Vashon EOC Situation Report 157
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Vashon EOC Situation Report - 157
February 23, 2021
To sign up for these alerts, go to: VoiceofVashon.org/alertsignup
Vashon Vaccine Availability:
● The Overview: This week, the island will be receiving roughly twice the doses received in any
previous week. However, most of the injections will be for second doses. Second doses take priority
this week because the clock is ticking to complete vaccination courses before the required deadline.
Much of the vaccine arriving this week was originally scheduled for last week, but was delayed by
severe weather snarling the country’s transportation systems, thus requiring rescheduling of hundreds
of vaccination appointments on Vashon. (2/23/21)
● Overall Vaccination Progress: By the end of last week, the island's registered vaccination providers
had administered over 2,800 first vaccination doses. All of the vaccinations so far have been done at
the Vashon Pharmacy drive-through site or at the Sea Mar clinic. The total number of first dose
vaccinations at island vaccination points equals nearly one-third of the adult population of the island,
based on the latest Vashon EOC tracking. The Public Health dashboard reports nearly 85% of
Vashon residents 65 or older have received at least one vaccination dose. That compares to other
King County regions, which are in the range of 43% to 58% first dose vaccination of residents 65 or
older, about 30 to 40 points behind Vashon. (2/23/21)
● VashonBePrepared continues to support the three providers who are approved by the state to do
vaccinations on Vashon. They are Vashon Pharmacy, Sea Mar at Sunrise Ridge, and Vashon Natural
Medicine. The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) recommends that you check the following four
websites to see if there is updated information beyond what we compile in these Situation Reports,
which are published Tuesday and Friday.
● VashonBePrepared.org/COVID-Vaccine
● VashonPharmacy.com/covid
● SeaMar.org/covid-vaccine
● VashonNaturalMed.com
● Vashon Pharmacy: Virtually all of the Pharmacy drive-through vaccinations this week are for second
doses, potentially more than 1,600 of them, a mix of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. As indicated above,
much of this week’s schedule was supposed to take place last week, but had to be rescheduled
because shipments were delayed by weather. MRC and CERT volunteer shifts were expanded this
week to handle the largest number of projected vaccination injections since the drive-through site
opened. The current one-day record for injections will likely be surpassed this week, since two days
have 280 injection appointments scheduled, which is 40 more than the previous one-day record. The
appointment reservation web page will not be opened this week, since no first doses will be available.
(2/23/21)
● Sea Mar at Sunrise Ridge: Sea Mar received 300 doses of Moderna vaccine this week, which will be
devoted entirely to second dose needs of patients who had previously been vaccinated at the clinic.
However, the clinic indicates there is a possibility of receiving a shipment of additional doses that may
become available for first dose use. Notice of vaccine availability at the Sea Mar walk-up clinic will be
posted at: https://seamar.org/covid-vaccine. (2/23/21)
● Vashon Natural Medicine: VNM reports that it has been told it will not receive any shipments until the
vaccine is available in much greater supply. The Vashon Natural Medicine website directs patients to
Vashon Pharmacy. (2/23/21)
1Current Virus Statistics:
Vashon Island COVID-19 Case Count as of 2/23/21:*
● 104 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases, 0 new cases since last Situation Report on Friday
● Date of last positive test: February 14
● 0 new positives in past 7 days and 1 positives in the past 14 days
● 3 people have been hospitalized. Date of last hospitalization: December 28
● 2 Vashon deaths per the King County dashboard, last death reported 1/1/21
King County COVID-19 Case Count as of 2/23/21:*
● 81,379 confirmed positive cases, 520 new since last Situation Report on Friday
● 1,357 deaths, 12 new since last Situation Report on Friday
Washington State COVID-19 Case Count as of 2/21/21:*
● 334,962 confirmed positive cases, 1,058 new since last Situation Report on Friday
● 4,857 deaths, 35 since last Situation Report on Friday
*Note 1: The statistics above are from the Public Health – Seattle & King County dashboard as of the date listed.
Numbers may not be complete, as data processing lags and the actual number of cases, hospitalizations, and
deaths may not yet match the dashboard.
Note 2: The federal HIPAA Act prohibits Public Health - Seattle & King County (PHSKC) from releasing the names
of patients. For consistency of day-to-day data reporting for Vashon, the EOC uses only the ZIP code data from the
Public Health – Seattle & King County dashboard.
Health Tips:
● Get both COVID-19 vaccine doses for the most protection. There are only two COVID-19
vaccines currently available in the United States, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, and each brand
requires two doses to give you the best protection. The COVID-19 vaccines teach your immune
system to recognize the coronavirus. When you get the vaccine, your immune system makes
antibodies or “fighter cells” that stay in your body to protect you from the virus. As a result, you get
protection against the disease without getting sick. The first dose of the vaccine helps your body start
making antibodies and provides some protection against COVID-19. The second dose gives your
body another opportunity to build even more antibodies to fight the virus. It is very important to get
both doses so you have enough antibodies to fight the virus if you get infected. You need to wait three
weeks (21 days) between the first and second doses if you receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and 1
month (28 days) between doses for the Moderna vaccine. Plan your second shot as close as possible
to the recommended time above, but no sooner. https://medium.com/wadepthealth/two-doses-are-
key-e9dab53f36da
● Reminder for the health and safety of yourselves and others, even after receiving your first and
second vaccine dose:
● We all will still need to mask up
● We’ll still potentially be vulnerable to any mutated variants of the virus
● We’ll still potentially be able to spread the virus to others
● The vaccine is highly effective, but some people may still get infected, most likely with mild illness
New Developments since Last Report:
● The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) along with Public Health – Seattle & King
County and the UW Medicine Virology Lab, reported that the B.1.351 variant of SARS-CoV-2 has
been detected here in King County. The variant, initially identified in South Africa, was detected
yesterday through genomic sequencing at the UW Medicine Virology Laboratory. At the same time, a
2virology lab found evidence of 19 additional cases of the B.1.1.7 variant strain in Washington state,
first identified in the United Kingdom. “The detection of these COVID-19 variants in our state reminds
us that this pandemic is not over. Despite the decrease in our case count, we are very concerned
about the emergence of these variants and how it will affect future case counts. As a community, we
need to redouble our efforts to prevent the spread of this virus and its variants by following public
health guidance,” said Acting State Health Officer Scott Lindquist, MD, MPH.
