Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday announced changes in the state’s rules governing access to COVID-19 vaccines. Instead of sticking to a phased approach that would have kept vaccines out of reach for many for months, the governor said increasing vaccine supply now allows more speed.
All adults in Washington aged 16 and up will be eligible for vaccine starting April 15, Inslee said.
“We are confident we can take this step because our dosage allocations have increased,” the governor said.
Inslee said mass vaccinations along with COVID-fighting efforts, such as social distancing and wearing masks, have saved lives.
The expansion of eligibility also is in response to a recent uptick in COVID cases in the state.
“We must do everything possible to ensure that we can keep cases down," Inslee said during a press conference Wednesday. "We have concerns about the trends we are seeing across the state and we must be cautious. Opening up full eligibility will be one tool to help in the fight against the virus.”
The change for Washington also comes as other leaders across the country also are moving to vaccinate residents with greater speed.
President Joe Biden on Monday announced that 90% of adults in the U.S. will be eligible for coronavirus vaccine by April 19. Earlier he said states must by May 1 make all adults eligible. More than half of the states, including Idaho, Montana and California, either already are making vaccines available to all adults or have plans to broaden eligibility by April 15.