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5,000 vaccinated at one Seattle site

SEATTLE — It has only been a day since we learned that three people in western Washington contracted the omicron COVID-19 variant.

That means there’s a huge push once again to get people vaccinated.

There is still no word on whether the three people who got omicron were vaccinated. We may find out more about these three people this week.

But health officials are still urging people to get vaccinated.

About 5,000 people did just that here at Amazon this weekend.

Business was brisk at this COVID-19 vaccination site that Amazon reopened a month ago, at the city of Seattle’s request to meet the demand for vaccines after 5 to 11-year-olds got the green light.

Now the concern is the omicron variant.

“Please, please, please get vaccinated,” said Dr. Terry Rogers, “because it has such a bearing on not only personal health but also on the community health.”

Dr. Rogers is a retired physician who has been volunteering at these vaccine sites. He said omicron makes getting vaccinated all the more urgent.

“There is just such an enormous upside, virtually no downside for getting vaccinated,” said Dr. Rogers.

The discovery that the omicron variant had sickened three people in this state came from this lab at the University of Washington Medical Center.

Two men and a woman got the variant, one each in King, Pierce and Thurston counties. All three are under 40.

“At this point, the likelihood is that we are going to see more confirmations,” said Dr. Umair Shah, WA Secretary of Health. “But I think we have to also balance that with remembering that our biggest concern right now is delta. Delta variant, in our state, that is right now impacting people as we speak with severe disease.”

Many of those getting vaccinated here are children five and older. And most say they were happy to get the shot because it will give them more freedom after two very long years.

Charlie Heldridge of Seattle, 8, said he has big plans now that he has gotten his second COVID-19 shot.

“Yes,” he said. “Going to Hawaii.”

“Like when I go on vacation for Christmas break, I won’t have to quarantine for school,” said Kate Rochex, 11. She said her family is going away for the holidays, too. “Hawaii,” she said.

If you are worried about your very young kids who can’t be vaccinated, state health officials say you don’t need to cancel your holiday because of omicron.

They recommend that you keep masking up, avoiding crowded places and washing your hands.

And, of course, they urge everyone to get vaccinated.