HomeMy WebLinkAbout12282020_Imper Response_COVIDFrom:Tom Locke
To:Rachel S. Imper
Cc:Liz Anderson; Karen Abbott; Vicki Kirkpatrick
Subject:Re: Vaccination sites
Date:Monday, December 28, 2020 10:48:11 AM
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Mr. Imper,
Thanks for your message. Jefferson County Public Health and Jefferson Healthcare are
undertaking a complex COVID vaccination strategy in multiple phases that will stretch over the
next 6 months or longer. In the first phases (including county residents over age 65 and those
with chronic medical conditions), we will concentrate on using the large drive thru facility that
Jefferson Healthcare has constructed for those who are not home bound or in long-term care
facilities. We are discussing plans for higher volume vaccine events for the early Spring.
These could be held in large, well ventilated indoor spaces or using outside tents (weather
permitting). In all cases we will use strict protocols to prevent COVID transmission. I think you
are wise to avoid indoor spaces and encourage you to continue to do so.
Thomas Locke, MD, MPH
Jefferson County Health Officer
From: Karen Abbott
Sent: Monday, December 28, 2020 7:43 AM
To: Tom Locke; Vicki Kirkpatrick
Cc: Liz Anderson
Subject: FW: Vaccination sites
Please see question below from Rachel Imper. Thank you.
Karen Abbott
Gender Pronouns: she/her/hers
Public Health Assistant
Jefferson County Public Health
615 Sheridan Street
Port Townsend, WA 98368
360-385-9421
kabbott@co.jefferson.wa.us | https://jeffersoncountypublichealth.org/
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From: Rachel S. Imper <rimper3@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2020 12:13 PM
To: Board of Health <boh@co.jefferson.wa.us>
Subject: Vaccination sites
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A report in the Port Townsend Leader indicated that the Jefferson County Health Dept. Is planning
on using high school gyms as vaccination sites. This is very disturbing to me.
Because my husband and I are in a high-risk group for Covid-19, we do not enter any buildings now.
We order groceries online, shop online for other items, and do not even go to the post office. Please
consider using tents outside or, at a minimum, give those of us who prefer to be vaccinated outside
the option to use drive-through locations. I would rather wait in line for hours than risk entering a
building, even with masks and social distancing, because I do not think the ventilation is likely to be
adequate to prevent the concentration of aerosols.
If you have solid evidence that these locations are safe, please share it.
Sincerely,
Rachel S. Imper
P.S. I read extensively about the virus and follow Dr. Michael Osterholm of CIDRAP. If Dr. Osterholm
says these locations are safe, I would be reassured.