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Vaccinations Now Open To All Adults In Washington; Case Counts Up Again In Spokane

Doug Nadvornick/SPR

Mass vaccination sites and clinics in Washington are now open to the entire adult population, as well as 16- and 17-year-olds.

State health officials say about six million people are eligible to be inoculated. Those who aren’t are 15 years of age or younger, for whom there is not yet a vaccine.To find where you can make an appointment, you can call your health care provider. You can sign up at the state of Washington's Vaccine Locator [or at the state of Idaho's vaccination page]. You can call Washington's Covid hotline at 1-800-525-0127 or you can call 2-1-1 and be directed to a vaccination source.

On Thursday, Spokane’s health district reported 131 new cases. That’s the highest one-day total in two months. People in their 20s and 30s are responsible for the highest number of cases.

Spokane County Interim Health Officer Francisco Velazquez says health agencies are targeting those groups in information campaigns, trying to get them in for shots now that they’re eligible.

“Getting immunized is not just about you. Getting immunized is about those around you. So when you get immunized, you deny the virus a potential host and what that means is you’re protecting those around you, your loved ones, your friends, your family, your relatives, vulnerable people in the community," he said.

Spokane County’s 14-day case count is now at about 240 cases per hundred thousand people. The state standard for remaining in Phase 3 of the reopening protocol is 200. And hospitalizations, down in the 30s for the last few weeks, are now up to 46.

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