For weeks, local health officials said they expected an increase in COVID vaccine supply, and those expectations became reality as Thurston County has seen both an increase in vaccine allocation and a steady uptick in the percentage of the population who have received vaccinations.
As of today, 15.34 percent of Thurston County residents have received at least one vaccine, and 9.14 percent have received a second dose. Meanwhile, several vaccination events are planned to brings those numbers higher in coming days.
Last week, Thurston County — including all approved vaccine providers, like pharmacies — received 4,780 first doses and 2,300 second doses. In the coming week, the county is expecting 8,710 first doses and 1,000 second doses, said Public Health and Social Services (PHSS) Director Schelli Slaughter.
“Hope is on the horizon,” said County Health Officer Dr. Dimyana Abdelmalek in a meeting with county commissioners. She added that the Centers for Disease Control recently announced it is safe for fully vaccinated individuals to meet indoors without masks on, and for fully vaccinated grandparents to see their unvaccinated grandchildren in person.
Dr. Abdelmalek noted there has been a decrease in cases being transmitted as the vaccination effort continues.
Vaccination events are planned through the weekend at South Puget Sound Community College. One of those days will be designated specifically for teachers and childcare workers, who were recently added to the group of eligible adults. The upcoming dates for the vaccination events are:
Registration for these events is expected to open later in the week. The county health department's Facebook page is updated frequently and has information on registration.
Check www.findyourphasewa.org to determine if you’re eligible for a vaccine and where you can receive one.
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