Auburn Vaccination Site Moves To The Outlet Collection

AUBURN, WA — King County moved its Auburn mass vaccination site to the Outlet Collection shopping center Monday, allowing public health officials to open up more appointment windows and administer doses indoors.

The previous location, one of two mass vaccination sites in South King County, opened in early February as a drive-thru facility at the General Services Administration in Auburn. In a news release Monday, Public Health - Seattle & King County said the move was made possible through a partnership with Boeing, which helped create the new facility's infrastructure.

Moving to a bigger home now was critical, officials said, as vaccine eligibility expands Wednesday and 1.2 million King County residents will be in the market for a first dose.

Related: Here's Why Washington Is Waiting To Open Up Vaccine Eligibility

"Our expanded capacity at our Auburn clinic will help us get more vaccine to the communities hardest hit by the outbreak, and help us all stay healthy," said Dow Constantine, King County Executive. "Working together with our community partners, King County is ready to get everyone vaccinated once supply allows."

Throughout the pandemic, South King County has suffered disproportionately from the virus — a trend that has held amid the latest increase in infections among younger adults. While the county has made significant headway in addressing racial and geographic vaccination disparities, officials hope the larger venue will allow that progress to continue as a wider group of people qualify for immunization.

"We know vaccination is one of the most critical tools we have to slow the pandemic down," said Patty Hayes, director of Public Health – Seattle & King County. "We will continue to work diligently with our community partners at this new Auburn site to ensure we reach even more south King County residents as access and eligibility expand."

Officials say using the Outlet Collection as the new Auburn vaccination outpost offers several benefits, including:

• Easier access by transit – the site is located directly on several major bus lines and can be reached by a direct bus service from Auburn Station.
• Accessible to those without a vehicle – the previous drive-thru site required access to a vehicle. The new facility is ADA accessible, and mobility assistance from trained staff is available on-site to help patients if needed.
• Indoor operations – the new site is entirely indoors, which prevents weather-related disruptions and creates a safer environment for all during the vaccine administration process.

The drive-thru COVID-19 testing site at the General Services Administration Complex will continue operations, the county said.

Starting Tuesday, March 30, residents who qualify for a vaccine can register using the public health website or by phone at 1-800-525-0127. Appointments at the Auburn site are limited to eligible residents who live in south King County.

Learn more about getting vaccinated on the King County website.