Cause for Celebration: Six Months with a Vaccine!
Washington medical experts share what we’ve learned
Washington State Department of HealthFollow
Jun 17 · 3 min read
June marks six months since the COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Washington. As summer rapidly approaches, we’re all eager to enjoy outdoor gatherings, fun and adventure. But first, let’s take a moment to reflect on our progress as a state in helping to slow the spread of COVID-19.
We learned a lot during the last six months. We recently gathered medical experts for a panel event on our state’s vaccine progress. Dr. Ben Danielson of University of Washington School of Medicine, Dr. Gretchen LaSalle of the American Academy of Family Physicians and Dr. Larry Corey of Fred Hutch shared learnings from the last six months, advice for those still deciding on the vaccine, and their outlook for life after the pandemic. You can watch the full video here.
How Does Washington Measure Up?
All across Washington, people are getting the COVID-19 vaccine to protect themselves and their communities. And the progress is really making a difference. According to the CDC, Washington ranks seventh highest in percentage of COVID-19 vaccines administered. With over 7.5 million vaccine doses already given, Washingtonians deserve a pat on the back.
Who’s Getting the Vaccine?
Over 47 percent of people in Washington are now fully vaccinated. This means two weeks have passed since they received their final dose of COVID vaccine. By age range, the highest percent of fully vaccinated people — 75 percent — are those ages 65 and older. This wasn’t a huge surprise since this was one of the earliest groups eligible for the vaccine. However, it is a wonderful testament to everyone who helped this group get vaccinated — and to all the friends and family that helped.
As we move down in age, the percent of vaccinated people drops slightly. But the good news is that even among the 16–17 age group, over 35 percent are fully vaccinated. With the Pfizer vaccine now authorized for emergency use for those 12 and over, more young people will be fully vaccinated in the weeks and months to come.
You can use our COVID-19 Data Dashboard to keep up with the latest numbers.
What’s Next?
It’s true that we’ve made tremendous progress in slowing the spread of COVID-19 with vaccinations. However, the level of transmission of COVID-19 was still fairly high as of mid-May. This means it’s still important for everyone [that can] to get vaccinated. And we still need to practice preventive measures like wearing masks, maintaining distance and taking gatherings outside if someone’s not vaccinated.
So, as you dive headfirst into your summer plans, let hope guide you to cautious optimism. We should all feel joyous about our progress as a larger community, and keep in mind how far we’ve come in such a short time. We would not be here today without everyone working together so far. Together, we can keep it going for a safe and healthy future. Here comes the sun!