Phase 1A – Distribution to High-Risk Health Care Workers, First Responders and Nursing Homes/Assisted Living Facilities
Tier 1 Employees, Group 1
(invitation sent 12/11)
- Units that regularly provide care for patients with COVID-19 (nurses, environmental services, providers, therapists, other staff)
- Emergency departments (RNs, providers, environmental services, therapists, flight crew, respiratory urgent care staff, other staff)
- COVID-19 testing sites, labs, and vaccination staff
- COVID-19 screeners and safety officers
Tier 1 Employees, Group 2
(invitation sent 12/21)
- Consultants and staff frequently in ED (now through Feb 28, 2021)
- Operating Room (OR) staff and providers and those in non-OR procedural areas in which anesthesia or conscious sedation is required or Aerosol Generating Procedures (AGPs) are performed (includes providers/staff who are patient-facing now through Feb 28, 2021)
- UW Neighborhood Clinic urgent care center patient-facing staff and providers
- Providers and staff who will be deployed to COVID-19 units (now through Feb 28, 2021)
Tier 2 Employees, Group 1
(invitation sent 12/23)
- Remainder of patient-facing inpatient staff and providers, including those not tied to specific units (i.e., pharmacy, nursing, phlebotomy, physical and occupational therapy, nutrition, food services)
- Remainder of EVS staff working in clinical areas
- Cafeteria staff
- UW Medicine ambulatory clinic patient-facing staff and providers
- Remainder of UW residents and fellows working directly with patients and assigned to clinical service
- Remainder of UW faculty working directly with patients and assigned to clinical service
Tier 2 Employees, Group 2
(invitation sent 12/30)
- All UW employees who work in a UW hospital or clinic environment (this includes all staff, researchers, administrators who are in the clinical environment)
- UW interprofessional students who are assigned to full-time clinical inpatient or outpatient rotations and working directly with patients in hospitals or clinics (now through June 30, 2021)
- COVID-19 research personnel who are patient-facing and/or directly process SARS CoV-2 specimens
Phase 1B – Public Distribution
Governor Inslee recently announced the Washington State Department of Health’s (DOH) guidance for Phase 1B public distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. This approach focuses on prioritizing those individuals at greatest risk for COVID-19 acquisition and severe disease.
In accordance with the governor’s launch of Phase 1B, the first tier of eligible individuals for vaccination will be notified for scheduling in January. Scheduling for tiers 2, 3 and 4 of Phase 1B will open following the state’s guidance and we will keep you updated on this criteria and process.
Tier 1 Public
(invitation sent on 1/18)
- Individuals who are age 65 years and older
- Individuals who are age 50 years and are:
- Unable to live independently and are being cared for by a relative, in-home caregiver or someone who works outside the home
- Living with and care for kinship (i.e. grandchild, niece or nephew). This does NOT include parents living with their children.
Unfortunately, due to the limited vaccine supply and high demand, we will not be accepting walk-ins at any UW Medicine vaccination site, hospital or clinic. To determine your assigned vaccination priority group, we encourage you to use the DOH online tool, PhaseFinder. Timing is dependent upon the supply of vaccine and ongoing guidance from the CDC and DOH. For more information on DOH vaccination plans, visit CovidVaccineWA.org.
