To-Date, Seattle Fire Department Mobile Vaccination Teams Have Provided 4,722 Vaccinations to Vulnerable Seattleites
SEATTLE (February 17, 2020) – Mayor Jenny A. Durkan announced the City of Seattle’s plan for the upcoming week of vaccinations administered by the Seattle Fire Department (SFD) Mobile Vaccination Teams (MVT). This week, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) allotted the City of Seattle with 1,500 first doses of the Moderna vaccine and 1,000 second doses of the Moderna vaccine. The SFD MVTs will continue providing first doses of the vaccine to Phase 1B, Tier 1 eligible older adults living in affordable housing buildings, and Phase 1B, Tier 1 eligible older adults, with a focus on Latinx communities living in West Seattle, South Park, and South Seattle.
While the City of Seattle expects its shipment this week, the City could face some additional weather related delays.
“Seattle’s road to reopening and economic recovery starts with vaccinations. Our Mobile Vaccination Teams have vaccinated some of the most vulnerable Seattle residents and workers. The vast majority of people vaccinated by the City identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities, and many face other systemic barriers to vaccination including mobility challenges, speaking a language other than English, and being uninsured. Our mobile teams are best positioned to focus on addressing disparities in our communities, and we’re ready and able to vaccinate more eligible workers and vulnerable older adults when supply increases,” said Mayor Durkan. “Even as more of us begin to get vaccinated, we’ll need to continue wearing masks, practicing social distancing, and following all public health guidance.”
City of Seattle First Dose Plan: Feb. 16 – Feb. 21
With this week’s doses, the SFD MVTs will also vaccinate residents at five Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) buildings, one new Adult Family Home, and Kawabe House. Thus far, SFD has vaccinated vulnerable older adults in 11 SHA buildings across Seattle.
The City of Seattle is partnering with several community-based and faith-based organizations to convene two pop-up vaccination clinics primarily focused on vaccinating Phase 1B, Tier 1 eligible Latinx older adults. The first pop-up clinic will take place over the course of three days, and aims to vaccinate 750 older adults in the West Seattle and South Park neighborhoods. The City is partnering with El Comite, Villa Comunitaria, the Senior Center of West Seattle, and Seattle Housing Authority to register high-risk eligible older adults for this clinic. The City’s Aging and Disability Services (ADS) division and Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA) are supporting outreach and registration for this event as well.
The City is hosting a second pop-up vaccination clinic in partnership with the Archdiocese of Seattle to focus on vaccinating 350 Latinx older adults in Hillman City.
In King County, Latinx residents make up 24.1% of confirmed COVID-19 cases and 17.7% of hospitalizations, despite making up 10% of King County’s population. At 38.1% West Seattle, South Seattle, Delridge, and Highline have the lowest vaccination rate of people 75 or older among all Seattle neighborhoods tracked by Public Health – Seattle & King County.
“Here at Villa Comunitaria we focus on helping our Latine community members access resources and stay informed on an array of topics; citizenship, housing, health, education, and local and federal legal systems.” says Gray Garrido, Systems Navigation Coordinator at Villa Comunitaria. “In King County, like the rest of this country, we have seen how COVID-19 has affected Black and Brown communities at disproportionate rates compared to other communities. Villa Comunitaria has worked to educate our community members on COVID-19 prevention as well as information pertaining to vaccination. We are grateful to the City of Seattle and the Seattle Fire Department for reaching out to Villa Comunitaria to help our most vulnerable community members have access to vaccination no matter their legal status. We look forward to continue working with the City of Seattle and the Seattle Fire Department to get more members of the Latine community vaccinated as more phases begin to roll out.”
In addition, the City is partnering with the Central Area Senior Center (CASC), Eritrean Community in Seattle & Vicinity, Medhani Alem Church Seattle, and SEIU 775 to convene a pop-up vaccination clinic for approximately 250 Phase 1A and Phase 1B, Tier 1 eligible Seattle residents and workers. The clinic will vaccinate home health care workers and their clients, as well as African American and East African older adults.
City of Seattle Second Dose Plan: Feb. 16 – Feb. 21
With its 1,000 second doses of the Moderna vaccine, this week the SFD MVTs will fully vaccinate residents and workers at 35 Adult Family Homes, residents at three affordable housing buildings with seniors, residents at two congregate permanent supportive housing buildings, and home health care workers at one pop-up clinic with SEIU 775.
Since launching its vaccination effort on January 14, the City of Seattle has administered 4,722 vaccinations to eligible Seattleites. The City has provided 4,292 vulnerable Seattleites the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 430 Seattleites the second dose of the vaccine. These vaccinations have occurred at 86 Adult Family Homes, 30 affordable housing buildings with seniors, and six pop-ups. Roughly 70% of those vaccinated by the City identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities.
“It’s essential that the City’s few vaccine doses are prioritized for those at the most risk from Covid, and those with the most barriers to receiving them. Between the West Seattle bridge closure, significant congestion on detour routes off the peninsula, and limited access to the lower bridge, residents of District 1 find themselves virtually cut off from vaccine and healthcare providers. I appreciate the City’s work to bring vaccine to District 1 through SFD’s mobile vaccine teams, which have administered first doses to 100% of D1’s 13 adult family homes in need of vaccine, and to ensure that vaccination popup sites are available now,” said Councilmember Lisa Herbold (District 1, West Seattle/South Park).
“This week a majority of our efforts are focused on vaccinating members of the Latinx community, which is a population seeing a high case count of COVID-19. We continue to focus our vaccination model through an equity lens by reaching those who are least likely to have access to vaccines and are most at risk for contracting COVID-19. We are proud to support this critical work that will help lead us to hopeful days ahead,” said Fire Chief Harold Scoggins.
For more information, visit www.seattle.gov/vaccine. The City’s vaccination website is available in seven languages, and in-language assistance is also available over the phone.
Even as more residents get vaccinated, public health measures like social distancing, wearing a mask, and washing your hands remain critical. Please continue to follow all public health guidance, and visit this website from Public Health – Seattle & King County for more information.