How Washington's COVID-19 vaccination numbers compare to other states
Washington’s percentage of the population that’s been vaccinated against COVID-19 is higher than the national average.
According to data from the CDC, Washington is ranked 27th out of all 50 states with 19.3% of the population receiving at least one dose of the vaccine.
The top state is New Mexico at 26.1%. The bottom state is Georgia with 13.4%
President Biden sets May 1 target to have all adults vaccine-eligible
One year after the nation was brought to a near-standstill by the coronavirus, President Joe Biden used his first prime-time address Thursday night to announce his plan to make all adults vaccine-eligible by May 1 and “begin to mark our independence from this virus” by the Fourth of July. He offered Americans fresh hope and appealed anew for their help.
Washington expanding vaccine eligibility
Washington state will expand eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine starting March 17.
People in Tier 2 of Phase 1B can get a coronavirus shot then, which is five days earlier than the state previously planned.
That group includes critical workers who work in certain congregate settings, such as grocery stores, agriculture, schools and child care, corrections, transit and law enforcement.
People over 16 years old who are pregnant or have a disability that puts them at high risk will also be included in this phase.
Biden to sign $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief aid Thursday
President Joe Biden is set to sign into law the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package on Thursday that he says will help the U.S. defeat the virus and nurse the economy back to health.
The bill, titled the “American Rescue Plan," was originally set to be signed by Biden on Friday. Instead, the White House moved the signing to Thursday at 10:30 a.m. PT. Vice President Kamala Harris will be in attendance. Read more
Department of Health COVID-19 response update
Washington State Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah will be joined by other health experts Thursday morning to provide an update on Washington's response to the coronavirus pandemic. The update comes one year after the World Health Organization declared a pandemic.
You can watch the press conference in the video player below, or by clicking here.
IOC and China make vaccine deal for Tokyo, Beijing Olympians
The International Olympic Committee and China have teamed up to offer vaccines to athletes and teams preparing for the upcoming games in both Tokyo and Beijing.
The collaboration with Chinese Olympic officials was announced Thursday during an online IOC meeting.
“We are grateful for this offer, which is in the true Olympic spirit of solidarity,” IOC president Thomas Bach said.
Why Seattle suddenly had hundreds of open COVID-19 vaccine appointments
The City of Seattle made a surprising announcement this week: Hundreds of vaccine appointments at sites in West Seattle and Rainier Beach were unfilled, and the city needed eligible people 65 and older to sign up.
For weeks, many people have been frustrated with how difficult it has been to find available shots. But now community groups and the city are scrambling to get eligible people signed up for appointments.
Suquamish Tribe opens vaccine clinic to North Kitsap School District teachers and staff
The Suquamish Tribe is opening its COVID-19 vaccine clinic to teachers in the North Kitsap School District.
Washington's focus on equity brought the vaccine to the tribe. After the Suquamish Tribe vaccinated tribal elders and critical workers, they offered the vaccine to another critical group: teachers.
How to get a COVID-19 vaccine in Washington
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) released an online portal to check your eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine. Use the Phase Finder tool to input personal information like age, health conditions and essential worker status to determine if it's your turn.
As of March 3, Washington is vaccinating people in Phase 1A and the first tier of Phase 1B. That includes:
- High-risk health care workers and first responders
- Long-term care residents
- People 65 years old and older
- People 50 years old and older in multigenerational households
- Teachers, school staff and childcare workers
If you are eligible, find a list of vaccine providers on the DOH website and information on how to make an appointment.