Vaccine shortages cause pent up demand in Snohomish County

SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. — Snohomish County health workers said they were still dealing with a shocking shortage of COVID-19 vaccines.

County drive-thru sites are able to vaccinate 50,000 people a week. But currently, there are only 3,500 doses on hand.

In fact, out of four vaccination sites in Snohomish County, Arlington is the only site that’s had enough vaccines to operate each day this week.

“(The shortage of vaccines) makes it hard to staff because you don’t know what you’re gonna need two days from now,” said Chief Dave Kraski, Arlington Fire Department.

Slowly but surely, the numbers are adding up.

In Snohomish County so far, 53,000 people have received at least the first doses of vaccines.

Sam Ratcliff was among the most recent people to receive a vaccination. He told KIRO 7 it was beyond relief.

“I’d like to travel, if at all possible. I’m sick of being home,” he said.

Yet tens of thousands of people in Group 1B are still facing the predicament of not being able to leave home.

In Snohomish County, the lack of available vaccines is already leading to delays in opening up more vaccination sites.

According to county health workers, a mass walk-in clinic is ready to be opened up, but because of the lack of supplies, it’ll remain closed until more vaccines come in.

“My belief if that (vaccine makers) are producing it as fast as they can,” said Kraski. “As fast as they can produce it, we’re getting it out.”

Despite a lack of available vaccines, COVID-19 rates are trending down across the North Sound.

In fact, Snohomish County just saw the fewest number of new cases in nearly four months.

Cox Media Group