News Flash

NEWS RELEASE

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 20, 2021

Cowlitz County enters Phase 1B Tier 1 of COVID-19 vaccine distribution
 Incident management team arrives to help coordinate vaccination sites

 LONGVIEW, Washington — As providers in Cowlitz County begin to vaccinate people who are eligible in Phase 1B (Tier 1) of the state’s COVID-19 vaccination plan, health officials warn that not everyone who is eligible will be able to get vaccinated right away. “While we are pleased to widen access to COVID-19 vaccine, vaccine supply and provider capacity is currently limited,” said Cowlitz County Health and Human Services Interim Director Carole Harrison. “We ask that the public remain patient as more doses arrive.”

—  People who are eligible to be vaccinated in Phase 1A (Tier 1 & Tier 2) or Phase 1B (Tier 1)
should contact their healthcare provider to schedule an appointment.

— Those who do not have a healthcare provider should submit a request to Cowlitz County
Health and Human Services by email to: askcowlitzhealth@co.cowlitz.wa.us.

 Providers in Cowlitz County will continue to vaccinate people who are eligible in Phase 1A (Tier 1 & Tier 2). That phase includes people who work in health care settings, high-risk first responders and people who live or work in long-term care facilities.

Providers are also beginning to vaccinate those who are eligible in Phase 1B (Tier 1), which includes:

• People who are age 65 or older AND
• People age 50 or older and who live in multigenerational households 

There are two categories of people who are eligible under the “multigenerational household” definition:

• People who are 50 or older AND are not able to live independently ANDare either:
  1. Receiving long-term care from a paid or unpaid caregiver OR
  2. Are living with someone who works outside the home
• People who are age 50 or older AND are living with and caring for a grandchild
  No one younger than age 50 is eligible in Phase 1B (Tier 1) and no one age 50 or older who is caring
   for a partner, friend or child is eligible.
  
  Cowlitz County Health and Human Services will continue to update its vaccine webpage with the
  latest information. The public can sign up to receive email or text message alerts when the webpage
  is updated.
  
  Regional vaccination sites
  Cowlitz, Clark and Skamania counties are planning for community vaccination sites across the Southwest Washington region.
  
  With support from the state, the three-county region submitted a request for a Type 1 incident management team to help plan and manage the operation of community vaccination sites. This weekend, FEMA approved the request to deploy one of 16 national Type 1 incident management teams to Southwest Washington.
  
  Pacific Northwest Incident Management Team 3 is made up of federal, state and local representatives experienced in handling complex incidents. The team arrived in Clark County on Tuesday and met with representatives from the three-county region.
  
  Clark, Cowlitz and Skamania counties will work closely with the incident management team to
  establish multiple community vaccination sites in the region, including some mobile sites that can allow for vaccination at high-risk workplaces. Other community partners, such as health care
  providers and schools, will be involved in the process as well.
  
  Details about the vaccination sites, including locations and opening dates, are not yet available. Updates will be provided in the coming days.

The effort to open community vaccination sites in Southwest Washington will require collaboration with the Washington State Department of Health. Funding support and vaccine supply from the state will be critical for ensuring the success of these sites.

To contact Cowlitz County Health and Human Services, please call (360) 414-5599.

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