King County "First In Line" For Federally Approved COVID-19 Vaccine

Councilmember Reagan Dunn proposes budget amendment to put King County residents ‘first in line’ for federally approved COVID-19 vaccine.

 Acting on the national news today of the possibility of a promising COVID-19 vaccine, King County Council Vice Chair Reagan Dunn proposed a budget amendment to King County’s COVID Supplemental Budget that would add $5 million of Cares Act money to buttress state and federal efforts to distribute a vaccine as soon as it is federally approved. 

This funding would be in addition to promised state and federal dollars and it would be earmarked for the Seattle-King County Department of Public Health and local health care providers throughout King County. The money would help to get a vaccine, once approved, out to our citizens as soon as possible. 

“The budget amendment will help to put King County residents first in line for any vaccine that is ultimately developed, tested and approved for distribution by the Federal Government,” Dunn said. “King County must continue to strengthen our Public Health infrastructure to ensure that people who wish to be vaccinated can do so as soon as it is available. King County wants to be on our toes, not our heels when a vaccine is ultimately ready for manufacture and distribution to our citizens, and this is the vital first step.”   

In addition to supporting Public Health infrastructure, the money would also be used to make sure that our private health care systems throughout the region are in the best position possible to aid in the vaccination process.

“We know that inventing a vaccine is only half of the challenge,” Dunn said. “The other half is the manufacturing and distribution of it. We need to make sure King County has an efficient and aggressive plan for the widespread vaccinations for everyone who want one.”

The King County Council is expected to vote on the fifth COVID Supplemental budget this week.

11/10/2020