Bellevue Vaccine Clinic Offers Gift Cards Thursday & Friday

BELLEVUE, WA — All Eastside residents 16 and older have an easy way to get vaccinated and score a few bucks Thursday and Friday, thanks to the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties.

The association is offering first doses of the Pfizer vaccine to the first 500 people who register appointments for May 6 and May 7. Each patient will receive a $10 Walmart gift card, and second doses will be scheduled on-site.

"We're here to make getting your vaccine as easy as possible," MBAKS wrote. "Vaccinationations are an important step to reopen businesses and protect our community."

Here's how to sign up and where to go:

• Where: 335 116th Avenue Southeast
• When: May 6 and May 7 (appointments required)
• Register using this link. After creating an account and confirming your email, select "schedule a new service."
• Learn more on the MBAKS website.

The gift card giveaway comes as state and local health officials push for more residents under 65 to get vaccinated, as supply levels are now healthy enough to support large-scale immunizations. While more than 90 percent of King County's oldest adults now have a first dose, the rate is much lower for young and middle-aged people, who only became broadly eligible in the last three weeks. The younger groups now make up the bulk of new infections and hospitalizations amid a variant-driven fourth wave.

Gov. Jay Inslee called a two-week pause on rollbacks Tuesday, and officials hope that is enough time for more people to get vaccinated and drive down the coronavirus metrics. Currently, King County still sits above both thresholds to remain in Phase 3 and could face a rollback when the pause is lifted unless the numbers come down.

"The two-week pause provides time to see which direction we are heading and whether we are turning the corner on the fourth wave, while we continue to do everything we possibly can to get more people vaccinated — especially younger adults — to decrease future risk," said Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officer for King County. "Our best path out of the painful cycle of COVID-19 resurgences and restrictions — and for a return to normalcy as quickly as possible — is by getting vaccinated as soon as possible."

Learn more about getting vaccinated in King County on the public health website.