Spokane, WA. January 26, 2021 – Starting tomorrow, Wednesday, January 27, under the direction of Washington State Department of Health (DOH), CHAS Health will be the lead provider of a new COVID-19 mass-vaccination clinic opening at the Spokane Arena. The site will serve members of the community in each appropriate phase of vaccination as they roll out, and is a collaborative effort between CHAS Health, the Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD), Spokane Public Facilities District (SPFD), Washington State National Guard and DOH.

Plans for a COVID-19 mass vaccination site began earlier this month between CHAS Health, SRHD and SPFD. After the Governor’s announcement to extend vaccination efforts into Phase 1B and to provide Washington State National Guard assistance, the site plans were revamped to accommodate increased capacity.

CHAS Health CEO Aaron Wilson explained, “This collaborate effort that was already underway was expanded quickly in order to meet the health needs of our community. We are accelerating our ability to get more people vaccinated faster, with online self-scheduled appointments being made available to the public to coincide with the arrival of vaccine supply provided by DOH.”

Patients who qualify for the COVID-19 vaccination currently are those in Phases 1A and 1B in Washington state:

• People who are 65 and older
• People 50 and older who also live in a multigenerational household
• Health care workers
• First responders
• People who live or work in long-term care facilities
• All other workers in health settings who are at risk of COVID-19

If you have experienced an immediate allergic reaction (respiratory distress such as wheezing, hives, mouth or throat swelling within 4 hours) to any vaccine, injected medication, polysorbate or polyethylene glycol should not receive the vaccine at the centralized vaccination site without prior clearance from an allergist. You should not receive the COVID-19 vaccine if you have received any vaccine within the last 14 days. Please schedule your vaccine appointment outside that 14-day window.

“We were pleased to hear that there would be support from the state level to compliment vaccination efforts in Spokane County,” exclaimed Dr. Francisco Velazquez, Interim Health Officer for Spokane County. “Our collaboration with CHAS Health and the Public Facilities District gave us a head start in meeting Governor Inslee’s goals to set up a mass vaccination clinic quickly.”

Health officials recommend that those eligible first check with their primary health provider to see if the vaccination is being offered. If not, visit chas.org/covidvaccine to schedule an appointment at the Spokane Arena vaccination location. CHAS Health’s online scheduling and digital registration process for the Spokane Arena vaccination location will open on Wednesday, January 27 at 9 a.m. and is powered by patient engagement platform provider Qure4u. Patients without internet access should call the Washington Department of Health COVID Helpline at 1-800-525-0127 or 1-888-856-5816 (Spanish available), then press #. This phone resource will be live on Friday, January 29.

Vaccination appointments will be made available based on vaccine supply provided through DOH. An appointment will be required to receive the vaccine. There are no walk-ins and there is no waitlist. Patients should bring a copy or screenshot of their DOH Phase Finder tool showing their eligibility to receive a vaccine, a photo ID, and insurance card if they have it.

Those who meet eligibility requirements and who need transportation assistance can use Paratransit for transportation once their appointment is scheduled:

• Paratransit door-to-door service is available for anyone over 60 with proof of ID.
• For those over 60 who do not have a Paratransit bus card, it is $2 each way, $4 for round trip. Cash only. If they have a Paratransit bus card, there is no additional cost.
• Patients can call 509.328.1552 to schedule a Paratransit ride once their vaccine appointment is scheduled.

See the Spokane Transit website for information about regularly scheduled bus routes that include the Spokane Arena.

CHAS Health will also continue robust COVID testing at the Spokane Arena location. Currently, CHAS Health is offering COVID-19 testing to community members who meet the following criteria:

• Have COVID-19 symptoms; or
• Do not have COVID-19 symptoms but have had direct COVID-19 exposure; or
• Are nursing home employees.

For testing arrival times and the latest updates on testing protocol, visit https://chas.org/health-alerts. Current turnaround time for testing results is 1-3 days.

CHAS Health COVID Testing and Vaccination at Spokane Arena & Hours:

720 W. Mallon Ave., Spokane, WA 99201 Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Weekends: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

For further information from Spokane Regional Health District about COVID-19 and vaccinations, visit covid.srhd.org. You can also call (800) 525-0127, and press #.

About CHAS Health

CHAS Health is a local, non-profit organization that provides high quality health care to everyone, regardless of insurance status. Our mission is to improve the overall health of the communities we serve by expanding access to quality health and wellness services. Those services include medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, and health education. Visit www.chas.org for more information.

About Spokane Regional Health District

Spokane Regional Health District is a leader and partner in public health by protecting, improving and promoting the health and well-being of all people through evidence-based practices. SRHD is one of 34 local public health agencies serving Washington state’s 39 counties. Visit www.srhd.org for comprehensive, updated information about SRHD and its triumphs in making Spokane a safer and healthier community.