https://www.doh.wa.gov/Newsroom/Articles/ID/2639/First-case-of-B1351-variant-identified-in-
Washington-State-as-cases-of-B117-increase (2/23/21)
● Misinformation can spread fast in a digital world. The Washington State Department of Health has
established a COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions hub, which should be your first stop
when you have a question. The hub provides answers to some of the most frequent questions heard
from people throughout the state. To take the guesswork out of vaccination information, the hub
answers are based on the most reliable and up to date science. Visit:
https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19/VaccineInformation/FrequentlyAskedQuestions#headi
ng62073 (2/23/21)
● An earthquake warning test will be run on Thursday, February 25, at 11:00am. The Wireless
Emergency Alert (WEA) test message will run on your wireless devices if you sign up to participate in
the test alert. Washington Emergency Management Division and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
will test the alert system on the 20th anniversary of the 6.8 Nisqually earthquake in 2001. To receive
the test messages, mobile phone users must opt-in. Most newer Apple and Android phones have the
option to receive WEA 2.0 and WEA 3.0 test messages. Do not assume that your carrier has opted in
for you. For directions on how to opt-in, visit mil.wa.gov/alerts or check with your cell phone carrier.
(2/23/21)
● Evidence on vaccination efficacy is emerging that vaccination efforts are significantly reducing the
risk of both severe COVID-19 disease and transmission. A study by Public Health England found that
the risk of COVID-19 disease among healthcare workers decreased by 65 to 72% after the first dose of
the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and more than 85% after the second dose. Similar data has been
reported from Public Health Scotland and Israel’s Ministry of Health. These reports provide some of
the earliest evidence demonstrating the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines’ effect on transmission.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/first-real-world-uk-data-shows-pfizer-biontech-vaccine-provides-
high-levels-of-protection-from-the-first-dose (2/23/21)
● CDC COVID-19 Response Team published data on vaccine safety monitoring in Morbidity and
Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). The study reviewed safety monitoring data for the first month that
Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were being administered in the US from December 14, 2020, to January
13, 2021. During this period, 13.8 million doses of vaccine were administered, and there were 6,994
post-vaccination adverse events reported. The most common symptoms were headache (22.4%),
fatigue (16.5%), and dizziness (16.5%). Anaphylactic reactions were reported in approximately 4.5 out
of every million vaccinations, which is similar to the rate expected for inactivated seasonal influenza
vaccines. Adverse events were more likely to be reported after an individual’s second dose than their
first dose. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7008e3.htm (2/23/21)
● WA COVID Vaccine Finder (CovidWA.com) is a volunteer-driven effort to help
Washingtonians find appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine by listing which sites currently
have vaccine available. Before booking an appointment through the vaccine finder site, you
MUST confirm your eligibility with the Washington State Vaccine Phase Finder at
findyourphasewa.org. (2/23/21)
● Pfizer and Moderna project a major increase in vaccine deliveries that will result in 140 million
more doses over the next five weeks, saying they have solved manufacturing challenges. The Biden
administration told governors Tuesday that doses allotted to states would grow from 13.5 million to
14.5 million per week, and it also directed 2.1 million doses to pharmacies. CDC data indicates that
about 75 million doses had been delivered as of Monday — about 10 million fewer doses than the
companies said in their prepared testimony that they have provided. (2/23/21)
3Progress on Community Support Operations:
● Emergency Operations Center (EOC): Four operational priorities established by the Incident
Commander, Fire Chief Charlie Krimmert, and approved by the VashonBePrepared Board, continue to
guide our work: health, food security, housing security and economic recovery. The EOC and other
elements of our island emergency response coalition were activated in response to the pandemic
emergency on March 12th, almost 50 weeks ago (349 days).
● EOC/MRC/CERT: Much work continues to coordinate the effort to operate the drive-through
vaccination site at Vashon Pharmacy and the COVID-19 testing site at O Space.
● A volunteer from the EOC Community Operations Section has been assigned to identify
efficiencies to improve the sustainability of the Pharmacy's participation in the drive-through
vaccination operation. The step is being taken because operating the vaccination site has put a
significant strain on the pharmacy staff as well as business operations and finances.
● CERT and MRC leaders have been working closely with the Pharmacy to coordinate daily
volunteer work schedules as the supply of vaccine has ebbed and flowed in response to the
national and state vaccine distribution uncertainties.
● Support from the EOC Situation Section and the EOC Public Information Unit, in collaboration
with Voice of Vashon, has been helping keep the public informed on vaccination availability at both
the Pharmacy and the Sea Mar clinic.
● EOC Logistics and CERT/MRC Operations are studying traffic flow options for when the existing
patient reception/staging area needs to move to a different location.
● VIFR/VashonBePrepared/King County Office of Emergency Management: A meeting today took
another step towards a formal agreement that will clarify legal responsibilities and financial
mechanisms in the event of a future emergency activation on Vashon. The agreement will formalize
existing verbal understandings about provision of community support such as food and shelter, and
embodies lessons learned from the nearly year-long activation for emergency response to the
pandemic.
● Volunteers: Hours contributed by volunteers in the VashonBePrepared coalition continue to run at a
high level. For the most recent reporting period, 41 volunteers contributed 489 hours of work to
VashonBePrepared's pandemic emergency response. That brings the total contributed hours to just
under 24,000 since the activation began. At the FEMA reimbursement grant rate of $31.72/hour,
VashonBePrepared volunteers have logged more than $761,000 of in-kind value available to be
applied to the 25% match requirement for reimbursement grants. The total includes hours contributed
by the Vashon EOC Team, Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), and Community Care Team (CCT). The
total doesn’t include Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) hours; the considerable hours
by CERT are logged using a separate system. VashonBePrepared gives thanks as well for the many
hours of extra work logged during the pandemic in support of the Vashon community, by the staff and
volunteers at local social services agencies.
