WA Dept Of Health Celebrates 1 Year Of COVID-19 Vaccines

OLYMPIA, WA — The Washington State Department of Health is celebrating an important milestone this week, as Tuesday marked exactly one year since the first COVID-19 vaccines arrived in the Evergreen State.

“It is amazing to see how far we have come in just one year,” said Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH, Secretary of Health. “From mass vaccination sites, to public-private partnerships through the Vaccine Action Command and Coordination System (VACCS) Center, mobile vaccination efforts through Care-a-Van, and more, it is clear this response has taken an immense amount of ingenuity and hard work. I am proud to serve as the state’s Secretary of Health and call Washington home.”

In the year since Dec. 14 2020, when the first vaccines arrived, health care providers across Washington have administered more than 11.3 million doses of the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. That's enough doses to get 4.8 million Washingtonians fully vaccinated, and 600,000 more their first doses.

The DOH says it wants to mark the occasion by thanking health care workers, public health providers, first responders, community members, and everyone else who stepped forward and helped vaccination efforts to protect their community.

“I’m proud of how far our state has come over the past year," said Dr. Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett, Chief Science Officer for the DOH. "Getting millions of people vaccinated – and more than 1.3 million people an additional dose – is no easy feat. I want to send a heartfelt thank you to each and every person who has helped us achieve these milestones. As we head into 2022, I want to encourage everyone to get vaccinated and boosted to protect yourself, your loved ones, and our community as a whole.”

When vaccines first arrived, supply was limited, and shots were given only to the oldest and highest risk Washingtonians. In the 12 months since, availability has expanded rapidly, and now even young children can get inoculated.

“Seeing kids as young as 5 get their COVID-19 vaccines is another great illustration of the progress that has happened over the past year,” said Michele Roberts, Acting Assistant Secretary. “As a mother, getting my daughter vaccinated was one of the highlights of my year. Vaccines are keeping children safer in the classroom, protecting them when they’re with their friends, and helping us all stay healthy as we gather with loved ones this holiday season.”

The DOH is also using the occasion to remind everyone who is eligible for a booster shot to sign up for that extra dose. Boosters are recommended for everyone 16 and older, as long as it has been six months since they finished the two-dose Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna series, or two months since they received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.