WA Doubles Daily Vaccination Goal: 'We Can See The Finish Line'

SEATTLE — The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has set a new goal of administering 90,000 vaccine doses every day.

That's exactly double the former goal of 45,000 doses per day — a lofty ambition, but one that state health leaders say is necessary to meet, if Washington is going to confront the growing fourth wave of coronavirus transmissions.

"We can see the finish line," said Assistant Secretary of Health Michele Roberts. "But crossing it is a team effort – and all of us can do our part by getting a COVID-19 vaccine. That’s the only way we will reach community immunity."

A majority of Washington's 39 counties now have increasing daily case counts. Case rates are growing in all age groups except for those 70 and older. Meanwhile, hospitalization rates are increasing universally, though, like case counts, the sharpest growth has been in young adults.

"We are close to turning the corner in the state of Washington, but we are seeing the beginning of a fourth wave," Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah said. "That means people need to hang on longer."

90,000 vaccinations each day would've seemed impossible just months ago but is more achievable than it sounds. Back in mid-January when the DOH set its first goal of 45,000 doses, the state wavered between 13,000 and 15,000 vaccinations a day. In the months since, daily administration has nearly quadrupled: not only does the state now consistently meet its goal of 45,000 doses a day, but there have been several days when the vaccine output has exceeded 60,000 doses.

The state's health care providers can administer more, so the biggest challenge for meeting the 90,000 goal, the DOH says, is just securing more shots.

"The supply equation continues to be an issue for us," Shah said. "We're doing everything we can to work with our federal partners. We would've liked by now to have seen more steady increases in supply, but we have made progress."

The latest vaccine forecast from the federal government, however, shows relatively little movement with around 370,000 doses expected each week — 25,000 short of what providers are requesting.

"Production issues, and other challenges including the J&J pause from last week, that has continued to disrupt supply," Shah said.

Still, the DOH is pressing onward with the goal, which they hope to meet in the next six to eight week period, though they note the goal will be reassessed on an ongoing basis.

According to the DOH's latest data, more than 4.6 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Washington, more than 2.8 million people have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and a quarter of Washingtonians are fully vaccinated.