Previously Posted Important Items:
Note: Archives of older Important Developments can be found at https://vashonbeprepared.org/News/SitReps.
● Vashon Island School District is one of the 46 districts invited to participate in an expansion of the
state's Return to Learn COVID-19 testing program for schools. The Return to Learn program began
with a pilot program of about a dozen districts. As reported this week in the Seattle Times, Vashon has
been put on the list of possible participants, but the District has indicated that many fundamental
details remain to be worked out, such as who would be tested and what type of test might be used.
The District has told the Return to Learn managers that all available resources are tied up at this time
getting kids back into classrooms, and it will be a month or more before Vashon schools will be able to
make a decision about proceeding. The state-sponsored school testing program is part of the ongoing
effort to expand in-person learning to more Washington students. Read more at
https://www.doh.wa.gov/Newsroom/Articles/ID/2627/DOH-expands-school-testing-initiative-to-
encourage-more-in-person-learning (2/19/21)
4● The Biden administration is announcing more federal funding to expand Covid-19 testing in
different sectors and "better prepare for the threat of variants." The administration will invest $650
million in federal funding for Covid-19 testing for schools, $815 million for domestic manufacturing of
testing supplies, and nearly $200 million toward genome sequencing. “We need to test broadly and
rapidly to turn the tide of this pandemic. But we still don’t have enough testing and we don’t have
enough testing in all the places it needs to be,” said Carole Johnson, White House COVID-19 testing
coordinator. (2/19/21)
● Special enrollment period for health insurance is now open through May 15 for people who are
uninsured. Anyone who doesn’t have health insurance can buy a plan directly from an insurer or
through the Washington Health Benefit Exchange. If you buy a plan through the Exchange, you may
qualify for federal help paying your premium. https://www.wahealthplanfinder.org/ (2/19/21)
● On Vashon, the Brown Agency is one of the Chamber of Commerce Ask the Expert providers. The
agency offers free health insurance consultations and assistance for applications and coverage
options through the Affordable Care Act or Washington Apple Health. Call (206) 567-4600 (2/19/21)
● Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has extended two emergency orders requiring health
insurers to waive copays and deductibles for any consumer requiring testing for coronavirus (COVID-
19) and his order protecting consumers from receiving surprise bills for lab fees related to medically
necessary diagnostic testing for COVID-19 are both extended until March 21, 2021.
https://www.insurance.wa.gov/news/kreidler-extends-emergency-orders-coronavirus-testing-and-
surprise-billing-march-21 (2/19/21)
● Employment Security Department data shows that Vashon’s unemployment has dropped about 6%
over the past two weeks, from 402 to 378 active claims. If you need assistance filing claims for
unemployment benefits, or have questions on eligibility with the COVID-19 relief programs, the
Chamber of Commerce’s Ask the Expert is available for free consultations, and will guide you on
how to proceed with filing for unemployment, PPP loans, or tax returns. Email
deborah@vashonbeprepared.org, or call (206) 200-3236. (2/19/21)
● Creating Strength, the island-wide resilience campaign, aims to help all of us become stronger
against the stresses of the pandemic, which ripple outwards into related personal crises such as
unemployment, housing and food insecurity, racial injustice, isolation, and political unrest. This week’s
feature focus is on ‘Discover’. This nine-week campaign of mental health communications and videos
is produced by VashonBePrepared’s Community Care Team, which is a unit of the Medical Reserve
Corps, with support from the EOC’s Community Engagement Team. Mental health tips and videos are
available online at: https://VashonBePrepared.org/CreatingStrength (2/19/21)
● Coping with COVID: Depression and anxiety, is a Washington State Department of Health
behavioral health podcast on coping with COVID-19. In the latest episode, Kira Mauseth, PhD and
Doug Dicharry, MD discuss how depression and anxiety can show up during a disaster, and simple
steps for managing those feelings. Visit https://medium.com/wadepthealth/coping-with-covid-
depression-and-anxiety-4c958282a9e5 (2/19/21)
● Washington Listens helps people manage stress and anxiety they may be experiencing
because of COVID-19. If you or anyone you know is having difficulties managing stress, call the
Washington Listens support line at 1-833-681-0211. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through
Friday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. TTY and language access services are available
by using 7-1-1 or their preferred method. Resources and self-help tips are available at
https://waportal.org/partners/home/WaListens. (2/19/21)
● King County Executive Dow Constantine submitted his sixth supplemental budget relating to the
COVID-19 pandemic. The $91 million budget includes $45 million in additional rental assistance and
$5 million to support community organizations. The budget also includes funding for COVID-19
vaccination sites, purchase of PPE, and funding for COVID-19 testing and tracing.
https://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/constantine/news/release/2021/February/18-covid-
supplemental-budget.aspx (2/19/21)
● Gov. Jay Inslee signed legislation Friday distributing $2.2 billion in federal money for COVID-19
relief. The bill includes funds for:
● $714 million for K-12 schools
● $618 million for public health, including testing and contract tracing
5● $100 million for epidemiology and laboratory grants, and vaccines
● $365 million for rental assistance and other housing-related programs
● $240 million for business assistance grants
● $91 million for other income-assistance programs
● $50 million for a variety of childcare-related items; and
● $26 million for food banks and other food related programs. (2/19/21)
● New coronavirus variants could lead to a rapid rise in the numbers of Covid-19 cases, warned a
report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Researchers from the CDC
and Minnesota health department detailed cases of the B.1.1.7 variant, first identified in the United
Kingdom. Earlier modeling data suggested this variant, which may be more transmissible, could
become the predominant variant in the United States in March, and the CDC has urged people to take
action to reduce spread. Dr. Anthony Fauci said in an interview with Spectrum News, “We hope we
can contain this particular outbreak and all of its ramifications throughout the world in a way that
doesn't have the ... cycling of various versions of the virus so that you have to address it differently
each year.” There are a number of new variants that have emerged recently. Here are the top four
that are most worrying:
● B.1.1.7 was first seen in the UK. It appears to be transmitted the same way -- but is more
contagious and easily spread, experts say.
