By Kathi O Shea January 20, 2021 11:38 am
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MOUNT VERNON, Wash. Skagit County residents who are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine can now schedule their vaccinations at several locations.
Those 65 or older, or those 50 or older who live in a multi-generational household are eligible to receive the vaccine, along with those in Phase 1A.
Individuals can schedule appointments with Skagit Regional Health’s Mount Vernon or Smokey Point clinics.
The Mount Vernon Haggen Pharmacy is also scheduling appointments and Island Hospital has started booking appointments for established patients or those who live in the hospital district.
The Skagit Valley Herald reports La Conner Drug is still vaccinating people in Phase 1A mainly health care workers, first responders and residents of long-term care facilities until it receives its next shipment.
Skagit County expects to receive 500 more doses of Modernaâs COVID-19 vaccine next Monday.
County Public Health is working to provide doses of the vaccine to EMS providers and other groups in the initial stage of eligibility who donât have access to the vaccine through their employers, Community Health Coordinator Danica Sessions said.
County Health Officer Howard Leibrand said the county received 200 doses last week, but that itâs difficult to keep track of the total number of doses entering the county as everything is moving quickly.
âItâs all in flux,â he said, adding itâs difficult to accurately say how many doses will be delivered in the future.
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While Pfizer needs specialized freezers and goes mainly to hospitals, the Moderna vaccine will be more accessible to rural communities.
Skagit Regional Health started with 975 doses of the Pfizer vaccine for staff, but will also benefit from the Moderna vaccine for the general public.
“The energy was just super high at the very first moment of the first vaccine in the clinic,” said Dr. Connie Davis, Chief Medical Officer at Skagit Regional Health.
The Skagit County Board of Health will hold a public hearing next month on a proposal to establish civil fines for violations of safety orders issued by the county health officer, including those related to COVID-19.
Under the proposal, first-time violators would be fined $50, with the penalty increasing with subsequent violations. For businesses, fines would start at $250.
To date, Health Officer Howard Leibrand has issued no public health orders related to COVID-19, but rather recommendations, county Public Health Director Jennifer Johnson said.
Johnson, who brought the proposal to the board, called the move ârare,â saying the department chooses to focus first on education rather than enforcement.