New phased approach for COVID-19 vaccinations announced this week

DAYTON—When it comes to COVID-19, the Times tries its best to deliver up to date, factual information, but it is hard to keep up when the data changes so quickly.

Take the information released to the public, over the last couple of weeks, from the Columbia County Public Health Department and officials in charge of the vaccination process here in Columbia County.

On Thursday, Jan. 7, the Times reported that COVID-19 vaccinations would be administered through a phased approach from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This meant high-risk workers in health care settings, high-risk first responders, residents, and staff in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other community based congregate living settings would be first in line.

In Phase 1b, according to the CDC, all workers in health care settings, including; essential frontline workers such as firefighters, police officers, corrections officers, food and agriculture workers, postal service workers, people in the education sector, public transit workers, grocery store workers, daycare workers, and people 75 years old and older, would be next.

In Phase 1c, according to the CDC, people aged 65 and over and people age 16-64 with underlying conditions would follow.

At a Town Hall meeting on Jan. 12, the Public Health Department and the vaccination team at Dayton General Hospital announced vaccines would be given according to a phased approach from the Washington State Department of Health. According to that guidance, individuals over the age of 70, and people over the age of 50 who live in multigenerational households, would be next in line after the initial phases.

On Monday of this week, Gov. Jay Inslee announced a switch from guidance announced at the Town Hall on Jan.12 to a new phased approach following the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services guidelines.

Effective immediately, the first Tier of Phase 1b vaccine distribution will now include people 65 and older. This will make the vaccine more accessible to more people in high-risk categories.

The state has rolled out a Vaccine Phase Finder to help people identify which phase they are in. This tool can be found on the state DOH website at https://www.doh.wa.gov. Those not yet eligible for the current phase can register to be notified when they become eligible in their area. The state also announced plans to work with the National Guard and local health officials to set up four additional mass-vaccination sites. Locations for these new sites include the Spokane Arena in Spokane and the Benton County Fairgrounds in Kennewick. Stephanie Carpenter, COO at Columbia County Health System, is in charge of the vaccination plan for Columbia County. On Monday, Jan. 18, she said the Health System has been working in conjunction with county officials to locate a site to be used as a vaccine clinic. The county fairgrounds is a likely candidate; however, it will take a week or two to set the clinic up.

In the meantime, people over the age of 65 will begin receiving their first dose of the Moderna vaccine on Wednesday of this week at Dayton General Hospital.

Carpenter said people who have received their first dose of the Moderna vaccine would begin receiving their second dose next week.