Appointments now needed for COVID-19 vaccinations at Kennewick site

KENNEWICK, Wash.-- Mandates from the Washington State Department of Health have prompted some changes in the way shots are administered at the mass vaccination site at the Benton County Fairgrounds in Kennewick.

Starting Tuesday, January 26, anyone wanting to receive a vaccination must have an appointment, in addition to providing confirmation that you qualify for the current phase of vaccinations.

"It will make things go smoother for everybody once we have everybody pre-registered on that site. As they show up, it'll make things go faster," said Ben Shearer, spokesperson for the Type 3 Incident Management Team which is helping to coordinate the logistics and communication at the site. "Right now it's going to cause some confusion because we've been telling everybody, come back tomorrow, first come first served. But that has changed-- you must have an appointment."

All of the appointments for Tuesday are already full. Anyone who has an appointment for after 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday will instead receive a vaccine on Wednesday.

Organizers are working through the kinks after taking less than a week to stand up the mass vaccination site after Gov. Jay Inslee announced during a press conference on January 18th that the fairgrounds in Kennewick would be opened up as a regional vaccination location.

CLICK HERE to find out if you're eligible for the current phase of vaccinations in Washington.

CLICK HERE to make an appointment to receive the vaccination at the fairgrounds site. You can also call 800-525-0127 to schedule an appointment by phone.

CLICK HERE to find other locations in the Tri-Cities where COVID-19 vaccinations are available for those who are eligible for the current phase.