5 Things you need to know this weekend
Vaccine timeline for general public; 2nd dose scramble; Tacoma affordable housing; Skip Super Bowl parties; NFL stadiums as mass vaccine sites.
The Washington State Department of Health has adjusted its timeline for members of the general public to begin receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
Phases 2, 3 and 4 of Washington’s vaccine distribution plan were initially expected to start this May, but the state now predicts a start date of summer or fall of 2021 for healthy adults to be eligible. Read more
Some Washington residents are scrambling to find their 2nd dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
In the past week, Washington received 107,000 first doses from the federal government, and only 59,000 second doses.
That’s left many people struggling to book their booster shot, while the state says they are working to sort out the second dose issues. Read more
Residents in Tacoma’s Hilltop neighborhood are worried new construction could price them out of the area.
Meanwhile, the Tacoma Housing Authority is working to create more affordable housing by buying parcels of land near the new light rail line. Read more
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has reportedly told the Biden administration that all 32 football teams in the league will make their stadiums available for mass COVID-19 vaccinations.
President Biden has called for setting up 100 mass vaccination centers around the country within a month. Read more
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee joined Dr. Anthony Fauci in urging people to skip large Super Bowl parties this year, and instead watch the game at home.
Their plea is an effort to help stop the spread of coronavirus, which can spike after major holidays and social gatherings.
“We don’t want to let the virus win the Super Bowl,” Inslee said during his weekly COVID-19 briefing. Read more
Also see: Seattle local forecast
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