Seattle Will Close Most City-Run Mass Vaccination Sites In June

SEATTLE — Seattle will shutter most of its city-run mass vaccination centers in June, leaving just one site operating in SODO through summer, along with continued mobile vaccination efforts, Mayor Jenny Durkan announced Wednesday.

The mayor delivered the news at a briefing in Rainier Beach, citing Seattle's high rate of COVID-19 vaccinations, with an estimated 76 percent of residents 12 and older having at least a first shot and 60 percent fully vaccinated. According to the city's analysis, Seattle's vaccination rates rank near the top of major American cities.

"Now that the vast majority of Seattleites have begun the vaccination process, we are able to safely reopen and recover as a city — without the need for our fixed sites," Durkan said. "These successes were only possible because of the hard work of our city employees, and the partnerships we forged across government, health care and community."

The winding down includes the Lumen Field Event Center, which opened two months ago as the largest civilian-run vaccination center in the United States and has since administered close to 100,000 doses, the mayor's office said. Across Seattle, city-led efforts have reached more than 128,000 people with more than 230,000 doses.

Here are the closure dates for each Seattle site:

• North Seattle Vaccination Hub: June 4
• West Seattle Vaccination Hub: June 9
• Lumen Field Event Center: June 12
• Rainier Beach Vaccination Hub: June 23

In recent weeks, the city dropped its appointment requirements, allowing for walk-ins, and refocused its efforts to reach younger people, organizing more pop-up clinics closer to where people live, work and visit.

The one permanent, city-run vaccination site left will be at the Seattle Fire Department's community testing site in SODO, which recently began administering vaccinations. According to the city, the site will remain open "well into the summer," operating daily at 3820 6th Ave. S from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. The clinic is stocked with Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines and can administer first and second doses without an appointment.

The Seattle Fire Department's mobile vaccination teams will take the lead over the summer and continue to focus efforts on reaching underserved communities.

King County's overall vaccination rates are close to Seattle's percentages, showing more than 72 percent of residents have had their first dose, and 59 percent classified as fully vaccinated. Rates remain lower than average in the south and southeastern parts of the county. Once King County reaches the 70 percent mark for fully vaccinated people, public health officials plan to rescind the indoor masking order.

All Washington counties will fully reopen by June 30 — or sooner if 70 percent of residents 16 and older across the state receive their first dose. As of Wednesday, that number sat just below 61 percent.