Seattle shutting down mass vaccination sites; 60% vaccinated

SEATTLE (AP) — The city of Seattle is shutting down all but one of its mass COVID-19 vaccination sites next month because authorities say more than 76% of Seattle residents eligible have received at least one shot and 60% are fully vaccinated.

Authorities announced Wednesday that the city-run sites at Lumen Field, Rainier Beach, West Seattle and North Seattle College will close in June.

The Seattle Times reports the Seattle Fire Department will continue operating its testing and vaccination site in the SODO neighborhood south of downtown through the summer.

“Now that the vast majority of Seattleites have begun the vaccination process, we are able to safely reopen and recover as a city — without the need for our fixed sites,” Mayor Jenny Durkan said in a statement.

The city’s vaccination efforts got a boost when the Lumen Field Event Center opened more than two months ago. Since March 13, more than 97,000 vaccinations have been administered at the event center near two of the city’s large sports arenas.

The city says it will continue to offer mobile vaccinations and spin up vaccination clinics as needed.

Seattle is outpacing the state with COVID-19 vaccinations. The state Department of Health hasn’t yet listed 12- to 15-year-olds on its data dashboard and is showing the vaccination rate for everyone 16 and older, which comes in at nearly 61% having at least one shot and more than 40% fully vaccinated.

King County’s vaccination rates mirror Seattle’s, with 72% of people 12 and older with at least one dose and 59% of that group being fully vaccinated.

The 76% of at least partially vaccinated Seattleites translates to more than 230,000 doses put into arms.