Appointments filled within 20 minutes for Providence vaccine clinic Saturday at the RAC
The county is advising residents not to show up to a COVID-19 vaccine clinic near Lacey on Saturday without having already scheduled an appointment.
The clinic, which will be Saturday at the Regional Athletic Complex, is being hosted by Providence Health and Services Southwest Washington in partnership with Thurston County Public Health and Social Services (PHSS).
Signups for the clinic first went up at 5 p.m. Monday but all 1,056 appointment slots were filled within the first 20 minutes, according to a county news release. The original listing for the clinic and some media reports called the event a mass vaccine drive-thru event, but the county clarified Thursday that the event is not a mass vaccination site.
“The vaccination clinic on Saturday is not open to those without previously scheduled appointments,” the release read. “PHSS and Providence are asking residents not to show up to get a vaccine unless they have a previously scheduled appointment with email confirmation from Providence.”
PHSS decided to supply about 1,000 vaccine doses to Providence to ensure this event could continue as scheduled, said department director Schelli Slaughter Tuesday. The doses came out of the county’s allocation because Providence did not receive a sufficient number of doses from the state this week, Slaughter said.
The speed at which the appointment slots filled up underscores the challenges many eligible residents are facing as they look to get vaccinated. Currently, about 70,000 people in Thurston County are eligible for the vaccine as part of Phase 1 Tier B1, and each of them will need two doses.
“As of Jan. 30, Thurston County health care providers cumulatively have administered 21,182 doses of COVID-19 vaccines,” Slaughter said in the release. “We hope that supplies will increase soon, and we will be able to serve even more eligible residents.”
PHSS is still planning to open a mass vaccination site around mid-February, according to the release. More clinics and events will follow as supply increases, the release read.
“Unfortunately, due to very limited vaccine supply across the country and state, many sites are unable to meet the demands,” the release read.
Phase 1 Tier B1 includes all people age 65 or older and people 50 or older living in multigenerational households. Anyone unsure of the phase they fit in can visit the state Department of Health’s online Find Your Phase tool.
Additionally, people without internet access can call the Department of Health vaccine hotline at 888-856-5816 or the Thurston County PHSS line at 360-867-2610. A Spanish language option is available with the Department of Health phone line, according to the release.
“Due to the high call volume, DOH and PHSS are experiencing, please be patient if you are unable to receive immediate assistance,” the release read. “If you do have access to email, internet, or cell phone service, please use those methods in scheduling appointments before calling DOH or PHSS.”
