Vaccine Data
Whatcom County is well within reach of the Governor’s statewide benchmark for early reopening. As of June 26 (DOH’s most recent date for vaccination data), 69.2% of Whatcom residents 16 and older have initiated vaccination, and more than half (53.3%) of all Whatcom residents are fully vaccinated!
We’re doing really well relative to the rest of the state, placing 4th for both vaccinations initiated and completed at the population level, behind only San Juan, Jefferson, and King counties. Hundreds of people are still getting vaccinated every day in our county. Keep it up, Whatcom!
Washington Reopens Tomorrow
Tomorrow marks an important pandemic milestone! In keeping with the Governor’s reopening proclamation, all of Washington will greatly reduce pandemic restrictions beginning June 30.
Many things will be different, but some things will remain the same. Social distancing, for the most part, will no longer be required. But the mask mandate is still in place, and unvaccinated people still need to use masks whenever they’re out in public.
We’ll have more details to share tomorrow about Washington’s reopening and what it means for Whatcom County.
Vaccine Update Will Be Delayed Next Week
We won’t be able to publish our weekly vaccine Newsflash until Wednesday next week (July 7) due to data update delays over the holiday weekend.
Additionally, most of Whatcom County’s offices will be closed on July 5. Contact tracing and other critical COVID-19 activities will continue through the holiday, however.
Pop-up Vaccination Clinics and Other Walk-In Options
There are a number of clinics in the county welcoming walk-ins this week. The vaccine is still 100% free of charge. If you’re already vaccinated, share this list with someone who isn’t!
- Nooksack Northwood Casino, 9750 Northwood Rd in Lynden - Johnson & Johnson clinic on Tuesday, June 29 from 2-4pm. Located inside the casino at the Prime Buffet area.
- 360 Modular, 5530 Nordic Place in Ferndale - Moderna clinic on Thursday, July 1 from 1-3pm.
- Twin Sisters Brewing, 500 Carolina St in Bellingham - Moderna clinic on Thursday, July 1 from 6-8pm.
- Old Lynden Middle School Gym, 516 Main St in Lynden - Vaccine type TBD, on Friday, July 2 from 3-6pm. COVID-19 testing services are also available at this location.
There are lots of other local vaccine providers that currently offer COVID-19 vaccination without an appointment. Go to VaccineLocator.doh.wa.gov or call 1-833-VAX-HELP for a complete list of local vaccine providers. You can also text your zip code to GET-VAX (438-829) or VACUNA (822-862) to find a provider near you.
Weekly Vaccine MythBusted: The pandemic is over and getting vaccinated is no longer important.
Washington State reopens tomorrow. Although an important milestone, this is by no means a bookend.
As mentioned earlier, Washington’s mask mandate will remain in place. The mask mandate isn’t going away because the pandemic isn’t over. COVID-19 is still with us. What’s more, the virus is evolving, and new, more infectious variants pose real risks to the unvaccinated.
Fortunately, every COVID-19 vaccine now in use provides strong protection against COVID-19 and all its known variants, and the vaccine is now really easy to get. The best thing you can do to help protect your community from COVID-19 is to get your shots. The second best thing you can do is help someone else get theirs.
Remember, when addressing someone else’s vaccination concerns, it’s important that you listen with intent to understand before responding. If you need some talking points from local vaccination champions, go to VaccinateWhatcom.org.
Wondering where to find trusted information from reputable medical experts? Look no further:
More Information
More information about the COVID-19 vaccine, vaccine planning, and vaccine safety can be found on the DOH’s COVID-19 vaccine web page at www.covidvaccinewa.org. For information about COVID-19 vaccination in Whatcom County, visit our webpage at www.whatcomcounty.us/covidvaccine.