EVERETT — Snohomish County pharmacies and clinics last week began administering updated vaccines to protect against the “big three” viruses that fill emergency rooms in the colder months.
As of last week, emergency department visits in the county due to respiratory illness remained low. But that’s not a reason to skip the latest doses for COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus.
“Immunization lowers the chances of becoming ill, and, if you do get ill, reduces the severity,” said Emily Oomen, spokesperson for the county Health Department. “It can be the difference between recovering at home and ending up in the emergency department.”
From fall 2023 to this April, COVID caused over 1,000 hospitalizations in the county and more than 5,000 deaths statewide. The flu caused 122 hospitalizations and six deaths in Snohomish County. RSV led to hundreds of emergency room visits.
Before the rollout last week, only 19.6% of county residents were up to date with last year’s COVID-19 shot.
“Every COVID vaccine reformulation has had a lower patient uptake than the previous one,” said Marci Reynolds, a local QFC pharmacy coordinator.
Annual vaccines are needed to protect against the ever-evolving viruses, Reynolds said, especially since vaccine efficacy declines over time. Vaccination can also protect against Long COVID symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The federal Food and Drug Administration and CDC released recommendations for the updated vaccines in June. They include Moderna, Pfizer and Novavax vaccines said to be effective against the latest COVID variants.
Flu and COVID vaccines are recommended for everyone 6 months and older. Immunizations for RSV, the leading cause of infant hospitalization, are recommended for older adults, infants and those who are pregnant.
Right now, some pharmacies are only administering COVID vaccines for kids as young as 12, Reynolds said.
Tools to find the nearest vaccine provider include the state’s vaccine locator and the federal vaccine search by ZIP code. Texting a ZIP code to GETVAX (438829) will prompt a reply with vaccination sites nearby. Personal vaccination records can be found online.
At Fred Meyer and QFC pharmacies, some of the first in the county to get the new supply, walk-ins are accepted but appointments are recommended. Companies are still distributing doses, so stock may be limited. It’s safe to get all three vaccines on the same day.
“Now or anytime it is convenient for you in the next month or so, is the perfect time to get vaccinated,” Oomen said. “There is a lot of information out there about timing your vaccines, but the most important thing is that you get them.”
Most insurance companies will pay for the vaccines. For those who are uninsured, a flu dose costs $45, a COVID dose about $170 and RSV more than $300. The federal Bridge Access Program tool shows clinics providing free vaccinations for adults, and Vaccines for Children providers vaccinate uninsured children.
Earlier this year, some pharmacies saw supply-chain issues with Paxlovid, the medication prescribed to reduce COVID symptoms. That’s no longer a problem, Reynolds said — at least at QFC pharmacies.
Correction: A previous version of this story misstated how old kids need to be to get COVID vaccines at some pharmacies.
Sydney Jackson: 425-339-3430; sydney.jackson@heraldnet.com; X: @_sydneyajackson.
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