In the first week of session, we brought you up-to-date on some of the latest developments regarding COVID-19 vaccines and the workplace. There
have since been new developments that have changed the state of play regarding COVID-19 vaccinations.
DOH Phase Finder is released
Previously, we discussed the Washington State Department of Health’s (DOH) new Phase Finder tool that was in development. The tool helps individuals determine where they fall in order of priority for receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. On January 18,
DOH formally released Phase Finder, and it is now available for use.
The tool asks a series of screening questions (including potential co-morbidity conditions, age, and employment information) to determine if a person is currently eligible to receive a vaccine. If a person is eligible, the tool provides proof of eligibility
to be shown to a medical provider administering the vaccine. For those that aren’t currently eligible, Phase Finder includes a notification feature that sends an email or text to people letting them know they are eligible.
Phase Finder only determines if a person is eligible for a vaccine and does not guarantee that a person will be able to schedule a vaccination. Individuals must schedule their vaccination separately. Currently,
many health providers are experiencing weeks-long backlogs due to limits on vaccine availability and the volume of those already in line to receive a vaccine. People should anticipate delays in getting vaccinated even if they are eligible.
DOH recommends continued precautions even after vaccination
As COVID-19 vaccinations increase, DOH recommends that even fully-vaccinated people (those with both the vaccine and booster) continue to observe social
distancing, limit gatherings, wear masks in public, and wash hands regularly.
DOH makes the recommendation because many people will not be vaccinated for months due to limited supplies, and vaccine studies were primarily focused on whether a vaccine can prevent a vaccinated person from contracting COVID-19, not on whether vaccinated
people can still spread the disease. It is unknown if vaccinated people can still spread coronavirus, which is why DOH recommends continued COVID precautions until more is known.
Additionally, DOH cautions that no vaccine is 100% effective and that even some vaccinated people could still get COVID-19. It is also unclear how effective current vaccines may be against new strains of COVID-19 that are on the rise. For a primer on
vaccine effectiveness on new strains, see articles here and here.
Gov. Inslee announces revised vaccine phase, guidance
On January 18, Gov. Inslee held a press conference where he announced a number of changes to vaccine eligibility,
a new vaccine distribution phase, and new efforts to better coordinate and streamline distribution.
The Governor announced an update to the state’s vaccine distribution plan. The original Phase 1B plan in part included people
age 70 and older. Now Phase 1B tier 1 has been reworked to include all people age 65 and older, plus those age 50 and over in multigenerational households. The Governor anticipates the move will make an additional 400,000 people eligible for vaccines,
as he also set the state on Phase 1B tier 1 effective immediately. People in groups 1A and 2A (healthcare workers, emergency responders, long term care workers, etc.) are also still eligible for vaccines.
Gov. Inslee established the Washington State Vaccine Command and Coordination Center (WSVCCC, housed at DOH) to coordinate vaccine distribution and reach the goal of vaccinating 45,000 Washingtonians per day. The WSVCCC is made up of public and private
stakeholders with expertise in various areas of health, technology, and logistics. Other vaccine distribution streamlining includes:
- A new requirement for providers to administer 95% of the vaccines delivered to them within one week of receipt;
- Daily vaccination reporting from providers; and
- New efforts to build high-volume mass vaccination sites in Spokane, Kennewick, Wenatchee, and Ridgefield (in addition to those already in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties).
More information on the state’s vaccine distribution efforts can be found on DOH’s website.
Other useful resources for city employers: