Washington state to open first federal vaccination site

The federal government on Wednesday opened its first vaccination center in the state of Washington in Yakima.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the center will administer close to 1,200 vaccines doses per day. The Seattle Times first reported on the center.

The federal government has been opening vaccination centers across the country, hoping to increase the pace of vaccinations.  

The purpose of the new site is to vaccinate Washingtonians who live in rural areas. Those communities were hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic last year. 

Yakima County has higher COVID-19 infection and hospitalization rates than the rest of the state.  

“We are so appreciative to FEMA and our other federal partners for working with the state to make significant additional resources available to the people of the Yakima Valley,” Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) said in a written statement. 

The Seattle Times noted that the opening will come in time for the region’s asparagus harvest, which employs thousands of workers.