Here are the groups for next phase of COVID-19 vaccine in Washington state
The state Department of Health on Wednesday unveiled the next steps in the statewide COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
Phase 1B, the next priority, is broken into four tiers. Health officials said the state still needs to get through Phase 1A before moving on to 1B.
“It’s important to note that we are not moving into phase 1B right now. Our state is still in phase 1A of vaccinations, and will continue to be for the next few weeks,” the department said in Wednesday news release.
“Many pharmacies, clinics and hospitals are vaccinating people in 1A1 (tier 1), and others have moved to 1A2 (tier 2). While phase 1A is still the priority, we hope that the release of phase 1B guidance will help facilities, counties and individuals plan for the months ahead. Once we’re ready to start phase 1B, we will let our communities know how and where to get vaccine.”
In general, groups eligible for vaccination in phase 1B include:
Phase 1B1 - (Tier 1)
▪ All people 70 years and older
▪ People 50 years and older who live in multigenerational households
Phase 1B2 - (Tier 2)
▪ High risk critical workers 50 years and older who work in certain congregate settings: Agriculture; food processing; grocery stores; K-12 (teachers and school staff); child care; corrections, prisons, jails or detention facilities (staff); public transit; fire; law enforcement
Phase 1B3 - (Tier 3)
▪ People 16 years or older with two or more co-morbidities or underlying conditions
Phase 1B4 - (Tier 4)
▪ High-risk critical workers in certain congregate settings under 50 years
▪ People, staff and volunteers all ages in congregate living settings:
▪ Correctional facilities; group homes for people with disabilities; people experiencing homelessness that live in or access services in congregate settings
Additional details of phase 1B will be posted on the state DOH website. A broader timeline for the phases can be seen here.
Many were involved in the decision of prioritization, according to the state DOH:
“In addition to partnership with Gov. Inslee and reliance on federal guidance, nearly 20,000 people across the state weighed in on the prioritization through focus groups, interviews, and surveys over the past few months. This feedback directly informed our recommendations for COVID-19 vaccine prioritization and allocation, and continues to help us make sure our vaccine plans are equitable and protect those most at risk from COVID-19 infections.”
In a media briefing Wednesday, Secretary of Health Umair Shah told reporters that the state has so far received 522,550 doses, “which includes allocations from both Pfizer and Moderna.”
Of that, Shah said that 126,602 total doses have been administered since mid-December, but he acknowledged there’s a data lag and the total could be higher.
This story was originally published January 6, 2021 at 2:15 PM with the headline "Here are the groups for next phase of COVID-19 vaccine in Washington state."