● B.1.351 was first seen in South Africa and has since been reported in more than 30 other
countries, according to the World Health Organization.
● P.1 is suspected of fueling a resurgence of viral spread in Brazil. It has since been reported in the
US and Japan, carried by travelers from Brazil.
● L452R was seen in California as well as a dozen other states. Experts are still investigating the
significance of this strain. (2/19/21)
● The U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continue to underscore that there is no credible
evidence of food or food packaging associated with or as a likely source of viral transmission of severe
acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus causing COVID-19. Read FDA
statement at https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/covid-19-update-usda-fda-
underscore-current-epidemiologic-and-scientific-information-indicating-no (2/19/21)
● COVID-19 guidance for farmers markets, food pantries, grocery stores, restaurants, and other
food establishments has been updated. This guidance is now combined into one document for all
Food Workers and Establishments (PDF). The individual links on DOH’s Resources and
Recommendations page for farmers markets, food pantries, grocery stores, and restaurants will soon
be redirected to the Food Workers and Establishments document. The new guidance document is at
https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/1600/coronavirus/FoodWorkerEstablishment.pdf
(2/19/21)
● The governor’s office also released a new FAQ on Outdoor Seating Requirements and Open-Air
Structures as part of the Healthy Washington – Roadmap to Recovery plan. Visit
https://www.governor.wa.gov/sites/default/files/COVID19%20Outdoor%20Open%20Air%20Seating%2
0Guidance.pdf (2/19/21)
● Vashon Community Care (VCC) Executive Director Wendy Kleppe reported that a third round of
COVID-19 tests of residents and staff were negative. “Today marks 14 days since our positive cases.
The Department of Social & Health Services does require a 28 day period without any positive cases
before we can move into our Safe Start Re-opening plan”, Kleppe reported. This means that their
communal dining, activities, and salon services will be delayed until March 3rd, regardless of current
test results. VCC will hold a Town Hall Meeting on March 9th. Hosted by Torsten Hirche, President
and CEO of Transforming Age, the event will engage industry experts on the topic of COVID-19. For
more information and the Zoom link, visit
https://www.transformingage.org/vashoncommunitycare/upcoming-events/ (2/19/21)
● Vashon Pharmacy: If the allocated shipments arrive, virtually all of the Pharmacy drive-through
vaccinations will be for approximately 1,500 second doses. Much of the next week's schedule was
supposed to take place this week and some days next week are being doubled up, due to the weather
delay mentioned above, as well as some issues revolving around access problems for the new state
6online ordering process. MRC and CERT volunteer shifts have been expanded to accommodate what
promises to be the greatest number of projected vaccination injections since the drive-through site
opened. The current record for injections has grown from 60 per day when the site first opened, to a
one-day record last week of 240 injections. Two days next week have 280 injections scheduled, again
assuming the vaccine arrives in spite of the bad weather around the country. Given the emphasis on
second doses, the online appointment portal will probably not be open to schedule first doses during
the coming week. (2/19/21)
● Sea Mar at Sunrise Ridge: Sea Mar continues to primarily serve the second dose needs of patients
who had previously been vaccinated at the clinic. Like the Pharmacy, Sea Mar has had to reschedule
a number of appointments into next week because anticipated vaccine doses did not arrive due to the
severe weather back east. Patients are being notified by phone if they are being rescheduled.
(2/19/21)
● Vashon Natural Medicine: VNM reports that it has been told it will not receive any shipments until the
vaccine is available in much greater supply. (2/19/21)
● It is important to note that no Social Security number or other government identification is
required in order to receive a vaccination. The state Department of Health has confirmed that
vaccination is available regardless of citizenship or immigration status, assuming patients are eligible
in the current vaccination priority phase. DOH issued the guidance to help reduce fears that
Immigrations and Customs Enforcement might use vaccine clinics to detain and deport people due to
their immigration status.
https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19/HealthcareProviders/VaccineInformationforHealthcare
Providers/ToolkitandResources (2/19/21)
● Washington State Department of Health (DOH) announced that as of Feb. 15, more than 1,201,120
doses of vaccine have been given across the state, which is nearly 83 percent of the 1,453,425 doses
that have been delivered to our providers and long-term care programs. Washington is currently
averaging 26,204 vaccine doses given each day, still short of its goal of 45,000 per day. As mentioned
above, winter storms are causing vaccine shipment delays across the nation. DOH estimates that
more than 90% of the state’s allocation for this week is arriving late due to severe weather around the
country. Moderna vaccines have not shipped yet this week in Washington state. Pfizer vaccines did
not ship as usual on Monday, and only a limited number of vaccine shipments were processed
Tuesday and Wednesday.. https://www.doh.wa.gov/Newsroom/Articles/ID/2632/COVID-19-vaccine-
distribution-update-from-the-Washington-State-Department-of-Health (2/19/21)
● Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on
Wednesday that “discrepancies and difficulties” in vaccine distribution from state to state are going to
disappear as more vaccine supply becomes available. Every state is handling who gets the vaccine
differently and Fauci said there’s a need “to respect the ability and the right of the states who know
their own situation well to make their own decisions,” and avoid dictating from above, but “there should
be some sort of consistency, not necessarily identical, from state to state.” “Hopefully that will smooth
out as we get more vaccine doses,” he said. “The cure of all of this is when the supply-demand gap
closes because right now the demand far exceeds the supply. As we get into the later months, April,
May, June and July ... I think those kind of discrepancies and difficulties are going to disappear.”
