SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — Washington state is sitting at 60.31 percent of all people 16 years and older with at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot, a little less than 10 percent short of Governor Jay Inslee's benchmark to reopen before June 30.
Spokane Interim Health Officer Dr. Francisco Velazquez said he is hopeful the state can reach that goal before the end of June, even if Spokane County doesn't hit the 70 percent mark by then.
"I think we're have a really good possibility of hitting the 70 percent [mark]," Velazquez said. "I don't know if it will be before June 30. I would hope that we do. I'm pretty sure the state will reach that number before we do, just based on where we are."
Spokane County is lagging behind the state average when it comes to vaccine initiation rates. Spokane County is sitting at 47.91 percent, according to Washington Department of Health data from May 17, although Velazquez said that number has rose in the last few days. That's short of the state's average, which sits at 59.21 percent.
The gap is also present if we divide the state with the Cascade Mountains. Eastern Washington is sitting at 46.95 percent, according to the WDOH data, with Western Washington clocking in at 60.31 percent, much closer to Inslee's goal.
Velazquez said Eastern Washington lagging behind Western Washington when it comes to a vaccine isn't uncommon. Factors behind the gap include more opportunities for public health vaccine pushes, as well as the population in Eastern Washington taking slightly more time to learn about new vaccines, according to Velazquez.
The vaccine push has resulted in mobile vaccine clinics popping up in Spokane. Brick West Brewing hosted one on Tuesday, and the brewery saw the event as a success.
"It was good to see the community rally behind this vaccination," said Bill Powers, Brick West Brewing's Marketing Director. "A lot of people on our social media were really appreciative of it, and so the community seemed like they were really interested in that kind of event. We had a good time."
Powers says about 100 people got their shot on Tuesday. The brewery gave $1 beers to those getting their shot. Brick West may hold more mobile vaccine clinics as the state gets closer to its reopening date or hitting 70 percent, according to Powers, who also said the point of the clinics isn't just reopening the state early.
"I was vaccinated, fully vaccinated, about two weeks ago, and just that in and of itself was a relief," Powers said. "And its something where I don't think people, you might not notice until you get to that point, that its like a sigh of relief."