County pushing clinics for 100% vaccinations

Wahkiakum County public health officials have set a goal of vaccinating 100 percent of the county's population against covid-19, and they've set a number of clinics to bring vaccinations to various parts of the county.

The county Health & Human Services Department (WCHHS) will hold a clinic this Saturday, 9 a.m. to 12 noon at the Hope Center in Cathlamet. They will administer both first and second doses of the Moderna vaccine, one of the two-dose medications.

Call the health department at 360 849-4041 to register for this clinic.

On Sunday, the Washington National Guard will bring the first of several clinics that will be held in various locations around the county.

The first will be at Skamokawa Landing, 1391 SR4 West, 9 a.m. to 12 noon. They'll move to the Norse Hall, 444 SR 409 on Puget Island, 1-5 p.m.

Clinic staff will administer the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The clinics will be arranged so that recipients can simply drive into the site and receive the vaccination. Patients may also go to the state Department of Health Prepmod website for scheduling; the site found at https://prepmod.doh.wa.gov/appointment/en/clinic/search.

"There are three more guard events in our future," said Duncan Cruickshank, WCHHS operations manager in a Tuesday announcement. "The intention is to do these with a team from Grays Harbor County that will be focused in the Grays River/Rosburg area. These sites are not decided yet."

Besides the mobile clinics, county health officials plan to bring vaccinations to youth as federal officials move to authorize use of Pfizer vaccine for young people.

Final approval was expected yesterday (Wednesday) for vaccinating youth age 12 and above, and WCHHS Director Chris Bischoff said Tuesday that in another six weeks the vaccine may be authorized for children age six months and above.

Department officials are working with Wahkiakum School District staff to hold a clinic for students at the high school on May 20. Students will need signed permission from parents or guardians to receive the Pfizer vaccine.