In another sign that progress is being made to stem the coronavirus pandemic, a state-run vaccination site near Ridgefield is closing. While COVID-19 remains a threat to our community’s well-being, it is important to celebrate the positive milestones after about 14 months of difficult news.
The site, at the Clark County Event Center at the Fairgrounds, will close on Friday after running for four months. The Washington Department of Health has operated four large vaccine sites, administering about 300,000 doses of vaccines.
A county-run Tower Mall vaccination site in central Vancouver will continue to operate, and vaccines still are available through health care providers and pharmacies. Some vaccines have been approved for people as young as 12, and widespread inoculations remain essential for reducing infection rates and allowing for a full reopening of businesses.
Gov. Jay Inslee has set a target date of June 30 for ending coronavirus restrictions. If the vaccination rate for people age 16 and older reaches 70 percent, the reopening date could be moved up.
“This does not mean that our state of emergency will end on June 30,” Inslee said two weeks ago. “The virus is not done with us.”
According to Clark County Public Health, 161,121 local residents were fully vaccinated as of Saturday, and another 44,752 had received one dose. Statewide, about 60 percent of residents age 16 and older have received at least one shot, placing Washington among the top 15 states in vaccination rates.
But, indeed, the virus is not done with us, and vaccinations have clearly played a role in reducing infection rates. Since the beginning of the outbreak, Washington has consistently ranked among the 10 best states in terms of COVID infections and deaths attributed to the disease, but there still have been nearly 400,000 cases and more than 5,700 deaths.
The closing of the vaccination site at the fairgrounds is a signal that the numbers are trending in the right direction — and a signal that updated strategies are necessary to improve vaccine delivery.
State-administered efforts now will focus on mobile vaccine clinics designed to reach underserved communities. There also is a need to provide information for residents who are vaccine hesitant, with opinion polls showing that about one-quarter of Americans say they will refuse to be vaccinated.
As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report: “COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. COVID-19 vaccines were evaluated in tens of thousands of participants in clinical trials. The vaccines met the Food and Drug Administration’s rigorous scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality.” Before refusing vaccines, those with concerns should consult their doctor and consider the conclusions of medical researchers, weighing those conclusions against what they read on social media.
The benefits of widespread inoculations are evident in recent news articles. For example, a Memorial Day observance will take place Monday at the Fort Vancouver Artillery Barracks — a welcome development after a year of constant stories about public events being canceled.
As President Joe Biden said recently: “Every day, the light at the end of that tunnel is growing brighter. This vaccination effort has been an historic logistical achievement for our nation.”
In Clark County, public health officials, the Washington National Guard and local sponsors and health care providers deserve credit for that achievement.
