New Swedish community COVID-19 vaccination clinic up and running at Seattle University

With a prayer and a chant, volunteers begin their day at Swedish Medical Center’s new Community COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Seattle University.

“This is a place of hope,” said Guy Hudson, the CEO of Swedish Medical Center.

The unique partnership between Swedish and Seattle U was dreamed up just two weeks ago. The clinic is operated and managed by Swedish, while Seattle University hosts the location and parking. Much of the first floor of Campion Hall has now been transformed into a clinic that can vaccinate as many as 2,500 people a day.

“This is a joyful clinic. This is our chance to see to it that the vaccine gets into the arms of our community members,” said Dean Kristen Swanson of Seattle University.

The goal right now is get vaccines to the thousands of workers in Phase 1a that aren’t affiliated with a large health system.

People must sign up ahead of time.

The clinic will offer either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

“The number of vaccines we provide and the number we schedule is very thoughtful. And though you won’t see that we aren’t scheduling months in advance purposefully so that we can ensure that when we administer D1, that we have it at a pace that we have enough for D2,” said Renee Rassilyer-Bomers of Swedish Medical Center.

The clinic will remain open for the next several months and will vaccinate more people as they become eligible.

Leaders are hopeful that this is just the beginning of many more vaccination clinics.

“I want everyone to know the light at the end of the tunnel that the vaccine offers in protection and getting through this together as a community, healthcare organization, state, and nation - this is a perfect example of what it’s going to take to do that,” added Hudson.

The clinic is open six days a week but is closed on Sundays.

Cox Media Group