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Seattle launching mobile teams to administer COVID-19 vaccine

Efforts will focus on reaching residents and health care workers who are eligible to receive the vaccine in adult family homes not served by federal programs.

SEATTLE — Seattle was given the green light on distributing the COVID-19 vaccine.

Seattle Fire is launching two mobile vaccination teams that Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said will begin administering the vaccine as early as Jan. 14. 

The mobile teams will start administrating the vaccine to residents and workers of adult care facilities that aren't being served by the federal government. 

With enough supply, Durkan said the mobile teams can provide the first dose of the vaccination to those facilities in two weeks.

By the end of February, both doses could be administered at those facilities.

Under Washington's vaccine rollout plan, high-risk health care workers in health care settings, high-risk first responders, long-term care residents, and at-risk workers in health care settings are eligible to receive the vaccine.

Still in tiers A1 and A2 of Phase 1, the state planned to enter tier B1 some time in January, though that may not happen. That would make people age 70 or older and people 50 or older living in multi-generational households eligible for the vaccine.

King County leadership announced a plan to spend $7 million to set up high-volume COVID-19 vaccination sites and mobile units for the next phase of the vaccine rollout.

King County Executive Dow Constantine said he is working with King County Council to direct the funds.

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