SPOKANE, Wash. — The Spokane Regional Health District is working to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to some of the city's most vulnerable community members.
Those experiencing homelessness are now receiving their first dose of the vaccine, according to a press release from the City of Spokane and SRHD. Vaccination clinics were established at local shelters and opened on Monday, Jan. 25.
Vaccines are administered to clients and staff based on the Washington State Department of Health's (DOH) phased guidance.
Washington is currently in Tier 1 of Phase 1B in its vaccine distribution plan. It includes people 65 and older and people over 50 years who live in multigenerational households.
The DOH said vaccinations for people Tiers 2-4 of Phase 1B are expected to occur in the spring or summer of 2021 but officials have not provided a more specific timeline. Phase 1B Tier 4 in Washington includes people experiencing homeless who live in access services or congregate settings.
Shelby Anderson, a spokesperson for the DOH, said on Monday that staff "do not have knowledge of the effort to vaccinate people experiencing homelessness or staff at shelters" in Spokane. She further clarified that living in a shelter is not the same as living in a multigenerational household.
“This was a team effort with service providers and our immunization team who prioritized vaccines for our warming center and shelter patrons,” says Kylie Kingsbury, Homeless Outreach Coordinator with SRHD.
SRHD will continue offering immunization clinics at shelters and administering the vaccine to those who wish to receive it, according to the press release.
Kelli Hawkins, a spokesperson for SRHD, said the vaccine clinics for homeless residents are dependent on available supply. Doses are coming from those allocated to both SRHD and local vaccine providers, she added.
The City of Spokane established weekly service provider meetings in March 2020 to share official health guidance, resources and brainstorm operational solutions to begin mitigating the spread of COVID-19 in the regional shelter system, the press release said.
The first outbreak in the shelter system did not happen until September 2020, according to the press release. Adjustments were made throughout the system in the fall to mitigate outbreaks as much as possible as community spread began to increase.
The Union Gospel Mission Men's Shelter in Spokane recently reported a COVID-19 outbreak that forced the closure of new intakes in order to stop the spread of the virus.
A spokesperson said more than 70 people had tested positive for coronavirus since Christmas and there were more than 30 active cases as of Thursday, Feb. 4. Five shelter staff are also out due to COVID-19, including the shelter manager and director of ministries.