Sign-up opens for COVID vaccine at Tri-Cities fairgrounds. But only for 2nd doses

Appointments for second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Tri-Cities fairgrounds this week opened online Sunday afternoon.

The shots will be given just three days this week, Thursday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day.

Snowy weather and the Washington’s Birthday holiday were expected to delay shipments of the vaccine, which usually arrive on Mondays.

Appointment registration, which was expected to start Friday afternoon, was delayed while plans were adjusted to shorten operations at the Benton County Fairgrounds in Kennewick from five days to three because of the anticipated delays.

Close to 1,000 appointment openings appeared to be posted per day, all for people receiving their second dose of the vaccine. By early afternoon Monday about 1,000 openings remained for Friday and Saturday combined.

The drive-thru clinic at the fairgrounds has given as many as 300 doses in an hour.

The state Department of Health said that efforts would be concentrated on giving second doses this week.

It has been three weeks since the fairgrounds drive-thru clinic started giving the vaccine, and the Pfizer vaccine requires a booster shot no sooner than three weeks later. The Moderna vaccine, which was given Jan. 25 at the fairgrounds, also requires a booster shot, but not until four weeks later.

The same type of vaccine for the first dose must be used for the second dose.

Vaccine signup

To register for a second dose at the fairgrounds, go to PrepMod.doh.wa.gov and click on “Find a clinic.”

On the next page, scroll down to find openings by day at the Benton County Fairgrounds rather than filling out the form at the top.

People without internet access may call the state’s COVID-19 Assistance Hotline at 800-525-0127 and press #.

Calls will be answered 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Presidents Day weekend, and 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. the rest of the week. Language assistance is available.

The Richland Senior Association also has started a toll-free help line for seniors who don’t have computer access or are having trouble navigating online appointment systems.

Call 800-595-4070 and leave a voicemail message with your name, phone number and what you are calling about. A volunteer will pick up the message and call you back.

People with second dose appointments should bring their vaccine card, with the date of their first shot and the type of vaccine, to their appointments. They should have been given the card when they received their first dose.

Those trying to get a first dose of the COVID vaccine this week may check bit.ly/BFHDvaccinesites, where the Benton Franklin Health District maintains a list of places that may be giving vaccines — primarily pharmacies, hospitals and medical clinics.

Washington vaccinations

The Washington state Department of Health reported that the Benton County Fairgrounds clinic continues to outpace the state’s three other mass vaccination clinics.

Since opening Jan. 26, the Kennewick site had administered 12,257 doses of the vaccine.

That compares to 10,148 doses given at Ridgefield near Vancouver, 9,678 doses in Wenatchee and 9,358 doses in Spokane.

The state of Washington is limiting eligibility for the vaccine that protects against the coronavirus until more becomes available.

Currently people 65 or older and certain people 50 and older living in multigenerational households are eligible.

Health care workers, emergency medical technicians, and residents and workers in long-term care homes for the elderly, such as nursing homes also are eligible.

To determine if you are eligible, go to FindYourPhaseWA.org. If possible, make a copy or take a screenshot, if it finds you are eligible. Some places giving the vaccine may require a copy for proof of eligibility.

This story was originally published February 14, 2021 at 3:52 PM.