Mill Creek Beacon - Your Hometown News Source

COVID-19 vaccine information

The Snohomish County Task Force continues to vaccinate citizens all over the county and Mill Creek has two close-in options: one at Boeing Activity Center, and a second at Ash Way Park & Ride. As of April 23, 30% of eligible people, 16 and older, had been fully vaccinated.

Vaccines are open to all people older than 16 and can be scheduled at pharmacies, health care clinics, Costco, Fred Meyer, and mass vaccination clinics. Each location has its own scheduling website.

County health officials request people try to access appointments at pharmacies and health care agencies first. If no appointment is available, go to prepmod.doh.wa.gov to schedule a mass vaccination clinic. The Department of Health vaccine locator is here: https://vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov.

Those who are 16 and 17 years of age can only get the Pfizer shot. Minors need to bring a parent or guardian. Both the adult and the minor need to carry ID to the vaccination appointment.

Anyone who is homebound or knows someone who needs help accessing a vaccine due to an inability to leave home, contact the COVID-19 call center at 425-339-5278, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The county will connect homebound people with mobile vaccination. The call center can also assist with scheduling for people who do not have the ability to schedule online.

Health officials strongly encourage vaccination for all who are eligible. Dr. Chris Spitters, Health Officer for the Snohomish Health District, said herd immunity is the goal, with an estimation of 80% vaccinated before officials will consider a lifting of restrictions.

Asked about variants, he said P1, while not the dominant variant, as a higher hospitalization rate than the original version of the virus; and the B.1.1.7 variant has a higher death-rate. Variants arise more easily due to more opportunity, meaning more people infected with COVID-19, so vaccination and prevention, as a community, reduces the chance for more variants developing.

If you have questions on the vaccines, send them to [email protected].

Conservation kits available in parts of Mill Creek, Bothell

Water leaks and lawn-watering during the hottest part of the day can lead to higher water-bills for customers of the Alderwood Water District, which provides water and wastewater services to parts of Mill Creek and Bothell.

Conservation kits can reduce water usage and the district is providing those to customers, on selected dates in the month of May.

Indoor and outdoor water conservation kits will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last during four physically distanced, drive-through events. Visitors can drive through the East parking lot of the agency's administration building, at 3626 156th Street S.W. in Lynnwood.

The kits are available from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. May 3, May 10, May 17 and May 24.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, water conversation kits are not available from the lobby.

The district's service boundary covers approximately 44 square miles spanning from Puget Sound east beyond the Bothell-Everett Highway and north from the Snohomish-King county line, to just South of Paine Field. It encompasses portions of Mill Creek and Bothell, Mukilteo south of Paine Field, and portions of Lynnwood and unincorporated areas of Snohomish County.

For more information, visit http://www.awwd.com.