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Vaccine Opportunities Near You
Dear Neighbors and Friends:
On Tuesday, Gov. Jay Inslee announced that all Washington counties, including King County, would stay in their current reopening phase, without moving forwards or backwards. Even as our state is battling through a possible fourth wave of the virus, the data shows a plateau in cases as vaccines are being administered in our communities.
These are hopeful news for our region and our state!
Every Washingtonian over the age of 16 is eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective in preventing serious illness and they are our best tool to keep our communities healthy and turn the corner on the pandemic.
We must remember that the virus is still infecting people in our communities and putting people at risk of severe infection. Our best hope is to get as many people vaccinated in our communities as possible.
We must continue to mask-up, stay safe, and follow local public health guidelines. And as a reminder, you can always determine your nearest vaccination site at our King County Public Health website or Washington State’s COVID Vaccine Finder.
Walk-in Vaccine Appointments in Seattle
Thousands of vaccines are available at Lumen Field Wednesday and Saturday from 11:15am-5:45pm. All people over the age of 16 are eligible for a vaccine without needing an appointment as Lumen Field is now accepting walk-ins. Appointments are still encouraged, go to this link to sign up!
Vaccines are also available in Rainier Beach and West Seattle Monday through Saturday from 9am-4:30pm. For more information on all three locations, visit Mayor Jenny Durkan’s website here.
Walk-in Vaccine Appointments in Kent and Auburn
Auburn and Kent vaccination community clinics are now offering vaccines with no appointment needed. The Kent ShoWare Center and Auburn Outlet Collection clinics are open Monday through Saturday, from 9am-4pm. To schedule an appointment or additional information on each location, please visit our Public Health site.
Vaccination Language Assistance
Language interpretation can also be accessed with the Washington State COVID-19 Assistance hotline at 1-800-525-0127 or 1-888-856-5816 (then press #) as well as the King County COVID-29 Call Center at 206-477-3977 from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
Free Transportation to Vaccine Clinics
For those who are low-income, a senior, have a disability, or are a veteran, there are several free and low-cost transportation options to vaccine clinics. These services can be accessed by calling Hopelink’s Vaccine Helpline at 425-943-6706 (press 5 for language assistance) or visit the Find a Ride website.
Youth Achievement Center Update
The Youth Achievement Center is a housing and resource center for South Seattle and King County youth that our office has been working on for the past year along with community organizations. On May 1st, Representative Adam Smith supported the Youth Achievement Center project by submitting a $1 million federal funding proposal to the House Appropriations Committee. For more information, visit his website here.
New Light Rail Stations
Seattle City Councilmember Alex Pedersen, who overlaps with our King County District, has provided an update that Sound Transit’s University District, Roosevelt, and Northgate light rail stations (funded by the Sound Transit 2 measure enacted by voters in 2008) will open on October 2, 2021.
Brooklyn Avenue and NE 43rd Street, which lead into the University of Washington’s campus, have been almost completely redone. While the decision to narrow Brooklyn Avenue unfortunately impedes access for most buses, ideally this street would have remained wide enough to accommodate most buses and provide seamless transfers from bus to light rail. As all the light rail stations open, the Seattle Department of Transportation will need to stay tightly coordinated with King County Metro to adjust bus routes based on rider feedback for the thousands who will be transferring from bus to light rail. But, overall, the opening of these stations just 5 months from now is great news and will be a positive game-changer for mobility for Seattle and King County.
Help us grow our reach!
My team and I send email updates like the one you’re currently reading every couple of weeks and we want to ensure we’re reaching as many of you in our community as possible. So if you know anyone who would like to receive these updates, please be sure to send them over to our County Council website to sign up! And as always, for more frequent and daily updates, you can check out our Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter pages. For the latest news, resources, and opportunities to engage with your King County government, follow me on the social media channels of your choice:
Facebook: facebook.com/Councilmember.Girmay
Instagram: @councilmember.girmay
Twitter: @GirmayZahilay
Sincerely,
Councilmember Girmay Zahilay
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