Vaccine Next Steps & What You Need To Know

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You might have heard that this is the final week for first-dose services at the Skagit County Fairgrounds Vaccine Clinic. But what does that mean? It makes sense that people may have questions about what the County’s plans are for COVID-19 vaccinations as we move away from our mass vaccination model this summer. Do you have questions? Please read below to get in-the-know about our next steps.

Is the Fairgrounds Vaccine Site closing completely after June 5?

No. Public Health will continue to operate at the Fairgrounds through June 26, however, we will be wrapping up our first-dose Pfizer services after Saturday, June 5. What this means is that after June 5, people who receive their first-dose Pfizer vaccine at the Fairgrounds will need to get their second dose from another location. Please know that our staff will work with these individuals to find a second dose—we are here to help! But if you want the convenience of getting your second dose at the same location, then the time is now to get your first at the Fairgrounds.

We will continue to provide second-dose Pfizer vaccinations at the Fairgrounds until we close permanently after June 26.

Will you turn me away if I come to the Fairgrounds for a first-dose after June 5?

No! Our staff will not turn away any eligible person (anyone 12+) who comes to the site for a vaccine after June 5. If you get your first-dose of Pfizer with us after June 5, we’ll make sure to get you connected with a second dose at a provider near you.

We will also have Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine available at the Fairgrounds after June 5, and this will be available to anyone 18 and older! This is a single-dose vaccine, so no second dose will be necessary! This is an awesome option for anyone looking for a quick and easy one-and-done vaccine! Getting a J&J shot in June will guarantee that you’re protected from COVID-19 all summer long! There’s no better way to start your summer than this!

Will vaccines still be available in Skagit County after the Fairgrounds closes on June 26?

Yes—absolutely! Skagit County has many vaccine providers, including neighborhood pharmacies, clinics, and major chain grocery stores (like Safeway and Haggen). You can find a list of all vaccine providers near you by going to https://vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov/.

Skagit County Public Health will also continue to provide COVID vaccines, but we will be relying on a mobile outreach approach instead of our brick and mortar system at the Fairgrounds. This shift in our approach is a response to the changing needs of our community; we want to be accessible to all people, no matter where they live or work! For a list of our up-coming pop-up vaccine clinics, visit our website at www.skagitcounty.net/COVIDvaccine.

Pictures from Public Health’s recent pop-up clinics at the Skagit Speedway and Mount Baker Presbyterian Church in Concrete.

Our pop-up clinics are available to anyone 12+ (if providing Pfizer) or 18+ (if providing J&J). No need to register or schedule an appointment; just visit us at our pop-up tent and we’ll get you in and out in about 20 minutes! Check us out at community events all summer long!

How do I get more information about COVID vaccinations in Skagit County?

Skagit County Public Health will continue to operate our Vaccine Hotline on Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm. Just call (360) 416-1500 to speak with one of our staff!

And as always, go to our website at www.skagitcounty.net/COVIDvaccine for more information.

Have an idea for a pop-up vaccine clinic? Contact Julie de Losada at julied@co.skagit.wa.us.

WA Department of Health Releases Next Phase of Vaccine Prioritization

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January 8, 2021

On January 6th, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) released guidance for phase 1B, which is the next phase of COVID-19 vaccine prioritization. DOH worked closely with the Governor’s Office to finalize prioritization for phase 1B, while also relying on federal guidance and public input through focus groups, interviews, and surveys over the past few months.

This guidance is for planning purposes only. Washington State and Skagit County will remain in Phase 1A of vaccinations until all Phase 1A individuals who want the vaccines have it. As a reminder, Phase 1A includes:

Tier 1: High risk workers in health care settings; High risk first responders; and residents and staff of nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other community-based, congregate living settings where most individuals over 65 years of age are receiving care, supervision, or assistance.

Tier 2: All workers in healthcare settings.

Skagit County Public Health and its partner providers are ready to vaccinate our community; however, the ability to do so remains reliant on when and how much vaccine is received from the State. Current allocations have been very limited. To date, Skagit County has only received vaccine to meet approximately 25% of our 1A eligible workers and long term care facility residents.  Phase 1A will need to be completed before we will be able to move on to Phase 1B in Skagit County.

People should not expect Skagit County to move into Phase 1B until February at the earliest. If we receive greater dose allocations from the state, this timing will improve. Public Health will announce movement into the next phase of vaccinations via our press release system, web site and social media. Sign up here to get press releases from Skagit County.

“Skagit County Public Health and our partner providers have put a lot of time and effort into preparing for this moment. We are ready! As soon as we receive a consistent supply of vaccine from the State and are clear to begin phase 1B, we will let Skagitonians know how and where to get vaccinated.”

Jennifer Johnson, Skagit County Public Health Director

Due to limited vaccine availability, Phase 1B has been broken up into four separate tiers. Groups eligible for vaccination in phase 1B will include:

Phase 1B1 – (Tier 1)

  • All people 70 years and older
  • People 50 years and older who live in multigenerational households

Phase 1B2 – (Tier 2)

  • High risk critical workers 50 years and older who work in certain congregate settings: Agriculture; food processing; grocery stores; K-12 (teachers and school staff); childcare; corrections, prisons, jails or detention facilities (staff); public transit; fire; law enforcement

Phase 1B3 – (Tier 3)

  • People 16 years or older with two or more co-morbidities or underlying conditions

Phase 1B4 – (Tier 4)

  • High-risk critical workers in certain congregate settings under 50 years
  • People, staff and volunteers all ages in congregate living settings:
    • Correctional facilities; group homes for people with disabilities; people experiencing homelessness that live in or access services in congregate settings
Skagit County Public Health’s vaccine roll-out timeline, estimated based on WA DOH’s guidance and timeline, as well as adequate vaccine allocation from federal and state government.

WA DOH has also announced the creation of the Phase Finder online tool that allows people to assess their eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine. It is currently being tested for Phase 1A eligible individuals and will launch broadly on January 18th. Phase Finder will be available in multiple languages and will be used to confirm individual eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine.

For COVID-19 vaccine information, visit our webpage at www.skagitcounty.net/COVIDvaccine.