What can you do to help?
If you know of a senior who needs assistance with making a vaccination appointment, offer to call or book online on their behalf. Anyone who is in groups Phase 1A and Phase 1B, Tier 1 is currently eligible, including those aged 65 or older. If you are uncertain if they are eligible, call 1-800-525-0127 or go to findyourphasewa.org to confirm.
Appointments can be booked by visiting kcowa.us/vaccine, or a full list of local vaccine providers can be found at covidvaccinewa.org. If you do not have internet or need help registering, call 360-728-2219. For Spanish call 360-728-2218.
If you need transportation assistance to a COVID-19 vaccine site, please call Kitsap Transit ACCESS service at 360-479-7272 or 800-422-2877 for FREE transportation to and from vaccination clinics. Due to waiting times at clinics, they will need to call ACCESS after they have received their vaccine to request a ride home.
What is Kitsap Public Health District doing to help?
Reaching seniors who have not yet been vaccinated remains a top priority. Here are the steps the Kitsap Public Health District (KPHD) has taken to help:
- Each week that the KPHD vaccine clinic is open, several hundred appointments are reserved for people who do not have internet, are not able to use online registration systems, or have other barriers to accessing vaccination.
- There are dedicated vaccine assistance lines (360-728-2219 for English; 360-728-2218 for Spanish) for people to call. People who leave messages on these lines are added to a list to be called when appointments are available. KPHD called more than 500 households from this list last week to offer vaccine appointments.
- KPHD has partnered with Kitsap County Human Services, and specifically the Division of Aging and Long-term Care, to reach seniors who may not be tuned into electronic sources of information or need help getting signed up.
- There is an English/Spanish flyer with simple steps for finding vaccine providers and getting registration help. The Kitsap County Emergency Operations Center printed 20,000 copies of this flyer and it is being distributed through groups such as Meals on Wheels, Kitsap Regional Library, and the food bank network.
- KPHD is engaging in direct outreach with low-income senior housing groups, adult family homes, and numerous other organizations serving seniors who may need help getting vaccinated.
- A Vaccine Equity Collaborative was convened to identify and address gaps in vaccine distribution. Organizations including the NAACP and Kitsap Immigrant Assistance Center are referring eligible community members to KPHD for registration.
Additional strategies are in development to help seniors, including launching vaccine sites in more areas of the county and exploring mobile and drive-thru options.
Thank you for your help!
