Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Chris Skidmore
COLFAX - Whitman County may have trouble getting people vaccinated for COVID-19 and it may leave the county with another two weeks at Phase Two.
Whitman County Public Health Director Chris Skidmore gave an update to county commissioners on Monday, a week before the state's next assessment.
A total of 33,000 vaccine doses have been administered locally including 75% of the 65-and older population. Washington State University (WSU) students do not count in county numbers as students' record their primary residence as elsewhere.
For the upcoming May 3 assessment, Skidmore said it will take into consideration Whitman County's COVID-19 case counts from April 10-23 and hospitalizations from April 14-20.
Skidmore reported 3,000 doses of the vaccine were given last week, most were booster shots.
"Maybe we're reaching a saturation point of those wanting to get the vaccine," he said.
He talked about vaccine clinics not being able to fill their schedule.
"We may not need big weekend clinics any longer," Skidmore said.
Commissioner Art Swannack suggested some of the lag may be due to a request he got about how to get vaccine shots at people's local clinics.
Skidmore said two pop-up clinics are being held at schools this week, one in Colfax and the other in Pullman. Other school districts are set to follow. They are put on by Range Health of WSU.
"It's become pretty obvious that our outlying towns are in need of getting vaccinated," said Commissioner Tom Handy.
Swannack said recent outbreaks were mainly in K-12 student populations, which is just becoming eligible for the vaccine. He also said some adults who will get vaccinated were waiting a little longer to be sure about it.
Skidmore expects a call from the governor's office next Sunday afternoon to reconcile numbers leading to the May 3 assessment on whether counties move up a phase, move down, or stay where they are.
"It looks like most other counties will be moving back to Phase Two. We were really a canary in a coal mine," Skidmore said.
"The county has a lot riding on these numbers," Handy said.
"Totally agree," said Swannack.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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