(2/19/21)
● Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe for me? It’s normal to have questions and concerns. Washington
State Department of Health (DOH) has a website with answers to common vaccine questions and
concerns, based on the science behind the vaccinations. Visit https://medium.com/wadepthealth/is-
the-covid-19-vaccine-safe-for-me-b7457a60f1fa (2/19/21)
● Overview: Washington state continues to prioritize completing second doses for all patients who have
received their first dose. However, vaccine supplies to Washington state are currently falling short of
the overall demand for vaccine doses. This is resulting in statewide second-dose allocation challenges.
System changes also led to delayed delivery of this week's anticipated second-dose vaccine supply to
Vashon Pharmacy. Consequently, appointments for second-dose vaccinations from Vashon Pharmacy
are being rescheduled to next week. Second doses (also known as vaccine boosters) that are received
7next week will still be administered within the CDC's recommended window after the first dose, for both
Moderna and Pfizer.
● Vashon Pharmacy: After two snow-day cancellations, operations resumed today at Vashon
Pharmacy’s vaccination drive-through operation. The anticipated supply of second-dose vaccine was
delayed (see Overview, above), resulting in second-dose appointments being postponed to the same
times and days next week. Patients are being notified via automated phone messages about the
rescheduling. The small supply of vaccine left over from the two snow-days will be used to administer
first doses to folks whose appointments got rescheduled from last Saturday and Monday to this
Wednesday. The drive-through vaccination site hours this week will remain 9am till noon, and 1pm to
4pm, as in past weeks.
● Sea Mar at Sunrise Ridge and Vashon Natural Medicine do not have vaccine available for the
general public this week, although Sea Mar did receive a small quantity to do the required second
doses for patients who received their first injections at Sea Mar.
● Washington Department of Health (DOH) will focus on second doses of COVID-19 vaccine this
week, meaning appointments to get a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine will be extremely limited in
Washington State the week of Feb. 14. Vaccine shipments in Washington have been delayed this
week due to weather conditions. DOH will prioritize state and local mobile vaccination teams for long-
term care facilities and adult family homes; mass vaccination sites in King, Pierce, Snohomish, and
Spokane counties; and other sites throughout the state that address equity. Dr. Umair A. Shah,
Secretary of Health said, “While the limited availability of first doses will be challenging this coming
week, focusing on second doses will help pave the way for an improved and more sustainable
allocation of vaccines in future weeks.” https://www.doh.wa.gov/
● Researchers at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of
Washington have released their latest model, which predicts a COVID-19 death toll of 614,503
Americans by June 1 -- down slightly from the previous forecast released last week, which projected
631,000 deaths. Warmer weather and wider vaccination could help drive transmission down between
now and August, according to the IHME. Progress could also be reversed if people let their guards
down, said IHME. “Transmission has been contained over the winter through mask wearing,
decreased mobility, and avoidance of high-risk settings such as indoor dining,” IHME said. “As daily
case counts decline and vaccination increases, behaviors are likely to change towards increased risk
of transmission.” https://covid19.healthdata.org/united-states-of-america (2/16/21)
● Governor Inslee also authorized the Department of Commerce to distribute another $87 million for
additional rental assistance and business assistance programs. That distribution will be split evenly
toward those goals, about $43.5 million each, funded through the state’s Disaster Response Account.
The additional $43.5 million going to business assistance grants can be used to provide for expenses
for businesses impacted by the pandemic. These funds can be used for rent, mortgage and utility
assistance, technical assistance, and to help prevent permanent closure of a business. Visit
https://www.commerce.wa.gov/ (2/16/21)
● Governor Inslee’s Healthy Washington – Roadmap to Recovery has made some clarifications for
child care, youth development, and day camps. The guidance includes license-exempt programs
operated in a manner that complies with the child and staff cohorting and group size, and not programs
where parents remain on-site for purposes other than employment, or Play and Learn groups where
parents and caregivers remain on-site. The full guidance is at
https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/1600/coronavirus/DOH-OSPI-DYCF-
SchoolsChildCareGuidance.pdf (2/16/21)
● President Joe Biden is extending a ban on housing foreclosures to June 30 to help homeowners
struggling during the coronavirus pandemic. The moratorium on foreclosures of federally guaranteed
mortgages had been set to expire on March 31. The White House says more than 10 million
homeowners are behind on mortgage payments and Biden's actions are to help keep people in their
homes amid “a housing affordability crisis” triggered by the pandemic. (2/16/21)
● Vashon Community Care (VCC) Executive Director Wendy Kleppe reported that the results of last
Friday’s COVID-19 tests of residents and staff were negative. That makes three rounds of tests with no
further positive COVID-19 cases. Kleppe noted that they await instructions from Public Health - Seattle
& King County as to whether any further testing or other steps will be needed. (2/16/21)
8● Vashon Vaccine Doses Reported: Because Public Health - Seattle & King County’s data reporting
tends to lag behind what has actually occurred, the correct number of vaccine doses received on
Vashon may be higher than reported by the county. As of February 16th, 20.2% of Vashon’s residents
over age 16 have received at least one dose. That percentage increases with age groupings, to 59.8%
over 65 and 58.1% of Vashon residents over 75 having received at least one dose. COVID-19 data for
King County shows that on a per-100K basis, Vashon has by far the lowest rate of positive tests,
hospitalizations and deaths, and the highest rate of vaccinations.
