Submitted by Clark County
Gov. Jay Inslee announced the state is moving into Phase 1b of the COVID-19 vaccination plan.
Clark and Cowlitz counties will continue to prioritize those who are eligible in Phase 1a for COVID-19 vaccination. Health officials expect both counties will be ready to move to Phase 1b later this week.
In Phase 1a, people who work in health care settings, high-risk first responders, and people who live or work in long-term care facilities are eligible to be vaccinated. County health departments are connecting eligible people to health care facilities with COVID-19 vaccine.
Clark County residents who are eligible to be vaccinated in Phase 1a and need help accessing COVID-19 vaccine can submit a request form on the Clark County Public Health COVID-19 vaccine webpage. Later this week, the form will be updated to begin accepting requests for people who are eligible in Phase 1b.
Cowlitz County residents who are eligible to be vaccinated in Phase 1a and need help accessing vaccine can submit a request to Cowlitz County Health & Human Services by email to askcowlitzhealth@co.cowlitz.wa.us. Additional information is available on the Cowlitz County Health & Human Services COVID-19 Vaccine webpage.
The counties will make an announcement and update their websites when requests for 1b populations are being accepted.
“We know many people in Phase 1b are eager to get vaccinated. We ask for your patience as we finish vaccinating the last of the Phase 1a population,” said Dr. Alan Melnick, health officer for Clark and Cowlitz counties. “We’re working closely with our health care partners to get people vaccinated as quickly as possible.”
Phase 1b
The Washington State Department of Health has outlined who is eligible for vaccination in each phase. Once Clark and Cowlitz counties move to Phase 1b, providers will begin vaccinating those who are eligible in Tier 1 (B1).
Those eligible in the first tier of Phase 1b include:
- All people 65 years and older.
- People 50 years and older who live in multigenerational households.
There are two categories of people who are eligible under the “multigenerational household” definition:
- People who are 50 and older AND are not able to live independently AND are either:
- Receiving long-term care from a paid or unpaid caregiver OR
- Are living with someone who works outside the home
- People who are 50 and older AND are living with and caring for a grandchild.
No one younger than 50 years is eligible, and no one 50 and older who is caring for a partner, friend or child is eligible.
Clark County Public Health, Cowlitz County Health & Human Services and partners in Southwest Washington continue to explore opportunities for opening community vaccination sites in order to more quickly vaccinate people. Additional information about these efforts will be shared later this week.
The regional effort to establish community vaccination sites is separate from the governor’s announcement today about a vaccination site at the Clark County Fairgrounds. Questions about that site should be directed to the Washington State Department of Health.
For more information about the state COVID-19 vaccine allocation plan, including who is eligible to be vaccinated in Phase 1b, visit the Washington State Department of Health COVID-19 Vaccine webpage. Use the state health department’s Phase Finder tool to determine whether you are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination. Visit www.FindYourPhaseWA.org.
