Pierce County’s Department of Emergency Management is opening a mass vaccination site at the Tacoma Dome for six weeks starting April 27. The goal is to vaccinate at least 1,170 people each day and get an estimated 34,000 doses into the arms of its residents.
Pierce County plans to offer the Pfizer vaccine so that this clinic can serve everyone 16 and older, depending on the availability of the vaccine. A parent or guardian must be present with 16- and 17-year-olds wanting to get the vaccine.
The site will operate from noon to 8 p.m. each day, seven days a week, except holidays. This is a drive-thru and walk-up site. Language assistance will be available on site.
“We want to beat this virus as quickly as possible, and now our residents have a convenient and easy way to get vaccinated,” said County Executive Bruce Dammeier. “I encourage everyone to make an appointment at the Tacoma Dome as soon as possible so they protect themselves, their loved ones and our community.”
Pierce County will continue to operate vaccination sites – including second-dose events – in other parts of the county while at the Tacoma Dome.
To register for these events, people can go to FindYourCovidShot.com and pick the day they want to get vaccinated. If people need assistance signing up, they can call 253-798-8900 for help. Families signing up on the same day can come to the earliest appointment and get vaccinated, but each eligible person must have an appointment.
During the first three weeks Pierce County will only do first-dose vaccinations. Those participants will return the last three weeks at the Tacoma Dome for their second dose. The second dose will be scheduled while the participants are on-site getting their first dose.
Pierce Transit is offering free bus rides to people traveling to or from their vaccine appointments. Pierce Transit’s Route 42 runs in front of the Tacoma Dome, where people with appointments can walk from the bus stop to the walk-up vaccination station at the site. In addition, Tacoma Dome Station is just a five-minute walk from the Tacoma Dome. That location is served by Pierce Transit and Sound Transit buses, Sounder trains, and Link Light Rail.
Partnerships make this event possible, and Pierce County is thankful the Tacoma Dome, City of Tacoma, Pierce Transit and other partners are supporting this effort.
“We are grateful that the Tacoma Dome has been called to serve the community in this capacity. We know that every vaccine brings us one step closer to safely welcoming back guests en masse for concerts and events,” said Kim Bedier, the director of Tacoma Venues & Events. “Our crew is experienced in welcoming thousands to the Dome and we are looking forward to providing that efficiency as vaccine capacity ramps up in Pierce County.”
Pierce County Emergency Management has vaccinated more than 50,000 people since it began mass vaccination events in late January.
