Washington state says 400,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine could get here this month
Updated estimates from the federal government indicate Washington state could receive enough COVID-19 vaccine this month for 400,000 people to receive their first dose, according to state health officials.
That total includes estimates for vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, both of which have applied for emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee is scheduled to review Pfizer’s vaccine Thursday and Moderna’s next week. If approved, they have to go through an extra layer of vetting by a vaccine workgroup as part of the Western States Pact. State health officials have said that should happen in a day or two while the vaccine is processed and delivered.
The latest estimates from the federal government are that Washington will receive 62,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine in an initial allocation next week and a total of 222,000 by the end of December — 22,000 more than originally estimated. The state also expects about 180,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine by the end of the month.
Michele Roberts, who’s leading the COVID-19 vaccine planning and distribution team at the state Department of Health, shared the updated estimates at a virtual media briefing Wednesday. The numbers are similar to, but vary a bit from numbers Secretary of Health John Wiesman provided at a press conference Tuesday.
The first group who will get the vaccine are high-risk health care workers, as McClatchy previously reported, along with residents and staff at long-term care facilities. There are an estimated 300,000 health care workers that fall in the high-risk category.
The initial 400,000 would represent individuals’ first doses, Roberts explained at the briefing. Pfizer’s vaccine requires two doses three weeks apart, and Moderna’s requires two doses four weeks apart.
The state hasn’t received an estimate for how many doses will be included in regular shipments that are expected to begin in January, Roberts said. But, she said it will take months for there to be enough vaccine for everyone who wants to be vaccinated.
Next week, the first doses will go to 17 sites spread across 13 counties, according to Roberts, who later confirmed there are doses going to King and Pierce counties in response to a reporter’s question.
She did not share specific information about the facilities, and said officials won’t share details beyond the county and number of doses until the vaccine becomes available to more people. She cited security concerns, in part, when pressed by a reporter.
This story was originally published December 10, 2020 at 5:45 AM.
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