The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

WAITSBURG—The warm spring sunshine is out, but it isn’t safe to put the face masks away just yet. Vaccination eligibility is expanding, however, bringing us closer to a mask-free future.

In Walla Walla County, Group 1B, Tier 1, which includes all people 65 years or older, all people 50 years or older who live in multigenerational households, educators and staff for pre-k through 12th grades, and all childcare providers, is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccinations.

Also eligible at this time in Walla Walla County are individuals in Group 1B, Tier 2, which includes high-risk critical workers who work in certain congregate settings (fishing vessel crews, food processing, grocery stores, corrections, public transit, and remaining first responders), and people 16 years or older who are pregnant or have a disability that puts them at risk for severe COVID-19 illness.

Starting April 15, the COVID-19 vaccine will be available to everyone over the age of 16. To schedule a vaccination appointment in Walla Walla County, visit http://www.covidwwc.com, and select the “Upcoming Clinics” tab. Scroll to the “Schedule an Appointment” and select after confirming eligibility. Select an appointment time that works for you, and complete the registration.

Appointments are also available for scheduling on the Washington State Department of Health’s website, http://www.doh.wa.gov. Use the Vaccine Locator tool to find vaccination sites near you. As of March 30, the Phase Finder tool is no longer available.

Walla Walla County has experienced a slight spike in COVID-19 cases over the past couple of weeks, with 46 active cases as of April 6. Waitsburg has had 73 total cases since the start of the pandemic. To remain in Phase 3 of the Roadmap to Recovery, Walla Walla County case counts must stay under 200 cases per 100,000 residents over a 14-day period.

On Tuesday, April 6, Columbia County reported no new or active cases of COVID-19 since February 25. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the county has had 107 recovered cases, and four deaths.

Vaccinations are currently being scheduled for all residents 18 years of age and older in Columbia County. To schedule your appointment, call the County Public Health office at (509) 382-2181.

Vaccinated individuals must continue to follow COVID-19 safety precautions, including wearing a face mask during gatherings and practicing social distancing. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance states that fully vaccinated people may gather indoors without a mask, but precautions must be observed while around non-vaccinated people.

Under current reopening guidelines, outdoor gatherings are limited to 50 people from outside of your home, while indoor gatherings are limited to 10 people from out of the home. Retail, professional and personal services, and worship services are still capped at 50% capacity. Indoor dining establishments can now accommodate 50% capacity and must follow precautions to include non-vaccinated people.

On April 6, 2021 the Biden administration announced that all U.S. adults should be eligible for COVID-19 vaccine by April 19.