Any Thurston County adult can get a COVID-19 vaccine at these weekend events
UPDATE: All appointments slots at South Puget Sound Community College had filled up as of Thursday morning, according to Thurston County Public Health and Social Services.
Any Thurston County adult resident can now schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment at one of the county’s mass vaccination events this weekend.
Drive-through appointments became available Wednesday morning for Friday, Saturday and Sunday vaccination events at South Puget Sound Community College, according to Thurston County Public Health and Social Services. Residents can find links to sign up for appointments at the Thurston County website.
Only Moderna doses will be administered at these three events.
All adults are eligible for the vaccine starting April 15, meaning anyone can schedule an appointment on or after that date. These are the first mass vaccination events offered by the county that are open to all adult residents.
Vaccine appointments from other providers can be found through the state’s vaccine locator website.
People with difficulties scheduling appointments online can call the Department of Health vaccine hotline at 888-856-5816 or the Thurston County public health line at 360-867-2610.
With more people now eligible, the county will need more volunteers at its mass vaccination events. People can sign up to volunteer through the United Way of Thurston County website. Anyone with questions or concerns about volunteering can call 360-943-2773.
Vaccine progress
The county administered its 20,000th COVID-19 vaccine dose on Monday, said health officer Dimyana Abdelmalek.
Abdelmalek noted the milestone during the county’s Board of Health meeting on Tuesday. In all, 153,623 doses have been administered to Thurston County residents through all available providers, she said.
About 33.5% of Thurston County residents have received at least their first dose and roughly 22% had been fully vaccinated as of Tuesday, Abdelmalek said.
In addition to hosting mass vaccine events, Abdelmalek said PHSS also is reaching vulnerable populations with targeted vaccine events. She said the county is focused on expanding vaccine accessibility as cases rise.
“This is a time of transition,” Abdelmalek said. “We are both seeing an increase in cases as well as an increase in vaccinations, which gives us hope.”
Abdelmalek said she has seen a lot of enthusiasm from the public regarding vaccines, but acknowledged the county may need to reach people who are hesitant.
“I hear cheering multiple times a day (when) I’m on site at our vaccination clinics,” Abdelmalek said. “I know that there are people who are still considering vaccine and are still on the fence. … My hope is that as we go forward and as folks see the benefits of getting vaccinated, more and more folks will join.”
More testing opportunities
Walgreens will expand the number of COVID-19 testing locations to include 85 stores in the Seattle-Tacoma area starting May 1.
Nationwide, the chain will be expanding the number of locations it offers tests from 5,000 to 6,000. In the Seattle-Tacoma area, these tests are offered at no cost, according to a news release.
Appointments can be found by visiting Walgreens COVID-19 testing website.
Thurston County Public Health and Social Services also offers no cost COVID-19 testing throughout the county, including Lacey, Yelm, Rochester, Tenino and Yelm.
Information on the county’s testing events can be found on the county’s coronavirus website. Other testing opportunities from SeaMar Community Health Center and Providence Medical Group, Hawk’s Prairie Clinic also are posted there.
The state Department of Health recommends testing for anyone with COVID-19-like symptoms or who may have been recently exposed to COVID-19.
This story was originally published April 14, 2021 at 12:13 PM.
