Washingtonians 16 and up eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine by May 1, state says

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SEATTLE - Washington state health officials confirmed all residents 16-years-old and older will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine by May 1.

The state Department of Health confirmed to Q13 News residents will be able to receive the vaccine by May after President Joe Biden directed all states to open up vaccine eligibility by May 1.

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These communities are typically underserved for vaccination efforts.

Roughly 3 million residents are currently eligible for the vaccine. On March 31, 2 million more Washingtonians will be eligible to be vaccinated once the state moves to Phase 1B and tier three and four. That includes people 60 years old and older, restaurant workers, prisoners and those with two or more underlying health conditions.

All state counties moved in Phase 3 on Monday, making it slightly easier for people to gather indoors, including at restaurants and indoor fitness centers.

Further expansion by May 1, to comply with Biden’s directive, would add another 1.2 million Washingtonians to the pool, according to state estimates.

Since COVID-19 vaccinations began in mid-December, the state and health care providers have given 2,882,195 doses and 14.12% of Washingtonians have been fully vaccinated, according to vaccination data. Providers are currently administering an average of about 45,841 vaccine shots per day.

Since the pandemic began, the state has recorded more than 350,000 COVID-19 cases and over 5,000 deaths, according to the state Department of Health online dashboard. Those numbers include 960 new COVID-19 cases and 14 additional deaths reported on Wednesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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