UPDATE: Governor expanding vaccine eligibility, long-term-care visitation

| Coronavirus | West Seattle news

2:49 PM: Gov. Inslee‘s holding another pandemic briefing right now and among his announcements, he’s expanding vaccination eligibility again – on March 31st, it’ll extend to more groups than were originally in the next tier, including restaurant and other food-service workers, construction workers, people 60-65, and people over 16 with two or more co-morbidities (added: from either or both linked lists, the state says).

(Graphic from governor’s office)

He’s also extending the statewide eviction moratorium through the end of June (which Seattle’s mayor has already done) and the utility-shutoff moratorium through the end of July.

The governor said the eligibility expansion is possible because the supply is increasing – something also noted in the weekly briefing by health officials earlier today. Dan Laster, director of the state’s COVID-19 Vaccine Action Command and Coordination System (VACCS) Center, promised that the state is working on improving support for finding vaccination appointments, both online and by phone.

2:59 PM: The governor also announced that some indoor visitation will be allowed at long-term care facilities.

3:33 PM: The briefing is over; the archived video should be viewable in the same window above shortly. Here are full details of what the governor just announced.

Jackie March 18, 2021 (3:09 pm)

What is considered a comorbidity

WSB March 18, 2021 (3:38 pm)

As defined by the CDC:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html

Adding the link above.
- Mark B March 18, 2021 (4:17 pm)
  
  Does the definition include the second “might increase” list as well as the more severe one?
  - WSB March 18, 2021 (4:33 pm)
    
    Not certain. Checking. Just went through the state “Phase Finder” and it had one page for the severe list + one for the “might” list, but didn’t say how they were weighted.
    - WSB March 18, 2021 (5:07 pm)
      
      Yes, DOH tells me two “from either list.”

AB83 March 18, 2021 (3:48 pm)

Smokers qualify ?

WSB March 18, 2021 (3:53 pm)

If that’s one of your two co-morbidities, yes, it’s on the list.

Mellow Kitty March 18, 2021 (4:16 pm)

It may just be me, but I could not get the link to the expanded vaccine list to work.

Yeah March 18, 2021 (4:18 pm)

It will be interesting to see how they define “construction”. (Before you guys comment, there are a lot of jobs in building trades that are sometimes considered construction and sometimes not, by L & I, ESD, etc. It’s apparently very complicated to categorize People Who Build Things.)

Auntie March 18, 2021 (5:02 pm)

It doesn’t do any good to expand eligibility if there isn’t enough vaccine to go around now. My husband has been trying ever since the last expansion to get an appointment in West Seattle and so far no luck. I can only imagine with thousands more people eligible, it will continue to be impossible. We would rather not leave West Seattle and you know why.

WSB March 18, 2021 (5:08 pm)

Not even the city-run site? It’s first thing up in the new state search tool announced today
https://vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov/
and claims to have appts. Good luck!
vincent March 18, 2021 (6:10 pm)

There are 5 covid vaccine sites in west seattle, not counting the city clinic, it blows my mind seeing people say they signed up at one location and then using words like impossible.> We would rather not leave West Seattle and you know why.The bridge down adds to travel times, which is inconvenient, but there are plenty of vaccines available.

Auntie March 18, 2021 (5:15 pm)

It says “appointments available,” but when you move further along in the site, it just puts you on some sort of notification list, not to schedule an appointment. He has already registered on this list and has received no notifications. I don’t know why they say “appointments available” when you go to the site to get an appointment it says “no appointments available.” Very frustrating!

Rooster March 18, 2021 (5:41 pm)

I did not find any vaccine appointments available today, including the city sites. For example, the City site at Thistle was marked as appointments available but when you sign up the messaging was “no available appointments” none found at pharmacies in Seattle either.
Elaine March 18, 2021 (6:15 pm)

Have you tried covidwa.com? I found an appointment fairly easily through that site.
Helper March 18, 2021 (6:35 pm)

I have found that the link changes for the West Seattle site. I was on the notification list and got an email this afternoon. I went to my computer to an existing tab that linked to the west Seattle site, and was told no appointments. When I used the link from the email, there were many appointments for next week. Right now (6:30 pm) there are many Wed-Sat appointments https://seattle.signetic.com/home/4af3008b-8287-eb11-a812-0022480a0ed3
- Auntie March 18, 2021 (7:16 pm)
  
  This link actually works and was able to make appointment. Thank you!
M. Noodle March 19, 2021 (10:28 am)

My husband is a transit operator and got his on March 17th at Fred Meyer in Kent. It was a bit of a drive! But well worth it for him; he said he didn’t realize how much stress exposure was causing him until he got the shot and knew he’d be (mostly) protected. If you can’t find a ride to a pharmacy outside of Seattle (I wish there were a way to volunteer to drive people, I’d be happy to do it!) try signing up with the city for the WS boat launch site. Good luck Auntie!!!
- WSB March 19, 2021 (11:09 am)
  
  Just a clarification, there is no “West Seattle boat launch site” for vaccinations. The kiosk at Don Armeni is testing only (run by a private firm). The West Seattle city-run vaccination site is in the Southwest Athletic Complex parking lot (2801 SW Thistle) alongside the city-run testing tents there. – TR

JJ March 18, 2021 (6:25 pm)

Here’s where I found City vaccine registration… https://seattle.signetic.com/homeI bet appointments will open up again soon, so I’d keep trying daily. I think this link is one layer more direct than some of the other links I’ve seen. I can’t wait for everyone to get vaccinated and this pandemic to get over. Godspeed to you.

Auntie March 18, 2021 (6:26 pm)

Same problem. It says “available” at 28th & Thistle, but when you move forward in the form it just says you will be notified. Nothing is available, near as I can tell.

Hm March 18, 2021 (6:38 pm)

What about cashiers at places like target or bank tellers or drug store employees not in the pharmacy and other groups who have been opened and essential this whole year with limited ability to avoid people?

Yma March 18, 2021 (7:31 pm)

This household is sooooo waiting. 1 person with Chrons, the others older but not old enough (who’d a thunk we’d ever say that). Thank you folks who are navigating this crap.

Auntie March 18, 2021 (9:04 pm)

The aforementioned link from Helper worked for me.

VaccineFinder March 18, 2021 (8:38 pm)

For my family members in west seattle the closest and easiest place I found to get them vaccinated is the newly named St.Anne hospital, more commonly known as Highline hospital. Here is the link https://www.chifranciscan.org/patients-and-visitors/covid-19/vaccine-information if they have vaccine supply for the coming week then appointments open Friday mid morning and are gone by the end of the day so you’ve gotta keep checking all morning until they are posted or they will say they didn’t get any. My parents had a good experience there. Good luck getting vaccinated everyone!

Calires March 18, 2021 (9:04 pm)

It will be interesting to see what excuses long term care facilities are able to come up with to continue to ban visits. ParkWest is still not allowing outdoor or even window visits, although the residents have been fully vaccinated since January. When you ask why, they transfer you to the voicemail of the Administrator who does not return calls. Somehow, they are still managing to take payments.

John March 18, 2021 (9:45 pm)

Similar experience with my mom at hearthstone up in greenlake. Window visits turned to zoom visits now often no visits. They have collected a fortune in free ppp loans and hhs grants during the past year.

Sorry, comment time is over.