https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/covid-19/data/vaccination.aspx (2/16/21)
● Vashon Community Care (VCC) has completed two rounds of building-wide testing (residents and
staff). Wendy Kleppe, Executive Director, announced that all tests to date have resulted in negative
results, outside of the two initial cases of the current outbreak. As requested by Public Health, they
have completed additional testing of all residents and staff. Once they receive those results, VCC will
meet with Public Health, which will determine next steps. The facility must be clear for 28 days since
the last positive test, which was on Feb 19th, before they can follow the Safe Opening plan. This week,
in an unannounced visit, a King County Public Health and Department of Social and Health Services
investigative nurse reviewed infection control practices, and found no errors or shortcomings with
VCC’s infection control practices and protocols. So far, more than 92 percent of staff and residents
have been vaccinated, far surpassing the national average in long-term care facilities. (2/12/21)
● Vaccine Fear Health Tip: Vashon is no different than other areas when it comes to fear. Vaccine
fear has arrived in several ways, and our Community Care Team (CCT) wants you to know how to get
help. "The fear comes in two ways," said CCT leader Jinna Risdal. "Some people are afraid of the
vaccine, often because of misinformation circulating on the Internet. Other people, a lot of people
these days, fear that they will not be able to get vaccinated and put the pandemic behind them." If you
have vaccine fear, or know someone who does, check out the Coping with COVID page:
VashonBePrepared.org/COVID-Resources/For-Our-Mental-Health/Coping-with-COVID "It helps to
remember that everyone who wants the vaccine will get one," Risdal said, "We also worry that it's
easy for fear to turn into anger, and we need everyone to treat our VashonBePrepared volunteers and
Vashon Pharmacy staff nicely. They are working hard in challenging conditions to serve Vashon. The
Vashon Community Care Team Helpline is available to help. (206) 701-0694 and is open from 8:00am-
8:00pm daily.
● Epidemiologist Dr. Zach Miller of Vashon MRC advised that the COVID variants we’re hearing
about, from Brazil, South Africa, and the UK, are likely already here in greater numbers than are being
reported, because in the United States, sampling of virus material is not yet as widespread as in some
other countries. Mutations are likely also occurring with the virus that’s active here in the US, so even if
we don’t travel far, we may be exposed to new, more infectious variants. As Dr. Miller noted, “That’s a
compelling reason to protect our communities with continued safety steps, such as masking up,
maintaining distance, avoiding crowded indoor spaces, and washing hands frequently.”
● Dr. Jim Bristow of Vashon Medical Reserve Corps remarked that we need to re-dedicate ourselves
to maintaining safe behaviors. “We sympathize with folks feeling a pent-up desire to be free of all these
annoying restrictions and hygiene measures, but the fact is that we still have a long way to go before
it’s safe to let down our guard. Even after someone has gotten their second dose of the vaccine and
waited two weeks for fullest immunity, there’s still a chance they can spread disease to friends and
family, and a chance they’ll get sick with the virus despite the vaccine, because it’s only 94-95%
effective, meaning as many as five or six percent of vaccinated patients are still susceptible to
infection.”
● The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced new guidelines that include
wearing well-fitting face masks or two masks at a time to help curb the COVID-19 pandemic. The new
recommendation says wearing tight-fit masks or double-masking with cloth and surgical masks
increases protection. New research by the agency shows that transmission of the virus can be
reduced by up to 96.5 percent if both an infected individual and an uninfected individual wear tightly
fitted surgical masks or a cloth-and-surgical-mask combination. Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, director of
the CDC, announced the findings during a White House coronavirus briefing, and coupled it to
President Biden’s challenge for Americans to wear masks for the first 100 days of his presidency. Dr.
Walensky said that masks were especially crucial, given the concern about new variants circulating.
9There is clear evidence that the more of us who wear masks and the better the mask fits, the more
each of us benefit individually. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/effective-
masks.html
● Winter mask tip: Wet masks won't protect you. Change your mask when it becomes wet. A wet
mask is harder to breathe through, is less efficient at filtering, and vents more around the edges of the
mask. Keep a spare mask to replace one that becomes wet from the moisture in your breath, snow, or
rain.
● Vashon Pharmacy: With the help of CERT and MRC volunteers, the drive-through vaccination site is
setting new records for the number of patients served. From Tuesday through Thursday of this week,
over 600 vaccination doses were administered. Next week’s activity will be dedicated to administering
second doses of both Moderna and Pfizer vaccines.
● Sea Mar at Sunrise Ridge: For the third week in a row, Sea Mar received only a small number of
doses to support providing second doses for patients who had previously been vaccinated at the clinic.
A request for a large shipment of primary doses has still not been fulfilled, and the Sunrise Ridge
health center does not plan to conduct a public vaccination clinic next week.
● Vashon Natural Medicine: VNM continues to be on hold for shipments until the vaccine is available in
much greater supply.
● Washington Department of Health acknowledges that there has been confusion surrounding second
COVID-19 vaccine doses. DOH is committed to ensuring there is a second dose of vaccine for
everyone who receives their first dose. They have asked providers to prioritize vaccine series
completion. This may mean using first doses to vaccinate people who need second doses. Providers
are encouraged to schedule second dose appointments when patients receive their first dose. The
second dose should be administered as close to the recommended interval as possible.
● Two doses of Pfizer-BioNTech should be given 3 weeks or 21 days apart.
● Two doses of Moderna should be given 1 month or 28 days apart.
If people are not able to get a second dose appointment following the recommended interval, the
second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines may be scheduled for
administration up to 6 weeks or 42 days after the first dose.
https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19/Vaccine
● State-level adjustments: As mentioned above, the federal government announced this week that it
will be providing states with three-week advance forecasts of how much vaccine will be shipped. The
state Department of Health (DOH) reacted positively to the news, saying it would be a big help to
planning vaccination operations. One major challenge around the state, and particularly on Vashon,
has been the difficulty of being able to reliably offer first dose appointments more than one week at a
time. The DOH at the same time warned that it would be taking steps to even out distribution
statewide, that vaccination phases and tiers would be rolled out simultaneously in all counties, not a
county at a time. The state also indicated that it may reallocate vaccines so counties that are having
trouble meeting the phase and tier targets would be brought along to catch up. This could mean that
some areas get less vaccine for a while, until the county vaccination rates have been equalized.
● Vashon Island School District Healthy Start plan has announced a timeline for reopening in-person
education. Dr. Slade McSheehy has said that with full consideration of WA Department of Health and
L&I safety protocols, in-person learning can be accomplished in a way that limits the spread of
infection, and in a way that improves student well-being and learning. VISD knows this because of
new information based on experience, data, and science. Dr McSheehy said he remains fully
committed to following the DOH recommendations and at the same time, is in full support of school
staff getting immediate access to vaccinations and will continue advocacy efforts until each and every
staff member has access. The timeline for the return to in-person learning is currently planned as:
● March 1st - preK - Kindergarten
● March 15th - Grades 1-3
● March 29th - Grades 4-5
● April 16th - Grades 6-12 (Still in planning phase)
Each of these phases are allowable when trends in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are flat or
decreasing and the school can demonstrate the ability to limit transmission in the school environment.
