SPOKANE, Wash. — Two mass vaccination sites in Washington will soon close, but the clinics located in Spokane and Wenatchee will remain open for now, according to the state Department of Health (DOH).
The DOH said in a press release on Thursday that it is "transitioning the state-led mass vaccination effort from stationary sites to mobile vaccination clinics" in an effort to help the state reach people who have experienced barriers in vaccine access. Washington's four mass vaccination sites have administered nearly 300,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine since their opening, Washington Secretary of Health Umair A. Shah said.
“This remarkable achievement could not have been attained if it wasn’t for the hard work of DOH staff, the Washington National Guard, our local and private sector partners, as well as our community members who visited these sites to get vaccinated," Shah added. "This transition isn’t closing a door to vaccine opportunity but opening several new ones that will allow for more equitable vaccine access in the future.”
On Friday, May 28, the mass vaccination sites at the Clark County Fairgrounds in Ridgefield and the Benton County Fairgrounds in Kennewick will close, and the DOH will transition leadership of the Town Toyota Center site in Wenatchee to the Chelan-Douglas Health District, the press release said. The Spokane site will remain open, and continue to administer the Johnson & Johnson and Moderna vaccines.
Those who received their first dose of the vaccine at one of the two sites that are closing have been given information about where they can receive their second dose.
The transition to mobile vaccine clinics is already underway and DOH teams have already given out more than 32,000 doses of vaccine across Washington since distribution began, according to the press release.
In the future, the mobile units will be able to take vaccine directly into communities and help serve those disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 — including counties where there are higher gaps for race and ethnicity vaccine administration data, communities with recent outbreaks or increased cases and hospitalizations, and those with lower vaccination rates. The DOH said it will make more announcements about these efforts in the coming weeks.
People looking for other vaccine options options can visit the Vaccine Locator to schedule an appointment, call 833-VAX-HELP, and text their zip code to GETVAX (438829) or VACUNA (822862) to receive addresses of nearby vaccination sites. Language assistance is available.
