with high volume of co-workers over extended periods of time. Also includes those working in fishing vessels.
- Workers in congregate grocery stores or food banks - specifically those who work in a congregate setting and interacting with high volume of co-workers over extended periods of time. Those in restaurants, coffee shops, small convenience stores, farmer's markets, or wineries are not eligible at this time.
- Congregate staff in correction facilities, prisons, jails, detention facilities, and court facilities – specifically those who are interacting with high volume of individuals in a congregate interior setting over extended periods of time.
- Congregate public transit - specifically those who work in an enclosed settings and interacting with a high volume of co-workers or general public over extended periods of time to facilitate the transport of people. Settings may include bus, train, ferry, airport, and other high-density transportation settings. This also includes individuals are small spaces over an extended time, such as taxies, limos and private vehicles hired or contracted to carry over four people.
- First responders not covered by an earlier phase or tier - specifically those who work in a congregate setting and interacting with high volume of co-workers or general public over extended periods of time. This includes firefighters, law enforcement, social workers responding to public health and safety, and similar categories. It does not include administrators or those who can work remotely.
- Early learning and child care program workers – those that are permitted to operate under DOH guidance for child care, youth development, and day camps that were not covered in Phase 1b1. Those who provide education or care that is not in a congregate or child care center-type environment are not eligible at this time. Examples include a tutor, babysitter, nanny, or au pair.
Sectors not listed above are not eligible at this time, unless they meet eligibility criteria for Phase 1a and 1b1. Additionally, workers in the industries listed above but who are able to socially distance, work remotely or work off-site not in a congregate setting would not be eligible.
Snohomish County residents should visit the Phase Finder tool at findyourphasewa.org prior to making an appointment for vaccination. The Phase Finder tool is designed to help people in Washington find out if they are eligible for a COVID vaccine now or if not, sign up to be notified when they become eligible. Verification of eligibility may be requested during spot checks of patients arriving for vaccine appointments.
Once eligible, there are a number of ways to look for available vaccines:
- 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.
- The Federal Retail Pharmacy Program in Washington is receiving 72,000 doses of vaccine directly from the federal government. The pharmacies taking part in this program locally are Albertsons, Costco, Health Mart Pharmacies, Rite Aid, Kroger, and Walmart. These sites will prioritize educators, school staff, and childcare workers this month, but anyone who is eligible for vaccine can make an appointment at one of the pharmacies. For a full list of Federal Retail Pharmacy Program locations, visit Vaccine Finder. Vaccine Finder is run by the federal government.
- DOH’s Vaccine Locator webpage displays COVID-19 providers that receive allocations from the state.
- 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.
- People in Snohomish County over 65 years of age, without internet access, or requiring language assistance may contact the call center from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 425.339.5278 Monday through Friday.
Keep in mind that the number and timing of appointments are based on vaccine availability, and the demand for vaccine continues to exceed the supply. It may take time to get an appointment, but please keep at it even if you do not get an appointment during your first attempt. It could take up to a few weeks to get a spot.
County to Move to Phase 3 on March 22
Governor Inslee announced that all counties will move to Phase 3 of the Healthy Washington: Roadmap to Recovery, effective Monday, March 22. This will then allow:
- An increase from 25 percent to 50 percent occupancy or 400 people maximum, whichever is lower, for all indoor spaces. This applies to all industries and indoor activities currently allowed, including restaurants, gyms and fitness centers and movie theaters, etc.
- Up to 400 people maximum to attend indoor or outdoor activities as long as 400 people does not exceed 50 percent capacity for the location, and physical distancing and masking protocols are enforced.
- Sports guidance will change in Phase 3 to allow in-person spectators at events for the first time in a year. Spectators will be allowed to attend outdoor venues with permanent seating with capacity capped at 25 percent. The change affects both professional and high school sports, as well as motorsports, rodeos, and other outdoor spectator events. Social distancing and facial covering are still required. Spectator events guidance goes into effect on March 22, with the exception of youth and high school sports which can operate under the guidance starting on March 18.
More detailed industry and event guidance will be posted online by March 22 at www.governor.wa.gov/issues/issues/covid-19-resources/covid-19-reopening-guidance-businesses-and-workers.
Under the updated plan, Snohomish County will again be evaluated independently and not as part of a region. On April 12, and every three weeks thereafter, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) will review data for all counties and update their phase status.
Provided Snohomish County maintains a 14-day case rate at or below 200 per 100,000 residents, and five or fewer new hospitalizations per 100,000 residents in a seven-day period, then the county remains at Phase 3. Should the numbers be higher than that, or if the hospital bed occupancy in Snohomish County exceeds 90 percent at any given time, the county would slide back to Phase 2.
Social Gatherings After Vaccination
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released guidance for fully vaccinated people in social settings. The DOH has also adopted this guidance here in Washington.
For the purposes of this guidance, people are considered fully vaccinated for COVID-19 when it’s been at least two weeks since they received the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or at least two weeks since receiving the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine. If it has been less than two weeks since the shot, or if someone still needs to get their second dose of an mRNA vaccine, they are not fully protected.
Once fully vaccinated, people can do the following in non-healthcare settings:
- visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing;
- visit with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing; and
- refrain from quarantine and testing following a known exposure, as long as they remain asymptomatic.
These recommendations permit small, social gatherings among fully vaccinated individuals without prior restrictions. They will also help mitigate the financial impacts or lost days of work or school due to the previous need to quarantine if exposed to a confirmed case.
These CDC recommendations do not eliminate the recommendation to wear masks when out in public venues--even if vaccinated.
For now, fully vaccinated people should continue to wear a mask that fits snugly across their nose and mouth and watch their distance in public. This also applies when visiting with unvaccinated people who are at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease, when visiting with others who have an unvaccinated household member who is at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease, or when visiting with unvaccinated people from multiple households.
It is still recommended that all individuals avoid medium- and large-sized in-person gatherings.
People should also follow CDC and state travel requirements and recommendations, as well as noting that employers may have more stringent requirements, regardless of vaccination status. And if any COVID-like symptoms develop, seek testing and isolate until results are received.
COVID Testing Schedule
The schedule for the week of March 15 remains as follows:
- 3900 Broadway site in Everett – Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Lynnwood Food Bank site at 5320 176th St SW – open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Evergreen State Fairgrounds in the front parking lot off of 179th Ave SE in Monroe – open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Appointments for testing are encouraged, and registration is available at www.snohd.org/testing. Those without internet access or needing language assistance can reach the Health District’s call center at 425.339.5278 to schedule a testing appointment. The call center is staffed 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Callers after hours or on weekends can leave a message, which will be returned on the next business day.
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