Tonight’s local/state pandemic updates:

ONE MORE SAFETY RULING: The state Health Department has officially given its thumbs-up to lowering the Pfizer vaccine’s eligibility age to 12 – this after a CDC advisory group and the Western States review group both declared it safe for the younger recipients. The other two vaccines – Moderna and Johnson & Johnson – remain authorized only for those 18+.

VACCINATIONS HAVE ALREADY BEGUN: By afternoon, readers report, city sites were already vaccinating 12- to 15-year-olds. Appointments are available if you want to guarantee a spot; Seattle Public Schools has clinics starting next week at all six high schools, middle schools, and K-8s in West Seattle.

SATURDAY POP-UP: Another reminder that you can get vaccinated in The Junction on Saturday if you’re at least 18, 10 am-1 pm in the north end of the parking lot off 42nd SW south of SW Oregon. Free parking in the lot if you’re going to the clinic, and coupons for Husky Deli ice-cream cones for the first 50 people. It’ll be your choice of Moderna or Johnson & Johnson. (THURSDAY MORNING UPDATE: We’ve learned that Pfizer vaccine WILL be available, so they WILL be vaccinating 12+ at this clinic.)

NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Seattle-King County Public Health daily-summary dashboard, the cumulative totals:

*101,596 people have tested positive, 207 more than yesterday’s total

*1,547 people have died, 3 more than yesterday’s total

*5,987 people have been hospitalized, 14 more than yesterday’s total

*1,062,304 people have been tested, 944 more than yesterday’s total

One week ago, those totals were 99,754/1,532/5,914/1,049,354.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find all the numbers, county by county, on the state Department of Health data page,.

WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them, nation by nation, here.

HEALTH OFFICIALS’ BRIEFINGS: The weekly briefing by state Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah and other officials happened this morning. Watch the briefing here. … Then this afternoon, King County health officer Dr. Jeff Duchin delivered an early edition of his weekly briefing. He said daily cases have dropped 20 percent and declared that it appears we’ve “turned the corner” away from the latest surge. Watch his briefing here.

NEED FOOD? Another grab-n-go food distribution is happening at Highland Park Elementary (1012 SW Trwnton) this Friday, 2-5 pm. Drive/ride/walk up, wear a fade covering, and keep in mind that it’s first-come, first-served.

GOT INFO? Email us at westseattleblog@gmail.com or phone us, text or voice, at 206-293-6302 – thank you!