On Wednesday, an estimated 31,000 Clark County residents will likely be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine as Washington strikes into the subsequent section of vaccine roll-out.
Whereas the early introduction was plagued by lengthy waits for the vaccine, Dr. Alan Melnick, Clark County’s Public Well being Officer, moved the subsequent section easily and rapidly as a result of enhance in vaccine provide.
“With the quantity of vaccines coming into the group, I’m optimistic that not solely are we prepared for this new group of individuals, however that we can vaccinate folks sooner and extra effectively than earlier than “Stated Melnick.
In January, vaccines grew to become out there for everybody over 65 and for folks over 50 dwelling in multigenerational properties. However Clark County and most of Washington Counties struggled to vaccinate folks rapidly.
There was considerably extra demand than provide. Clark County’s rollout was additional hampered by Washington curbing the county’s vaccine allocation, a state of affairs that was solely resolved just a few weeks in the past.
County knowledge and anecdotal proof counsel that these points are reducing and the supply of vaccines is rising.
Clark County’s vaccine provide has greater than quadrupled in lower than a month. For the primary 11 weeks of the Washington vaccine rollout, Clark County obtained a median of roughly 4,100 first doses of the vaccine per week. In its most up-to-date vaccine allocation, the county obtained roughly 17,700 first doses.
The county has opened a vaccination facility at Tower Mall in Vancouver, along with the majority vaccination facility that operates on the Clark County Occasion Heart and the fairgrounds close to Ridgefield.
The county has administered vaccines to grownup residents and household residence staff. Medical suppliers, clinics and pharmacies are experiencing a multiplication of their vary of vaccines.
Maybe probably the most promising signal of how a lot progress has been made, and the way significantly better this a part of the rollout may very well be, is how a lot Clark County Public Well being has carried out its ready listing.
Only a few weeks in the past, greater than 30,000 folks within the district have been ready to be referred to a health care provider for vaccines. By Monday afternoon, that quantity had dropped to 291 folks.
These huge will increase have been achieved even supposing Washington added educators and childcare staff as an eligible inhabitants two weeks in the past.
Clark County added about 19,000 eligible folks in these professions however was nonetheless making progress.
“The underside line is we have added folks lately and we’re nonetheless on the ready listing at 291,” mentioned Melnick.
Well being Division spokeswoman Shelby Anderson mentioned in an electronic mail that state officers are assured about shifting into the subsequent section, lately introduced ahead by a full week.
The state has vaccinated round 44,600 folks a day up to now few weeks, up from 26,000 folks a day final month. Based on Anderson, greater than 19 % of Washington residents have obtained a primary dose of vaccine and 11 % are totally vaccinated.
By the top of February, 8.26 % of the Clark County’s inhabitants had obtained a dose and solely 3.47 % of the inhabitants was totally vaccinated. By Monday afternoon, these numbers had risen to 14.39 % and 6.89 %, respectively.
Anderson mentioned Washington receives 320,000 doses of vaccine each week.
Washington ought to obtain greater than 341,000 doses of vaccine by the week of March 28, based on a three-week vaccine allocation forecast by the state.
Anderson mentioned it might be a good suggestion to make an appointment earlier than the subsequent section begins on Wednesday in case you are eligible however haven’t but been vaccinated.
“The Division of Well being and our companions throughout the state have labored exhausting to ensure we’ve the infrastructure to increase vaccine administration as allocations enhance,” mentioned Anderson. “We hope that sooner or later, folks is not going to have to attend any longer to get vaccines when they’re eligible.”
[ad_2]