(2/12/21)
10● New report furthers understanding of COVID-19 transmission in schools. On February 11, DOH
released the “COVID-19 Outbreaks in Washington State K-12 Schools” report. The report is yet
another tool that school districts and local health jurisdictions (LHJs) can use to inform decisions about
when and how to bring students, educators and staff back for in-person learning.
https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/1600/coronavirus/data-tables/420-312-
K12SchoolsOutbreakReport.pdf (2/12/21)
● Nonessential travelers entering Canada at the U.S.-Canada land border will need to provide proof
of a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) COVID-19 test beginning Feb. 15. Canadian Prime
Minister Justin Trudeau said that the test must be taken within 72 hours before arrival at the border. He
said that while border agents can’t legally deny entry to Canadian citizens or permanent residents,
those who fail to present a negative test could face fines of C$3,000 (US$2,360) or other penalties.
(2/12/21)
● Nonessential air travelers arriving in Canada will have to quarantine in a hotel at their own expense
beginning Feb. 22, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday. They will require nonessential air
travelers to be tested for the coronavirus upon arrival and to await their results in a government-
approved hotel for up to three days. Those who test negative for the coronavirus will complete the rest
of their mandatory 14-day quarantine at home. Those who test positive for the virus will be transferred
to a different facility for the rest of their quarantine. The cost could exceed $1,500 per person.
(2/12/21)
● King County Metro encourages riders to be prepared, or to wait until the storms subside to travel.
When Metro’s service area is affected by snow or ice, there could be service disruptions including
reroutes, delays or individual trip cancelations, due to vehicle, staffing or other resource shortages, or
due to road conditions in specific areas. Unlike regular service days when Metro staff can send Transit
Alerts about some individual trip cancelations, it may not be possible to proactively send those alerts
for all canceled trips during a snow event. Known canceled trips are shown in the Next Departures
tool in Metro’s online trip planner at: https://tripplanner.kingcounty.gov/#/app/nextdepartures Metro’s
Text for Departures tool is another quick way to find the next departures at your bus stop. Text your
transit stop ID (on the sign at your bus stop) to this number: 62550, and you will receive a message a
few seconds later with up-to-date schedule information.
https://kingcounty.gov/depts/transportation/metro/alerts-updates/winter.aspx (2/12/21)
● Washington State Ferries is prepared for the snow forecast through the weekend. Riders should
prepare for the possibility of WSF operating on its severe weather schedules on some routes. WSF
will continue to send updates to let you know if a route switches to its alternate timetables. All traveling
customers are required to wear face coverings inside the terminal, at the tollbooth and aboard the
ferry. Check for schedule changes before traveling at https://wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/sailing-
schedules/schedule-route (2/12/21)
● Creating Strength, the island-wide campaign, aims to help all of us become stronger and more
resilient against the stresses of the pandemic which ripple outwards into related personal crises such
as unemployment, housing and food insecurity, racial justice, isolation, and political unrest. This
week’s feature focus is on ‘Move’. This nine-week campaign of mental health communications and
videos is produced by VashonBePrepared’s Community Care Team, which is a unit of the Medical
Reserve Corps, with support from the EOC’s Community Engagement Team. Mental health tips and
videos are available online at: https://VashonBePrepared.org/CreatingStrength (2/12/21)
● The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has adjusted quarantine requirements for
those that have been fully vaccinated. The most notable update addresses quarantine requirements
for vaccinated individuals after exposure to known COVID-19 cases. The new guidance largely
eliminates quarantine recommendations for fully vaccinated individuals. Individuals who meet all of the
following requirements do not need to quarantine after a known exposure:
● Received all required doses of the vaccine (ie, 2 doses for a 2-dose vaccine; 1 dose for a single-
dose vaccine)
● Received their final doses 2 weeks or longer before the exposure
● Are within 3 months since their second dose
● Remain asymptomatic following the exposure
11The guidance indicates that the timing associated with these requirements will be updated as
additional information becomes available. Presumably, this will include extending the 3-month limit as
new data are reported from clinical trials regarding the duration of immunity conferred by the vaccines.
