More than 2,000 receive COVID vaccinations at clinics

More than 2,300 people received vaccinations in Clallam County this weekend at three major COVID-19 vaccination clinics in Sequim, Port Angeles and Forks.

Clallam County Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry said 1,800 vaccinations were provided Friday and Saturday at the three clinics, and another 520 vaccinations were expected in Port Angeles on Sunday.

Clallam County has administered more than 11,500 vaccinations so far, nearly 15 percent of the county’s population.

Berry said last week the county was leading the state in the percentage of its population receiving COVID-19 vaccines so far.

Vaccination clinics will take a break for about a week as the county looks to rebuild its vaccine supplies. Clinics will return Feb. 2 in Sequim and Feb. 6 in Port Angeles and also in Forks, although a specific date has not been announced.

Berry has set a goal of 4,000 vaccinations a week and 16,000 for the month of February.

Beginning next month, people 65 and older can receive vaccinations. Until now, only people 70 and older and health care workers and first responders, as well as a few caregivers older than 50 in Forks, have been able to receive vaccinations.

If the county can maintain that pace, that would mean about 35 percent of its population could be vaccinated by the end of February.

Meanwhile, Jefferson County has provided about 4,000 vaccinations and is likewise taking a week off to rebuild its supply after Monday.

New cases

Clallam County reported three new COVID-19 positives late Saturday and one more Sunday to give the county 898 total cases since March.

The county has three residents in the hospital and 40 active cases. The infection rate is 134 per 100,000 during the past two weeks, but that will be recalculated Monday and could drop since there have been relatively few new cases.

Jefferson County Health Officer Dr. Tom Locke reported no new cases Sunday. The county had no new cases Saturday and two Friday.

Jefferson County has had 279 cases since March and currently has 14 active cases in isolation. Its infection rate is 125.39 per 100,000 during the past two weeks, but that will be recalculated Monday.

Locke will provide his weekly COVID-19 update to the Board of Jefferson County Commissioners today (Monday). It can be viewed at www.tinyurl.com/jeffcomeetings.

Locke said his update will focus primarily on vaccination plans in Jefferson County.