The Yakima Health District’s mobile COVID-19 vaccine clinics will end after March 31, 2022. Throughout the past months, the mobile clinics have provided invaluable access to the COVID-19 vaccine and held clinics in various locations, such as workplaces, grocery stores, schools, and much more.
These mobile COVID-19 vaccine clinics started when the FEMA Community Vaccination Center (CVC) began almost a year ago and set the precedence for mobile vaccine clinics across the state and country. Since the opening of the CVC, the Yakima Health District, in partnership with Columbia Safety, has administered almost 65,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine through both the fixed CVC site and mobile teams.
The decision to close the vaccine clinics was made as the intent of these clinics was always to help support our local healthcare partners by providing a separate avenue to the COVID-19 vaccine in our community. Over the last year clinics and pharmacies throughout the county have increased their vaccine capacity and have made the COVID-19 vaccine readily available for community members. As vaccine availability has increased in various locations, the Yakima Health District’s (YHD) mobile vaccine teams have seen less of a demand at the mobile vaccine clinics. YHD will plan to have community-based events throughout the upcoming months for community members to attend and get vaccinated.
Community members who need to get their COVID-19 vaccine are encouraged to visit any upcoming mobile vaccine clinic locations through the remainder of the month. As a reminder, the mobile vaccine clinics offer the first and second dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to anyone 5 years and older and the booster dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to anyone 12 years and older. After March 31, there will continue to be COVID-19 vaccination opportunities at local clinics and pharmacies. For an updated list of locations, individuals are encouraged to visit www.YakimaVaccines.org.
As of March 21, 2022, of individuals 5 years and older in Yakima County, 70.3% have initiated vaccination and 62.7% have been fully vaccinated. Additionally, 44.2% of eligible individuals 12 years and older in Yakima County have received a booster dose. Staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations, which includes receiving a booster dose if eligible, will remain crucial in the future to provide the highest level of protection against COVID-19 and its variants. Additionally, other preventative measures, such as washing hands frequently, staying home if sick, and getting tested for COVID-19, will continue to provide protection.