Notably, the CDC continues to emphasize that vaccination is not recommended as post-exposure
prophylaxis, and that eligible individuals with known exposure should wait until after the completion of
their quarantine period to schedule their vaccination. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/info-by-
product/clinical-considerations.html (2/12/21)
● President Biden said Thursday that his administration had finalized deals for another 200 million
doses of the two coronavirus vaccines authorized in the United States, giving the country enough
vaccine by the end of July to cover every American adult. The federal government has purchased 100
million more doses from Pfizer and German company BioNTech, as well as 100 million more from
Moderna, using options built into existing contracts with those companies. (2/12/21)
● Warning, do not post your vaccine confirmation card online. “Unfortunately, your card has your
full name and birthday on it, as well as information about where you got your vaccine,” the Better
Business Bureau said last week. “If your social media privacy settings aren’t set high, you may be
giving valuable information away for anyone to use.” Scammers can sometimes figure out most digits
of your Social Security number by knowing your date and place of birth, and can open new accounts in
your name, claim your tax refund for themselves, and engage in other identity theft, said Maneesha
Mithal, associate director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Division of Privacy and Identity
Protection. https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2021/02/social-media-no-place-covid-19-vaccination-
cards (2/9/21)
● Call 2-1-1 for emergency shelter. The National Weather Service has forecast a potential for cold and
snowy weather this week. But, unlike in past winters, there's no emergency shelter at Vashon
Methodist Church, due to the pandemic. Anyone on Vashon who's experiencing homelessness and
wants to get space in a shelter will have to go to the mainland. The best resource for finding a space
is to call 2-1-1, because shelter status may change, depending on the weather and the demand for
space. Right now, the nearest active shelter is the Jefferson Day Center (420 4th Ave. Seattle, WA
98104). This shelter is currently serving men, and has space for 25. No reservations are needed, but
calling 2-1-1 is still the best first course of action. Transportation vouchers are available from VYFS
and other agencies. Warm clothes, hand warmers, and blankets collected by community members are
also available at the community grab and go dinners, hosted six evenings per week at the Methodist
church. (2/9/21)
● The Department of Health sent a message to all approved vaccine providers across the state which
said in part, “VIP scheduling, reserving doses for inequitable or exclusive access, and similar practices
will not be tolerated. If we find out a provider is giving out vaccine inequitably or is doing behaviors
listed above or similar, we may reduce or stop allocations to that provider.`` The Department of Health
issued a statement calling this practice “egregiously inappropriate behavior,” and that this kind of
practice is inequitable, wrong, and must stop immediately. https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-
news/health-department-to-vaccine-providers-we-may-cut-your-supply-if-you-allow-vip-scheduling/
(2/9/21)
● Washington State hospitals find fake N95 masks in their inventory. The Washington State
Hospital Association (WSHA) said that 300,000 counterfeit masks were purchased and distributed to
some 40 member hospitals. N95 masks are considered the gold standard for mask usage, but
counterfeit masks may threaten Americans' safety. Masks that do not meet US safety standards may
not filter out airborne particles effectively, the CDC said. N95 masks can also be mistaken with KN95
masks, which meet standards in China yet are not certified by the US National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). https://www.wsha.org/articles/alert-from-3m-leads-to-
discovery-of-counterfeit-n95-respirators-in-washington-state/ (2/9/21)
● When buying masks online, there are a few things you can ask yourself, according to CDC guidance
on spotting fake PPE. The most important thing: NIOSH approval. If you are buying online, look for
these warning signs on the website:
● Are there typos, bad grammar or other errors on the site?
● Are there website flaws, like unfinished or blank pages, dummy text, broken links and misspelled
domains?
12● Does the listing call the product "genuine" or "real"? Legitimate companies don't need to tell buyers
their products are real -- at least not in the product name.
● Have reviews been left on the product, or on the seller?
For more on counterfeit masks visit: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/usernotices/counterfeitResp.html
(2/9/21)
● Employment Security Department data shows that Vashon’s unemployment remains steady at 402
active claims. If you need assistance filing claims for unemployment benefits, or have questions on
eligibility with the COVID-19 relief programs, the Chamber of Commerce’s Ask the Expert is
available for free consultations, and will guide you on how to proceed with filing for unemployment,
PPP loans, or tax returns. Email deborah@vashonbeprepared.org, or call (206) 200-3236. (2/9/21)
● Rapid vaccination and early reactive partial lockdown could minimize deaths from emerging highly
contagious SARS-CoV-2 variants. A study based on a mathematical model calibrated to King County
suggests that rapid vaccination (8,000 people per day) and more case-sensitive partial lockdowns are
the two most influential factors that would lower COVID-19 adverse outcomes, considering a more
contagious variant may become the dominant strain by summer 2021. The study by two scientists has
not yet been through the peer review process for publication in a journal.
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.02.02.21250985v1 (2/9/21)
● Washington State Ferries (WSF) is hosting a series of upcoming virtual public meetings so staff can
be available to answer questions and give an update on WSF COVID-19 response. New director Patty
Rubstello will lead the webinars and report on progress made on key projects in 2020. Register for the
6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, meeting at: bit.ly/WSFWinterMeeting2. If you miss the meeting, a video
will be available at http://bit.ly/WSFCommunityParticipation (2/9/21)
● Vashon-Maury Chamber of Commerce will host a new Chamber Chat on SBA Paycheck Protection
Program (PPP) Loans. Heather Russell, Branch Manager at US Bank, will review the details of
submission and forgiveness of PPP loans, and field questions. The 45-minute Zoom meeting will be
held Thursday February 11 at 9:00 am. Register at
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIkcOqrpjMjGd2XGmxQw-HDaXKXemyxNgSK (2/9/21)
● The Washington State Department of Health recently created an Isolation and Quarantine
Calculator tool to take the guesswork out of knowing how long to stay quarantined. When your time
in isolation or quarantine ends, don’t forget to continue protecting others. Even though you may have
antibodies in your system, it’s still important to wash your hands, wear your mask, and maintain
distance, to prevent spreading the virus to others. https://medium.com/wadepthealth/check-out-the-
isolation-and-quarantine-calculator-189cccc584eb (2/9/21)
● The Washington State Department of Health recommends that employers screen staff and visitors
(excluding customers in retail) at the beginning of each shift or each visit to the business location, to
reduce the spread of COVID-19. They have published a screening tool with a checklist and log for
employers. Visit https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/covid-
19/~/media/depts/health/communicable-diseases/documents/C19/employee-screening-tool.ashx
(2/9/21)
● Gov. Jay Inslee signed legislation providing relief for businesses and workers impacted by the
COVID-19 pandemic. SB 5061 will increase minimum unemployment benefits for workers and provide
significant tax relief for businesses over the next five years, to support recovery from the economic
impacts of COVID shutdowns. The bill relieves employers of individual benefit charges for claims that
occurred between March 22 and May 30, 2020, the period of the governor’s “Stay Home, Stay
Healthy” order, and increases the minimum unemployment benefit starting July 1.
https://medium.com/wagovernor/inslee-signs-bipartisan-bill-to-support-business-and-workers-
d550a3a52551 (2/9/21)
● Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler issued an emergency order directing state-regulated health
insurers to open a special enrollment from Feb. 15 through May 15 for people who are uninsured.
“Over 600,000 people in Washington State don’t have health insurance,” said Kreidler. Anyone who
doesn’t have health insurance can buy a plan directly from an insurer or through the Washington
Health Benefit Exchange. If you buy a plan through the Exchange, you may qualify for federal help
paying your premium. https://www.wahealthplanfinder.org/ (2/9/21)
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