Washington state is partnering with several companies, including Starbucks and Costco, to help boost the state's COVID-19 vaccinations, Gov. Jay Inslee announced Jan. 18.
The governor said the state has established a public-private partnership dubbed the Washington State Command and Coordination Center. Members of the coalition will focus on different aspects of vaccine distribution.
Some member responsibilities include:
- Starbucks: operational efficiency, scalable modeling and human-centered design expertise and support
- Costco: vaccine delivery by pharmacies
- Microsoft: technology expertise and support
- Kaiser Permanente Washington: planning expertise for mass vaccination clinics and the distribution of vaccine to healthcare providers throughout the state
The partnership will work to reach the state's daily vaccination goal of 45,000.
"This is a massive effort, and as noble as any cause will be in 2021, because this is the year we choose to get vaccinated, Washington," Gov. Inslee said during a Jan. 18 news conference. "We are removing as many impediments as possible to Washingtonians getting vaccinated; we are going to deliver every dose that comes into our state. We will still be dependent on the federal government for doses, but we are doing everything we can once it gets here."
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