Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan announced that the Seattle Fire Department (SFD) Mobile Vaccination Teams (MVT) have begun a new effort to bring COVID-19 vaccinations directly to Seattle residents and workers. The MVTs new mobile effort coordinates with small businesses and community-based stakeholders to visit high-traffic areas and parks throughout the city and offer pop-up vaccinations to all those in the area. This new mobile vaccination strategy is an effort to meet Seattle residents and workers where they are and increase vaccination rates, with a focus on younger Seattleites.
“Over 70 percent of eligible Seattleites have begun the vaccination process. This is an incredible achievement, and it speaks to our communities’ commitment to protecting the health and safety of our entire city,” said Durkan. “To create easier access for all residents, we’re building innovative new ways to vaccinate our residents and workers. With this mobile approach from Seattle Fire, we’re meeting communities where they are and bringing the vaccine to them. All Seattleites can do their part and help people in their life get vaccinated. We can’t beat this pandemic unless we work together.”
As part of this mobile vaccination effort, the City of Seattle is working with the U District Partnership to host the SFD MVTs on The Ave this Friday, May 7. The City’s Office of Economic Development (OED) is coordinating with small businesses throughout the U District and surrounding neighborhoods to ensure that all staff who have not yet been vaccinated have the opportunity to receive a vaccination at this clinic. In addition to vaccinating small business owners and staff, the SFD MVTs will offer walk-up and roll-up vaccinations to all people in the area who would like a vaccine.
The SFD MVTs will offer the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines on Friday. Patients who choose the Moderna vaccine will be scheduled for their second dose at either the Rainier Beach or West Seattle vaccination hubs. The mobile clinic will take place from 12 – 5 p.m., on the corner of NE 43rd Street and University Way NE.
“The U District is home to nearly 150 bars, restaurants, and coffee shops – most of which have continued to operate through the pandemic,” says Don Blakeney, Executive Director of the U District Partnership. “By bringing vaccines to the U District we can ensure that our employees and small business owners have extremely easy access to this critical public health resource. We appreciate the work of the City to realize this pop-up vaccine site.”
In the coming weeks, the SFD MVTs will continue to visit business districts throughout the city, as well as parks, beaches, and outdoor dining areas to provide vaccinations without an appointment to whoever wants one. These vaccinations are only for those who have not yet begun the vaccination process, and SFD will offer the choice of Johnson & Johnson or Moderna.
“We continue to explore new and creative ways to make getting a vaccine as easy as possible,” said Fire Chief Harold Scoggins. “By offering vaccinations at our sporting events, continuing to operate our vaccination hubs at Rainier Beach and West Seattle, and now deploying our mobile vaccination teams out to parks, beaches and other locations where there are crowds, we are making an impact.”
“As we focus on recovery, vaccination pop-ups are one way of ensuring vaccines are available equitably to everyone while supporting small businesses in the neighborhood,” said Pamela Banks, Director of the Office of Economic Development and Director of Recovery and Equitable Investments. “The U-District has one of the lowest vaccination rates and many small businesses in high-traffic areas, so it is critical we bring vaccines to them. We’re proud of the small businesses who are also getting involved in the vaccination effort by encouraging their neighbors to get vaccinated. It will take all of us working together to build community resiliency.”
Since launching its vaccination effort on January 14, the City of Seattle has administered over 170,000 vaccinations to eligible adults (over 111,000 individuals). These vaccinations have occurred at 88 Adult Family Homes, 90 affordable housing buildings with seniors and people with disabilities, 19 pop-ups, 18 permanent supportive housing buildings, two vulnerable youth-serving organizations, city sport events, and the four City-affiliated fixed vaccination sites. Approximately 46 percent of those vaccinated by the City identify as BIPOC communities.
For more information, including how to get vaccinated today, visit the City’s vaccination website at www.seattle.gov/vaccine.
