COVID-19 Weekly Outlook newsletter from Kitsap Public Health

Kitsap County Washington sent this bulletin at 03/31/2021 04:36 PM PDT

March 31, 2021

This newsletter is produced weekly. For daily COVID-19 updates, go to kcowa.us/covid19 or sign up to receive the daily bulletin produced by the Kitsap County Emergency Operations Center. You can manage your subscriptions using the links at the very bottom of this bulletin.

COVID-19 variants increase risk in our community; take steps to make spring gatherings safer

A COVID-19 variant — B.1.1.7 (UK) — was c onfirmed for the first time in Kitsap County. This virus strain spreads more easily from person to person and could be more likely to cause severe illness and death. The presence of COVID-19 variants makes it even more critical to practice good COVID-19 prevention habits, including masking, physical distancing, and handwashing. Available COVID-19 vaccines should provide good protection against the B.1.1.7 variant.
Recent clusters of COVID-19 cases in Kitsap County have been connected to family celebrations and community events. With spring holidays around the corner, protect your friends and loved ones by keeping gatherings small, wearing masks, and visiting outside with plenty of space. Find more tips for safer gatherings.
More adults became eligible for COVID-19 vaccination on March 31, including everyone 60 or older. The governor announced Wednesday that all Washington residents 16 and older will be eligible April 15. Learn more at covidvaccinewa.org.

PRINTABLE WEEKLY OUTLOOK

Download our weekly outlook report as a PDF that you can print and share in your community. Thank you for spreading reliable information about COVID-19!

Looking for an image file to share? Click here.

Numbers to know

As of March 29, 34% of Kitsap residents 16 and older have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 64% of residents 65 and older have received their first dose.
103 COVID-19 cases were reported in our county in the most recent week with full data available (March 14-20): 3 cases in Bainbridge, 27 in Bremerton, 22 in Central Kitsap, 9 in North Kitsap, 42 in South Kitsap.
Kitsap County's rate of cases per 100,000 population over 14 days — a key metric in state reopening plans — rose to 94. While still lower than it was at the start of January, the increasing rate of cases reported tells us COVID-19 activity could be on the rise again.
Hospitalizations for COVID-19 remain elevated in Kitsap County.
94 COVID-19-associated deaths have been reported in Kitsap to date, including 48 since the start of 2021.
Find more local COVID-19 data at kcowa.us/covid19data

COVID-19 prevention toolkit

We will need to use all the tools available to us to bring the COVID-19 pandemic to an end:

Wear a mask when you are around people you don't live with.
Keep at least 6 feet of space between you and people you don't live with.
Wash your hands frequently.
Be ready to get vaccinated when you become eligible.
Stay home if you feel sick.
Get tested if you have COVID-19 symptoms or have been around someone who tested positive for COVID-19. Go to kcowa.us/covidtesting

QUESTIONS? CONTACT: pio@kitsappublichealth.org

The Kitsap County Joint Information Center, as part of the Kitsap County Emergency Operations Center (KCEOC), provides accurate and up-to-date information about the local response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization's goal is to reduce the impacts of the pandemic in Kitsap and to safeguard the local healthcare system, government infrastructure, and economy, as well as to prepare for recovery.

The KCEOC operates under the leadership of a unified command, composed of representatives of Kitsap Public Health District, Kitsap County Department of Emergency Management, Law Enforcement, Kitsap County Department of Human Services, and Kitsap County Administration.

Kitsap County
Emergency Operations Center
http://www.Kitsapgov.com

SUBSCRIBER SERVICES:
Manage preferences | Unsubscribe | Help