VACCINATION: City’s West Seattle site to become all vaccine, no testing

| Coronavirus | West Seattle news

After seven months, the city will soon stop offering COVID-19 testing in the Southwest Athletic Complex parking lot. Tonight’s Seattle-King County Public Health pandemic-news update says it’ll become a vaccinations-only site at the end of the month, just as eligibility expands again. The last day of testing there will be March 30th, says Public Health. If you need a test after that in West Seattle, in addition to health-care providers, the self-testing Curative kiosk at Don Armeni Boat Ramp (1222 Harbor SW) will continue to be available.

Eileen March 22, 2021 (8:19 pm)

Wow – that seems really short sighted.

Chemist March 22, 2021 (8:54 pm)

On the one hand, I can see why testing for covid might not be best held in the same facilities as vaccinating folks. On the other hand, I really found the testing convenient when I went here… Though very few people were getting tested during the time I was there.

Anne March 22, 2021 (9:00 pm)

Think it’s a great idea- centrally located. They could probably go back to testing if necessary.

MR March 22, 2021 (9:27 pm)

When I was there for my first shot, there were several people accidentally in the line to sign in for vaccinations who were really there to be tested!

Kyle March 23, 2021 (2:08 am)

Are there other sites in the city where vaccination and testing happen at the same site? Or was west seattle an outlier?

WSB March 23, 2021 (6:25 am)

Rainier Beach, which will also cease testing as of 3/31.
- James Patrick Herrmann March 23, 2021 (9:42 am)
  
  Don Armeni Boat Ramp parking lot also

Spring March 23, 2021 (7:53 am)

This vaccination site has been convenient and I want to thank the staff working here especially the top notch firefighters/medics who are patient and kind. Thank you!!

SlimJim March 23, 2021 (9:05 am)

As far as vaccinations go they may need to expand their eligibility. Not sure if they’re still only allowing people from certain zip codes and/or economically challenged groups but my wife went by there yesterday to see if they needed volunteers (she’s a physician) and they only had *one* person waiting for the vaccine. That may change with the state’s expansion of eligibility, but not if the city continues to turn away eligible city residents due to the city’s own restrictions.

1994 March 23, 2021 (8:43 pm)

Right – if they don’t increase the eligibility now to include more people interested in the vaccine they might end up with a huge bottleneck! That will be frustrating! Seems like using zip codes would be a good idea. The city should know how many residents are in each zip code or at least have a solid estimate.

DW March 23, 2021 (9:57 am)

Last week, I went to the Don Armeni site to get tested a couple of days before trip I had to take (tested on Tuesday afternoon). Four days later, on Saturday night when I was already on my trip, I got an email that said the entire batch of samples had been improperly handled and I should come back for a retest. Luckily, I didn’t have symptoms that made me concerned, but that could’ve been bad!

WS Native March 25, 2021 (1:38 pm)

I was there this morning for a test and was disappointed at how few people were there being vaccinated. I would have expected a steady stream of people but I only saw a couple of people in the vaccination line. The line for those being tested had about 10 people in line. It was very efficient and convenient. I hope that people will still be able to find convenient testing.

Ready and Waiting April 6, 2021 (3:57 pm)

I’m trying to figure out local vaccine options in preparation for when things open up next week, and I’m confused about the WS vaccination sites…I can’t find mention of the Southwest Athletic Complex at Thistle or the Don Armeni sites on the WA Covid Vaccine Finder site [https://www.covidwa.com/?zipcode=98116%5D  or the WA DOH finder [https://vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov/locations/98116], although people are mentioning them here.

Are they both actually administering vaccines at this point? I’m either pulling an epic Google fail, or this information is shockingly difficult to find online, which seems crazy.

I assume it’s necessary to make an appointment online ahead of time, but damned if I can find out where to do that.

What gives? Any advice?

WSB April 6, 2021 (4:10 pm)

Don Armeni is not and has never been a vaccine site. It’s a TESTING site only. When there are appointments, the SWAC site is listed as the West Seattle Community Vaccination Site. Links to those and other potential options are in our nightly roundups. Good luck!

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