OLYMPIA, Wash. – Governor Jay Inslee joined the CEOs of Microsoft and Starbucks on Monday afternoon when he announced changes to the state’s Covid vaccine distribution plan and a new public-private partnership.
The announcement, scheduled for 3 pm on Monday, will also include the state health secretary, a vice president of the local union and two heads of local health providers. You can watch it live on the video player above.
The news comes as Washington and many other states struggle to administer the vaccines they already have. Most of the photos of the state’s Covid-19 are stored in a refrigerated warehouse.
Last week, Washington ranked 26th in the country for vaccine distribution, slightly above the national average, but far from stellar.
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There is also confusion among states about how many additional vaccine shipments are arriving and when states will receive them.
The state is currently in its first stage of implementing vaccines for health professionals and long-term residents. Health officials say the state is moving to stage 1B soon, but has not given an exact date. 1B includes people over 70 and 50 years old or more, if they live in households with several generations.
This is a developing story. It will be updated after the 3pm announcement.