Drafter

Clerk 01/19/2021

Title

A MOTION relating to equitable access and efficient and effective distribution of COVID-19 vaccinations to King County residents.

Body

                     WHEREAS, public health - Seattle & King County ("PHSKC") activated the Public Health Departmental Emergency Operations Center on January 21, 2020, for the significant health emergency caused by novel coronavirus disease 2019 ("COVID-19"), and

                     WHEREAS, the King County executive issued a proclamation of emergency on March 1, 2020, in order to exercise the executive's emergency powers, and

                     WHEREAS, Washington Governor Jay Inslee issued Proclamation 20-25 on March 23, 2020 imposing a Stay Home - Stay Healthy Order throughout Washington State, and

                     WHEREAS, on December 11, 2020, the United States Food and Drug Administration issued an Emergency Use Authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine and on December 18, 2020, the United States Food and Drug Administration granted an Emergency Use Authorization for the Moderna vaccine, and

                     WHEREAS, as of January 13, 2021, there have been 70,094 positive cases and 1,151 deaths in King County, and

                     WHEREAS, as of January 13, 2021, there have been 141,375 vaccine doses allocated across King County approximately 78,749 of which have been administered, and

                     WHEREAS, at the metropolitan King County council meeting on January 12, 2021, PHSKC director Patty Hayes expressed the unified goal to efficiently and equitably vaccinate as many King County as possible, and

                     WHEREAS, in order to equitably, quickly and effectively achieve King County's stated goal of vaccinating 70 percent of the eligible adults in King County, or approximately 1.26 million adults, by June 30, 2021, a comprehensive, understandable, coordinated, funded and staffed operational plan is required such that all system participants have a unified playbook to reference and implement, and

                     WHEREAS, the incoming federal administration has announced plans to dramatically expand and expedite the national vaccination effort, to include community vaccination sites, and such national effort will be more effective and likely to succeed with a local plan in place and ready to activate, and

                     WHEREAS, COVID-19 has proven to be most deadly for older adults, the plan called for in this motion should give priority consideration and lead with go-first strategies designed to expeditiously and equitably vaccinate seniors in King County;

                     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:

                     A.  The council endorses the prioritization of equitable and widespread, low-barrier access to COVID-19 vaccinations.

                     B.  The council endorses and supports the goal of vaccinating 1.26 million King County residents, by June 30, 2021, requiring an estimated 16,000 daily vaccinations between now and June 30, 2021, to achieve a target of two-doses per recipient.  This goal is contingent upon the receipt of adequate vaccinations.

                     C.1.  In order to achieve this goal, the council requests the executive transmit to the council for adoption by motion, the King County unified regional COVID-19 vaccine delivery operational plan ("the plan").  The council recommends and requests that the plan include top-level goals, strategies to achieve the goals and specific operational details, including, but not be limited to, the following:

                         a.  an assessment of the existing vaccination distribution systems and infrastructure in King County and how those systems will be utilized to achieve the stated objectives of equitable and low barrier vaccinations.  The total vaccinations anticipated in each channel should be stated, such that county-provided channels can identify the targeted number of vaccinations for county-led channels;

                         b.  the identification of existing gaps to access and strategies to close those gaps in the geographic areas and population demographics that have been adversely impacted by the virus and where barriers are greatest in communities countywide;

                         c.  identification of at least one High-Volume, Community Vaccination Hub location in each King County council district, with a site operation plan, including days and hours of operation, staffing and budget plan for each High-Volume, Community Vaccination Hub;

                         d.  a delineation of the number of Mobile Vaccine Teams and the goals, operational plan, staffing and budget requirements for each Mobile Vaccination Team;

                         e.  a delineation of the number of Pop-up Vaccination Clinics and their community partners, and operational, staffing and budget plans for each Pop-up Vaccination Clinic; and

                         f.  a plan for neighborhood teams to serve adult family homes, senior living facilities, homebound individuals, isolated households and remote communities that would include the utilizations of emergency medical services, certified caregivers, medical personnel and mobile units.

                         g.  An assessment and recommendation regarding use of the network of senior centers and staffing countywide to expedite the low-barrier vaccination of vulnerable older adults in King County, as a go-first High-Volume, Community Vaccination Hub and Pop-up Vaccination Clinic strategy.

                         h. An assessment, recommendation and, where appropriate, identification of additional sites for High-Volume Community Vaccination Hubs, Pop-up Vaccination Clinics and Mobile Vaccination Teams, to include sports stadiums, arts, science, cultural venues, community centers, schools and other similar venues.  Whether individually or collectively by type, the plan should identify operational requirements for the sites.

                       2.  The plan should be an integrated plan, coordinating and integrating the resources and expertise of PHSKC with King County's emergency services division, the department of community and human services, the department of local services, other county departments, cities and municipalities within King County and state and federal partners.

                       3.  The plan should include a component to support King County Medic One, King County fire districts and city fire departments as authorized vaccine providers, using a model similar to the city of Seattle Fire Department vaccination program aimed at vulnerable adults in congregate care facilities and other appropriate settings.  The plan should assess the feasibility of deploying Medic One and other first responders to support its other elements.

                        4.  The executive should consider a whole-of-government response, to include activating King County assets such as the King County Metro transit department, park and ride lots, King County parks, the King County international airport, county-owned and supported facilities, the logistical expertise of the King County department of elections and the redeployment of nonessential employees from across King County to support vaccination efforts.

                       5.  The executive is requested to invite participation from private sector companies with expertise in logistics, distribution and health care, in the development and administration of the plan.  The plan should include a list of invitations extended and offers of assistance received and how that expertise will be deployed.

                       6.  The plan should include an assessment of the potential for volunteers to staff the plan's recommended operations, including at the High Volume Community Vaccination Hubs, and how the volunteers will be sought, signed up and managed.

                       7.  The plan should include a scheduling and communications component designed to overcome the "digital divide" faced by many vulnerable older adults, economically disadvantaged and limited-English-proficient residents.  The plan must provide a strategy and communications plan to ensure that there are robust distribution channels such that King County residents are able to obtain vaccinations when their demographic group is eligible, without scheduling an appointment using telephone scheduling or Internet-based scheduling applications.

                       8.  The plan should include an online dashboard regularly updated showing the number of vaccination doses received in King County, and by King County government, the number of doses administered and the number of doses administered within each distribution channel.  If feasible, the data should show site-specific and distribution channel-specific data in order to adjust and fine-tune deployment of vaccination channels and sites.

                     D.  The executive should electronically file the plan requested by this motion no later than February 1, 2021, with the clerk of the council, who shall retain the original and provide an electronic copy to all councilmembers, the council chief of staff, the

policy staff director and the lead staff for the committee of the whole, or its successor.  The plan should be accompanied by a proposed motion that should accept the plan.