WA vaccine questions answered: When, where, who, how much?
We are past the halfway point in the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the man who is leading the effort in Washington state.
“We are seeing the beginning of the end of this pandemic,” Dr. Umair Shah said Thursday evening.
Shah leads the state Department of Health which sponsored a webinar to answer questions about Washington’s COVID-19 vaccine phases.
More than 800 questions were submitted by Washington residents, said moderator Louis Shackelford.
Shah said vaccines have been prioritized for seniors and elderly residents because they tend to have worse outcomes if infected with the coronavirus.
“That has been our most important aspect, to protect life,” Shah said. He expressed both amazement at the rapid development of vaccines and disappointment at their limited distribution.
“Which means we had to made difficult choices,” Shah said.
Shah and others answered questions during the webinar.
When can I get vaccinated?
The most efficient way to ascertain eligibility is through the state’s website, findyourphasewa.org. It’s available in 10 languages with several more to be added next week, according to SheAnn Allen, the state’s vaccine director. The website also offers a notification feature. More than 1.5 million people have used the website to date.
What does it cost to get vaccinated?
“The COVID-19 vaccine should not cost you anything,” said Dr. Christopher Chen. Providers and insurance companies are administering it without any fees or co-pays, he said. Providers may collect insurance information so they get paid. “But that doesn’t mean you’ll get charged for it.”
Where can I get it?
While there are over 1,200 facilities designated as vaccination providers, the state has been able to provide only 25% of the demand to date, Allen said.
How is the vaccine program equitable?
Regarding race, medicine has a long history of being inequitable, Shah said. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted those inequities, he said. Programs and policies are in place to address that, he said, citing the multi-generational household allowance during the current phase. Those households are more common in minority populations.
What efforts are being made to ensure vaccinations among tribal populations?
Members of the state’s tribal nations can get vaccinated at a public site or through the Indian Health Service, Allen said.
What about low-income populations?
People who are the hardest to reach should have access to the vaccine, Chen said. Medicaid can pay for transportation to a vaccine appointment if a person is eligible. Interpreters are also available.
Considering Black people have been hard hit by COVID-19, what efforts are being made to reach them?
Building trust is key, Shah said. Having a variety of vaccination locations is also important, Allen said. DOH is also working to create non-online methods to get people registered for vaccines, she said.
How are Washington’s rural areas being reached?
“We want to make sure we get vaccines to everyone, regardless where they are,” Shah said. Strategies need to be tailored to those communities, he said. Vaccines are being distributed to counties, based on their population, Allen said.
When will teachers get vaccinated?
Vaccination is not a prerequisite to reopen schools, according to the CDC, Shah said. However, he said rates have to be low and schools should be doing everything they can to prevent transmission among students and staff.
“Those two prerequisites are absolutely critical. We absolutely want to vaccinate teachers,” he said, but not at the sacrifice of the elderly.
When will everyone in Washington state who wants the vaccine be able to receive it?
President Biden has promised July, Shah said. It could be earlier in Washington. “A lot depends on the supply coming into the state,” he said.
This story was originally published February 19, 2021 at 9:04 AM with the headline "WA vaccine questions answered: When, where, who, how much?."
