Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced Wednesday that all Washington state residents age 16 and up will be eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine starting April 15.
The move comes on the same day that eligibility was expanded to include an additional 2 million people in the state, including people 60 or older, restaurant workers, people experiencing homelessness and others.
The announcement will add 1.2 million more people to the eligibility list and comes two weeks after President Joe Biden directed states to make all adult Americans eligible to receive shots by no later than May 1.
“We are confident we can take this step because our dosage allocations have increased,” Inslee said in a news conference Wednesday afternoon. The governor said that 3.3 million Washingtonians have received their first vaccine dose and more than 1 million Washingtonians are fully vaccinated.
The Washington Department of Health reports an average of about 54,000 vaccines a day are being administered.
I’m happy to announce that effective April 15, every adult in Washington will be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. pic.twitter.com/bqt9YdrX5p
— Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) March 31, 2021
Current COVID-19 trends across the state are concerning, and we must do everything possible to ensure we keep cases down. Now is the time to stay diligent.
We’re not out of the woods yet. Opening up full eligibility will be another crucial tool in our fight against this virus.
— Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) March 31, 2021
3.3 million Washingtonians have received their first dose, & more than 1 million are fully vaccinated.
We still have a long ways to go in getting most Washingtonians vaccinated, but if we continue wearing masks, distancing & getting vaccinated – we will knock this virus down.
— Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) March 31, 2021
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan followed Inslee’s announcement by stating that Seattle is ready to significantly expand its vaccination efforts and that the City is now able to provide up to 168,000 shots each week.
Durkan earlier Wednesday touted the opening of a new Community Vaccination Hub operated by Seattle Visiting Nurse Association at North Seattle College. The site will be the fourth City-affiliated fixed vaccination site, in addition to the Lumen Field Event Center, Rainier Beach, and West Seattle.
Durkan said the demand for vaccines currently far outpaces supply, but she expressed confidence in the White House securing more doses for the region in April and May.