Issaquah Hosts Pop-Up Vaccine Clinic Friday Night

ISSAQUAH, WA — Issaquah residents who still need their COVID-19 immunizations will have a chance to get one close to home on Friday evening. The city is hosting a pop-up vaccine clinic at Central Park from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Pre-registration is required to receive a dose, and about 100 spots were still available on Thursday afternoon. The clinic offers the Moderna vaccine, with doses provided by the Snoqualmie Tribe Vaccine Partnership.

Here's what to know:

• When: Friday, May 7 (5 p.m. - 8 p.m.)
• Where: Central Park (1907 Northeast Park Drive)
• Appointments are open to all residents 18 and older.
• Registration is required, using a simple online form.

The latest pop-up clinic is part of a larger King County effort to bring doses directly to where people are. While more than 90 percent of adults 65 and older have received at least one dose, the rate for residents 18 to 49 is under 60 percent. The fourth wave of infections and hospitalizations has been driven primarily by the younger group, and public health officials are aiming to boost vaccination rates to reduce transmission and avoid further illnesses and restrictions.

"Whether we're talking about Phase 2 or Phase 3, the main reason we need these restrictions at all is because not enough of us are vaccinated currently," said Dr. Jeff Duchin, King County's health officer. "Just as we had no playbook to guide us when we experienced the first COVID-19 outbreak in the United States...there's no playbook for the endgame of this pandemic. But I'm sure all of us want to avoid a prolonged game of whack-a-mole with imposing and easing restrictions. Vaccination is the cure."

For those who are unable to get an appointment Friday, there are still hundreds available at the Lake Sammamish State Park mass vaccination site. A growing number of vaccine clinics around King County and Seattle are also beginning to offer walk-up immunizations. Learn more about getting vaccinated in King County on the public health website.