In light of a shortage of COVID-19 vaccines on Bainbridge to serve the quantity of eligible citizens, Bainbridge Prepares, the City of Bainbridge Island (COBI), the Bainbridge Island Fire Department (BIFD), Bainbridge Island Community Pharmacy (BICP), and the Kitsap Public Health District (KPHD) are submitting a formal request to the Washington State Department of Health (WSDOH) today. The request is for 1,000 to 1,200 vaccines per week.
WSDOH will likely respond within the next two weeks. If the response is positive, Bainbridge Prepares and its partners hope to set up a high-throughput clinic on the Island to administer the increased number of vaccines.
The request follows a week of vaccine shortages and a lack of appointment availability:

• BICP did not receive first-dose vaccines this week.
• Virginia Mason is switching its emphasis from administering vaccines through its Bainbridge clinic to collaborating with the City in the vaccine partnership among COBI, BIFD, BICP, and Bainbridge Prepares. The Bainbridge Island Virginia Mason clinic will accept no new appointments for the vaccine, but it will serve all people already scheduled for their first doses through February 24 as well as people who need their second doses.
• KPHD's vaccine clinic was overwhelmed by demand this week. The registration system was overloaded, which meant that people were unable to save their appointments. KPHD announced that people who did not receive a confirmation email from noreply@timetap.com do not have appointments.

The City will send out a Nixle alert if BICP gets vaccines next week (week of February 1). (You can sign up for Nixle alerts by texting 98110 to 888777 or going online at nixle.com.) COBI will also post updates on its vaccine page. Vaccine signup information will be available on the City website.