Days of the Future Passed: Mandatory Masks, COVID-19 Shots Return
Depending on your age, you may remember the Moody Blue’s classic album, “Days of the Future Passed”. Well, we may be slipping into that alternate reality sooner than we think.
Earlier this week, Gov. Jay Inslee announced that face masks will be required for everyone over five years of age in most public indoor settings regardless of vaccination status.
Over the weekend, COVID-19 boosters will be available at the Bainbridge Island Senior Community Center for certain high-risk individuals.
The City of Bainbridge Island, in partnership with Bainbridge Prepares, Bainbridge Island Fire Department, and Bainbridge Island Community Pharmacy, is offering third doses of the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines on Sunday, August 22 from 1 to 5 p.m. for those individuals who meet the CDC and state definition of immune compromised.
This includes people who have:
- Been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood
- Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
- Received a stem cell transplant within the last two years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
- Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
- Advanced or untreated HIV infection
- Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response
To qualify, you should have received your second dose of Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines more than four weeks ago. Individuals who received the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine are not currently eligible for a booster.
This clinic will be held at the BISCC, located at 370 Brien Drive SE. Appointments are open and available to book online at https://covidbi.timetap.com/#/
The City of Bainbridge Island is continuing to monitor state and federal guidance on additional recommendations for booster doses and anticipates holding additional clinics in the coming weeks and months.
Meanwhile, Inslee’s mask order reflects the recommendations of all 35 local health officers in the state of Washington and recent changes to CDC guidance that all people, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks in indoor public settings in areas of substantial or high transmission.
With the rise of the more infectious Delta variant, every county in Washington is currently categorized as having substantial or high transmission.
The updated order goes into effect on Monday, Aug. 23.
Read the full announcement here.
