SPOKANE, Wash. — Governor Jay Inslee released new guidelines for Phase 1B of Washington's vaccine plan Monday, and the state aims to vaccinate 45,000 people a day starting next week.
Anyone 65 years of age or older in the state will now be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. Seniors in Spokane say the new guidelines are giving them hope that they can come out of isolation sooner rather than later.
“I am excited,” said Bev Mors, a Spokane resident who is now eligible for a shot. “It will mean I feel safer to see my children and my grandchildren.”
Throughout the pandemic, she's settled for Zoom conversations with her family that live across the state. Mors said staying isolated has been challenging for her, and the restrictions have become tiring.
Last year, Mors spent time in the ICU, and her family wasn't allowed to go see her due to COVID-19 protocols.
“That’s really hard to be in the hospital and not have any visitors,” she explained.
Hospital nurses had to help her with phone calls while she recovered.
The Spokane Arena, which has been a testing location for the last month, will turn into a mass vaccination site once the state begins Phase 1B.
Mors says she’s ready to receive her vaccine but she also has questions about what the process will look like.
“Who do you call to make an appointment, or do you have to get in line with your car,” she wonders. “They’re showing things all over the country where people are waiting in line for 8-10 hours and most of us are not up to that."
Details about how the Spokane Arena will distribute vaccines will be released in the coming days.
“Well I was really pleased with the fact they are opening up, and they seem to have somewhat of a plan.”