Update: All appointments available at the Kitsap Public Health District community vaccine clinic for Jan. 26-28 have been reserved, health officials said shortly after the county’s COVID-19 vaccine clinic registration website went online Monday morning.
Kitsap Public Health will announce additional vaccination opportunities as vaccine supplies allow, officials said Monday afternoon. There is no waiting list for future vaccinations, they added.
PORT ORCHARD — Kitsap Public Health District and the county’s Emergency Operations Center are launching a COVID-19 vaccine clinic beginning Tuesday for people eligible under Phase 1a and Phase 1b, Tier 1.
The health district announced the new development Saturday and will work in partnership with Virginia Mason Franciscan Health. Registration opens at 10 a.m. on Monday for appointment slots on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Patients must book appointments in advance and bring documentation of their eligibility to be vaccinated.
The agency said that walk-in patients will not be accepted without an appointment. Registration information is to be posted Monday at kcowa.us/vaccine.
The COVID-19 clinic will be at the former St. Michael (Harrison) hospital in East Bremerton (2520 Cherry Ave.), the health district stated in a Saturday news release. The clinic will be supported by St. Michael Medical Center of Silverdale, Kitsap County Medical Reserve Corps volunteers, Kitsap County Emergency Medical Services, and the Kitsap County Medical Society.
The state allocated about 2,000 doses of Moderna vaccine to Kitsap Public Health for use next week. More than 600 volunteers will be available to help staff the Bremerton clinic and future vaccine clinics in Kitsap County, health district officials said.
They said that Kitsap Public Health and other vaccine providers in the community “are receiving an overwhelming number of inquiries regarding COVID-19 vaccine. Please be aware that our capacity to respond to questions and provide technical assistance for our registration system is limited at this time.”
“We are proud and excited to open this clinic for our community just one year — nearly to the day — after the first COVID-19 case was reported in our state and nation,” said Dr. Gib Morrow, Kitsap Public Health District health officer, said.
“We are grateful to the many organizations and individuals who stepped up to make this clinic possible,” health district administrator Keith Grellner said in the Saturday news release.
Who can get vaccinated?
People in phases 1a and 1b Tier 1 of the state’s vaccination plan are eligible for this clinic, officials said. Those eligible in Phase 1b, Tier 1 includes everyone 65 or older and people 50 and older who live in multigenerational households living together. Phase 1a includes health care workers, emergency responders and people who live and work in long-term care facilities.
To verify if you are eligible, go to FindYourPhaseWA.org and complete the questionnaire. If you don’t have internet access or need assistance using the Phase Finder site, call 1-800-525-0127. If you are eligible to get vaccinated now, Phase Finder will provide you with a certificate that is to be presented to your vaccine provider, either printed out or saved to a smartphone or tablet.
If you are eligible for a later vaccination phase, you can sign up through Phase Finder to be notified when your phase begins.
Health district officials said they expect appointments at the community clinic will fill quickly. A waiting list for this or future vaccine clinics will NOT be made available, they stated in the news release. People not able to get an appointment can sign up for notifications by text or email through the county’s vaccine website.
