This year's vaccine rollout is different from those of the last three years. During the federal government's declared Covid-19 emergency,

• Covid vaccines were issued at no cost to providers (pharmacies, clinics, etc.) and were primarily distributed through a public health entity (in the case of Bainbridge and environs, Kitsap Public Health).

• Other vaccination costs incurred by BP and primary partners COBI and BIFD were reimbursed by the federal government or, in limited cases, the Washington State government.

Now, with the ending of the federal emergency (last May),

• Vaccines and other Covid-19 items (tests, etc.) are no longer paid for by the federal government. 

• This year's Covid-19 vaccines in our region were initially shipped in bulk to Walgreens pharmacies and Peninsula Community Health.

• Prices and orders for the shipped vaccines are now determined/coordinated by the manufacturer (Pfizer, Moderna, or Novavax), and reimbursement rates are dictated by health insurers. 

• Our Medical Reserve Corps team is no longer covered by the liability protection of the federal emergency declaration.

• With the more restricted state activation, BP is limited in the types of volunteers it can deploy to do vaccinations.

What This Means

BP is still determining whether we can support any vaccination campaign this fall. We hope to provide more updates in the next few weeks.

In the meantime, if you are looking to get a Covid-19 vaccination, you can sign up for appointments at

• Walgreens.com.

• Safeway.com.

• Peninsula Community Health (primarily for un- or under-insured patients).

• With your primary care physician.

Our partner Bainbridge Island Community Pharmacy is able to offer other vaccinations, including flu, RSV, and Shingrix. They anticipate having Covid vaccines in the pharmacy by early October.

These are the providers that are members of the Childhood Vaccine Program on Bainbridge:

• Bainbridge Pediatrics

• Member Plus Family Health

• Pac Med and Wellness

• VM Bainbridge