Not eligible for COVID vaccine yet? Not too early to book Tri-Cities appointments

Thousands of COVID vaccine appointments are available this week in the Tri-Cities area, and it is not too early for those who are eligible for the vaccine next week to start looking for open appointments.

On April 15 everyone age 16 or older who lives or works in Washington state is eligible for the vaccine and that’s expected to cause a spike in demand.

Now about 5 million Washington residents are eligible for the vaccine and a little more than 1 million more will become eligible April 15.

Washington state Department of Health officials said that those eligible April 15 may sign up for COVID vaccine appointments now if they can find ones posted for April 15 or later.

The Benton County Fairgrounds drive-thru vaccine clinic posts openings for only a week at a time, but pharmacies and medical clinics may be taking taking bookings already.

Next week’s fairgrounds appointments could be posted as soon as Friday afternoon, but sometimes they are not posted until the weekend.

More than 2,000 appointments remained open on Monday for this week at the COVID mass vaccination clinic at the Tri-Cities fairgrounds at South Oak Street and East 10th Avenue in Kennewick.

Those currently eligible who want to beat the expected rush next week can make an appointment by going to prepmod.doh.wa.gov and clicking on “Find a Clinic.” On the next page scroll down and check all pages for open appointments at the Benton County Fairgrounds listed separately for each day.

The drive-thru clinic is open Tuesday through Friday and also Saturday morning.

An appointment also may be made by calling the Washington state COVID-19 Assistance Hotline at 800-525-0127, which can provide help in multiple languages.

Washington state also maintains a list of places with open appointments at vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov.

Places with vaccine appointments available within 50 miles will be shown when you enter your zip code.

On Monday appointments were available at the Rx Pharmacy on Swift Boulevard in Richland; three Richland Rite Aids, including the one at Washington State University Tri-Cities; Rite Aids on Steptoe Street in Kennewick and 20th Avenue in Pasco; Walgreens in South Richland and Pasco; On Scene Medical Services in Kennewick; Reliance Pharmacy in Kennewick; On Scene Medical Services in Kennewick; and Tri-Cities Community Health in Pasco and Kennewick.

Appointments also were available in Connell and Prosser.

Last week vaccine eligibility was expanded for the final time before all state residents 16 and older may get the vaccine.

Those most recently eligible include people ages 60 to 65 in addition to older people; all restaurant, construction and manufacturing workers; and people with at least two underlying medical conditions.

Also newly eligible are people who live, work or volunteer in group living settings, such as correctional facilities and homeless shelters.

This story was originally published April 5, 2021 at 11:44 AM.