Kitsap County's Public Health Officer Dr. Gib Morrow (pictured here) recently offered his perspective on local COVID-19 vaccination efforts, including the benefits of the vaccine and appreciation for everyone who has assisted in the effort to get the vaccine distributed to our community. Read the full statement here.

Here is an excerpt:

A Kitsap resident recently received the 100,000th COVID-19 vaccine given in our county and will soon join the ranks of the fully immunized. 

These fortunate people enjoy the primary benefits of knowing they are far less likely to get ill, become hospitalized, or die. They can also avoid quarantine if they are exposed to others with infection, and meet more safely with family and friends. 

They have chosen a safe, simple, no-cost intervention to protect themselves and their loved ones, slow disease transmission and the emergence of dangerous new variants and help end this devastating pandemic. Our community appreciates and thanks all who have made this wise choice and followed through on getting it done. 

We also thank the thousands of people who have selflessly and courageously stepped up to help vaccinate our community. The list of participants in this effort is long, and includes caregivers at clinics and hospitals, medics and emergency responders, pharmacists and physicians, data entry and information technologists, managers, administrators, and countless others. Retired healthcare workers and other volunteers have enlisted by the hundreds to meet the challenge of getting vaccines into the arms of eligible recipients as soon as they are available in our community. 

The Kitsap County Public Health District is expanding its vaccination clinic operations and needs both non-medical and medical volunteers to support its efforts.

Non-medical opportunities include assisting with traffic control, registration, and other administrative tasks. Volunteers with medical training are needed to help administer the vaccine in support of the Kitsap Public Health District. Medical professionals of all types are encouraged to register, including nurses, medical assistants, dentists and others. Clinics usually have two shifts, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and operate throughout the week. To learn more, click here.

Volunteers are coordinated through the Kitsap County Department of Emergency Management and its Medical Reserve Corps and must be at least 18 years of age and live in, or close to Kitsap County. Applications will be processed 50 at a time, so don’t be discouraged if the portal is not open the first time you click the link.

To apply, click here.