We remain committed to bringing you real-time, relevant information about vaccination in King County, which is the critical path to a safe and sustained reopening and recovery.

The snowy weather impacted testing appointments and vaccine deliveries for this week so the data from King County will likely lag a bit in the coming week. As of the data collected last week, nearly 70 percent of the county’s licensed healthcare workers have received at least one dose of a vaccine (a 10% increase from the previous week) and there are now 13 mobile teams in the field in King County. Those teams are focused on vaccinating vulnerable populations in senior living facilities and adult family homes.

The biggest constraint remains short supply from the manufacturers and the federal government. This week is a particular challenge as the supply from the state is focused on second doses, and as the Seattle Times reported this morning, an estimated 90% of shipments of vaccine to our state have been delayed this week because of national weather impacts. While supply remains a constraint currently, the systems are being put in place so that when supply increases all those who are eligible will be able to quickly get vaccinated.

These efforts will grow with the vaccine supply, in partnership with many businesses and healthcare providers across the county. You can read King County’s Unified Regional Strategy COVID Vaccine Delivery.

Two Things to Read & Watch

What is in the vaccine?

Fewer ingredients than a bag of chips writes Fred Hutch behavioural scientist and pharmacist Dr. Parth Shah. Read his take here, along with other perspectives on vaccine safety from scientists at Fred Hutch.

Looking at facts & myths:

Dr. Ana Avalos, assistant professor of pediatrics at Dell Medical School, debunks misconceptions in this short two-minute video surrounding the currently approved COVID-19 vaccines in the United States:

  • Will the vaccine give me COVID-19?
  • Will it make me test positive for COVID-19?
  • Do I need the vaccine if I already recovered from COVID-19?
  • Will the vaccine alter my DNA?

Thank you for doing your part to learn about the vaccines available and continue practising the safety measures that will help reduce the transmission of COVID-19.