OLYMPIA — Since the first COVID-19 vaccine shipment arrived in Washington state one year ago, more than 11.3 million doses of vaccine have been administered across the state, according to state heath officials.
The state Department of Health said Tuesday that over 5.4 million Washington residents have received at least one vaccine dose.
As of Monday, 81.7 percent of the population age 12 and older in Washington has received at least one dose and 75.3 percent is fully vaccinated, according to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard.
“I’m proud of how far our state has come over the past year,” Dr. Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett, Chief Science Officer, said in a news release.
“Getting millions of people vaccinated — and more than 1.3 million people an additional dose — is no easy feat. I want to send a heartfelt thank you to each and every person who has helped us achieve these milestones.”
Officials say more than 1.7 million eligible Washingtonians have not started their vaccination series, which puts them at higher risk of getting seriously sick, hospitalized or dying from COVID-19.
People age 5 and older are eligible to receive a vaccine. Booster doses are recommended for everyone age 16 and older, six months after completing Pfizer or Moderna shots or two months after getting the Johnson and Johnson shot.