State is mismanaging vaccine distribution

Published 1:30 am Thursday, March 11, 2021

Thursday’s front page noted that state officials only ordered a third of our allocation of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine (“Inslee OKs use of single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine,” The Herald, March 3). In Snohomish County we can’t get appointments because there is not enough vaccine. Monroe and Arlington vaccine sites can easily do 110 vaccinations every 15 minutes; when they have the vaccine.

The reason the state gave was, “they want to figure out how best to integrate its distribution into the statewide effort before requesting the remainder.” Really? Shouldn’t they have had a plan in place by January for massive doses being delivered? If not, then just send it all to Snohomish County where two mass vaccination sites could do 32,200 vaccinations a week. Since the state is now only getting 20,300 doses of the new vaccine, these two sites could handle all that plus their second doses for the other two vaccines in one week. The problem in Snohomish County is that limited vaccine limits the number of appointments each week. These two sites are closed more days than they can open. This is a huge waste.

I understand our county planned for these mass vaccination sites last July. A huge thank-you to the person/department for their forward thinking, planning and implementation. These drive[up sites demonstrate the most efficient governmental process I’ve ever used. The state health officials could take some lessons from Snohomish County. Limited vaccine equals limited appointments plus mass frustration! We need more vaccine.

Blanch Kosche

Lake Stevens