Clallam County health officials administered about 500 COVID-19 vaccine doses Saturday in an abbreviated weekend clinic at Port Angeles High School.
No new coronavirus cases were reported on the North Olympic Peninsula on Sunday.
“No one’s tested positive for the last two weeks,” said Dr. Tom Locke, Jefferson County health officer, in a Sunday interview.
“Of course, it won’t stay like that forever.”
Ron Cameron, Clallam County undersheriff and emergency management director, said the Saturday clinic for Tier 1A was slower than previous events.
“We kind of expected it because we didn’t have any second-dosers,” Cameron said Sunday.
Many of those who where were vaccinated Saturday were turned away from receiving their first dose due to a snowstorm in mid-February.
“This was the gap that we had when we had our snow day,” Cameron said.
“Next weekend, we’ll be picking back up again with the people that were pre-scheduled for their second dose.”
Those 65 and older, and residents 50 and older who live in a multigenerational household, school employees and 1A workers can schedule vaccine appointments throughout the Peninsula now.
The Port Angeles High School clinic will be on both Saturday and Sunday. To register, go to http://vaccine.clallam.net/register or call 360-417-2430.
Beginning Wednesday, those in the 1B2 tier will be added to the eligibility list statewide. They include critical workers in congregate settings such as grocery stores, food banks, agriculture, courts, jails and corrections, as well as first responders not vaccinated under 1A, and people older than 16 who are pregnant or who have disabilities that put them at high risk for COVID-19 complications.
The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe can vaccinate those in 1B2 earlier than the rest of the Peninsula. A Sequim clinic is scheduled Tuesday as well as Thursday. Appointments are available at http:// vaccine.clallam.net/register.
Beginning today, Jefferson Healthcare will offer vaccinations every day of the week, alternating between first and second doses, according to the hospital web page at http://jeffersonhealthcare.org/covid-19-vaccine.
Next Sunday, Jefferson County emergency management will host a clinic at Chimacum High School. Information about hours and how to register for the clinic will be released today.
Locke said the Sunday clinic would largely be staffed by retired medical professionals.
“We had our first run-though yesterday, and we’ll have our first clinic next Sunday,” he said.
Limited vaccinations also are offered through some local pharmacies such as Safeway, Costco and QFC. Locations, availability and how to register can be found at https://tinyurl.com/VaccineLocations.
Clallam County’s COVID-19 case count held at 1,025 on Sunday, Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry said.
Jefferson County’s number of confirmed cases has remained at 336 since Feb. 25.
Locke predicted that southern states with “reckless” or “criminally negligent” governors who have rescinded mask mandates would soon be hit by a fourth wave of COVID-19 dominated by variants.
“We’ve concluded in Jefferson — I think Clallam feels the same way — that our goal is to vaccinate people as fast as we can because it is kind of a race with the variants,” Locke said.
“If we get enough people vaccinated before they become widespread, then we’ll be able to control it and have a nice summer.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at rollikainen@peninsula dailynews.com.
