First shipment of COVID-19 vaccine arrives in Seattle, could be administered Tuesday

The first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine arrived at a Seattle hospital on Monday and could be administered as soon as Tuesday.

The initial shipment has 62,000 doses, and the state hopes to have 222,000 total doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine by the end of this month.

It was a gleeful Gov. Jay Inslee who announced the long-anticipated news that Washington state could soon get the vaccine.

“I’m joyous to be able to say that the federal government has authorized the use of the COVID-19 vaccine,” Inslee said. “We now know we can see the port. We can see the safe harbor. It’s in view with this vaccine.”

It was late Friday that the Food and Drug Administration gave the Pfizer vaccine emergency use authorization. However, it was not until Saturday night that the vaccine got the green light, too, from the 17-member Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup, an extra step to reassure skeptics that the vaccine is safe.

“The process that was followed was absolutely rigorous,” said Dr. Ed Marcuse, who helped review the Pfizer data.

The state’s chief health officer said it was coming none too soon.

“As of this morning, there are more than 1,000 COVID-19 patients in our hospitals. Our hospitals are stressed, taking care of patients, with or without COVID, and our health care workers are exhausted,” Dr. Kathy Lofy said.

The first people to receive the vaccine will be front-line health workers directly involved with COVID-19 patients, long-term care facilities and two tribal nations. No decision has been made on who will be next, but everyone here insists they will take the vaccine when their turn comes.

“Both Dr. Marcuse and I concurred in the work groups’ unanimous conclusion that the vaccine is both safe and effective. And I would echo what Dr. Lofy said. I think it benefits greatly outweigh any potential risks,” said Dr. John Dunn.

On Saturday, KIRO 7 crews spotted some critics demonstrating outside of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation who said they will not take the vaccine and do not want others forced to take it either. However, Inslee said Sunday he hopes it will not come to that.

“We’re relying upon Washingtonians’ commitment to following science and truth. And the truth is in the science. It is not in our fears,” the governor said.

Everyone at the governor’s news conference pledged to take the vaccine in hopes of convincing others to do the same.

Lofy said 70% of the state’s residents need to take the vaccine to reach herd immunity to protect everyone.