When are you eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine? The answer might be “sooner than you think”; now, state officials should work to make the wait even shorter.
On Wednesday, officials announced plans to comply with a mandate from President Joe Biden that eligibility be opened to all adults by May 1. But Dr. Alan Melnick, Clark County’s public health officer, is pushing to move that deadline up.
With the county’s wait list for vaccines having been mostly eliminated, and with vaccine distribution now running smoothly, Melnick makes a strong case. “Why not open it up to more people?” he asked during a presentation to the Clark County Board of Health. Clark County Councilor Gary Medvigy added: “At some point, we really should shift over to first-come first-served. Let’s get the vaccine out.”
Indeed. Since vaccines became available late last year, one of the most confusing aspects has been eligibility. First responders and health care workers who come into contact with infected people were given priority, as were vulnerable populations such as long-term care residents.
Initially, there were problems with websites for sign-ups, as demand outpaced supply. Sunday openings of new registration slots turned into a “Hunger Games” battle to see who was tech savvy enough to schedule an appointment.
As more of the population became eligible – teachers were given priority and the age limit was lowered – and as Clark County struggled to receive an equitable allotment of vaccines from state officials, the crunch continued.
Now, however, those most in need have been vaccinated and supply has increased. Nationally, Biden’s stated desire to have 100 million doses administered in his first 100 days in office was surpassed on the 59th day; Thursday he announced a new goal – 200 million doses by April 30.
Currently, there are 3 million people eligible for a vaccine in Washington; another 2 million will be cleared next week when the state adds tiers that include all people 60 and older. Meeting the mandate of universal eligibility for everybody 16 and older will add another 1.2 million residents.
Statewide, as of Wednesday, 26 percent of Washington’s population had received one vaccine dose and 15 percent were fully vaccinated. Clark County’s numbers are lower, but the area’s vaccine supply has greatly increased in recent weeks.
Widening eligibility would have benefits. In one example, Melnick pointed out that if Clark County Public Health brought a mobile vaccine clinic to food-processing workers, universal eligibility would allow family members to also be inoculated – which could help get vaccines to communities of color. Another benefit is that some eligible people are declining vaccines, creating the risk that available shots will go unused.
While reluctance on the part of some people should be respected, we encourage all residents to seek reliable information about the effectiveness of vaccines and the health risks involved. As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website says: “Millions of people in the United States have received COVID-19 vaccines under the most intense safety monitoring in U.S. history.”
But before anybody can be vaccinated, first they must be deemed eligible by state officials. Melnick says he will confer with health officials in other counties and state leaders about moving up the deadline for eligibility.
It is a good idea. And it means that you might be eligible sooner than you think.
