Sign up now for your COVID-19 vaccine

Submitted by San Juan County

More than 2,000 vaccine appointments are now open on Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan Islands. Sign up ASAP to ensure you get a spot. Links to register at https://www.sanjuanco.com/1737/COVID-Vaccine-Info.

Are you an islander who is 18 years of age or older? Have you been vaccinated against COVID-19? Right now is your best remaining opportunity to get vaccinated in the islands. Anyone age 18 or over is eligible to sign up for these clinics. The Moderna vaccine being used is only approved for 18 and up, but the Pfizer vaccine being offered in some locations on the mainland is available for ages 16 and up (we’re looking at Pfizer clinics in the islands in next month or so).

Not sure if you want to get vaccinated? Here’s why you need to:

• COVID is no fun. Sure, some individuals have mild cases or are even asymptomatic, but for many people of all ages the disease is miserable, and in some cases, its effects last for months or more.

• To protect our kids. There won’t be vaccines for all children until early 2022. While rare, some children do experience very severe and potentially long-term or fatal health impacts from COVID. Keeping island kids safe matters. If kids are healthy, schools can get back to normal operations. Sports, sleep-overs, playdates, theater, tutoring, classes and other activities essential for happy and healthy children can resume.

• The vaccines work. All available vaccines drastically reduce your chances of dying or ending up in the hospital from COVID. They also greatly reduce the likelihood of becoming infected and transmitting the disease to others.

• Communities that vaccinate return to normal faster. If we all get vaccinated, we eliminate COVID locally. If we eliminate COVID in the islands, we get our lives back sooner. This matters to our schools, our businesses, our local services, our athletic activities for kids and adults, and it matters for our collective mental and physical health.

• Getting vaccinated lets us do stuff. We can socialize or work with other vaccinated people unmasked. We can ride in cars together. In the weeks and months to come, some travel and other activities will be limited to those who are vaccinated.

• No need to quarantine. If you’re a close contact of someone with COIVD, you need to quarantine for 14 days. Unless you’re vaccinated. If you’re vaccinated, you can live your life, go to work, shop at the store, and avoid the two weeks at home.

• The vaccines are safe. The vaccine side effects that have been reported to date are extremely rare. Your chances of having severe impacts from COVID are far, far more likely.

• It’s a relief.