Lake Sammamish Vaccine Site Needs More Volunteers

SAMMAMISH, WA — The mass vaccination site at Lake Sammamish State Park needs more volunteers as it looks to expand appointments to Saturdays — and helpers should have an opportunity to get vaccinated themselves.

Since opening earlier in April, the Eastside's first community mass vaccination site has served up to 300 drive-thru appointments on weekdays. The site runs through a partnership between Issaquah, Sammamish and the Snoqualmie Tribe, which supplies doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Employees of Eastside Fire & Rescue administer the shots.

Beginning in May, organizers plan to staff appointments on Saturdays. To help facilitate more shots, the site is looking for volunteer greeters, screeners, observers and timekeepers. Once appointments from the public are fulfilled, the city also aims to vaccinate the volunteers.

Right now, the site is open Monday through Friday, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., with volunteer briefings scheduled at 8:30 a.m. Those interested in lending a hand can fill out a signup sheet online, listing the hours and days that fit with their schedule. Volunteers will also need to include their full name and birthday and agree to a background check. Volunteers with CERT or MRC certifications are encouraged to contact the city of Issaquah via e-mail.

Once approved, volunteers will get a link to complete an online HIPAA course, followed by an e-mail confirmation for their schedule.

Eastside residents 18 and older seeking an appointment can check availability on the Snoqualmie Tribe Vaccine Partnership website. New slots are released every Monday, before 4 p.m.