News & Information
COVID-19 Testing Results Update for Kitsap County as of 2 p.m. May 10
Reminder: Kitsap Public Health District no longer updates its daily COVID-19 Surveillance Report on weekends. New cases from Friday through Sunday (May 7-9) are included with cases from today in New Positive Cases in the graphic below.
Now is the time to get your COVID-19 vaccine. Everyone 16 and older is now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Visit Kitsap County Public Health at kcowa.us/vaccine and the Washington State Department of Health at COVIDVaccineWA.org. Sign up for vaccine updates from Kitsap Public Health here.
Community-based COVID-19 drive-thru test sites are available at locations in downtown Bremerton, Poulsbo and the Kitsap County Fairgrounds. To learn more and pre-register, go to kcowa.us/covidtesting.
¿Quieres información sobre la vacuna COVID-19? Mira nuestro pagina para mas información de la vacuna y como obtener la vacuna: https://bit.ly/2XVht0W Tambien os puede llamar nuestro linea 360-728-2218
Don't ignore symptoms of COVID-19. Get tested!
We're not out of the woods yet. COVID-19 continues to spread in our community.
Test results from the Kitsap Emergency Operations Center's drive-through COVID-19 testing sites have been over 10% positive for the past three weeks. That is more than one out of every 10 people tested and shows the important value of testing. If you have any symptoms of COVID-19, get tested as soon as possible. Testing remains a vital tool in slowing the spread of COVID-19.
When arriving to a drive-thru test site, do not exit your vehicle. Follow the signage to drive through the site and a volunteer will provide you with a self-administered COVID-19 test. Results are typically available within 48 hours of your test.
Visit kcowa.us/covidtesting for more information and to schedule an appointment at a site near you. (Información en español, sa Tagalog) Test sites will be closed for the Memorial Day holiday on May 31.
To view detailed data on COVID-19 test results throughout Kitsap County and information on contact tracing and the COVID vaccine, visit kcowa.us/covid19.
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Too early to tell whether flattening COVID-19 curve will continue
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has released the latest COVID-19 modeling and surveillance situation report. There are some signs in the most recent data that cases may be starting to flatten, but disease activity remains high – meaning vaccination efforts and behavior like wearing masks, keeping physical distance and gathering outdoors are still critical.
Report findings include:
- Statewide case counts showed some flattening starting in late April, but it’s still too early to tell whether this will continue.
- The report estimates the vast majority of cases in the state are now associated with variants of concern.
- Immunity is playing a bigger role in slowing the spread of the virus as vaccination increases, but transmission was still on the rise as of mid-April.
- As of April 22, case and hospital admission rates were increasing across all ages except people 70 and older, who are also the most likely to have been vaccinated.
- While overall hospital admissions continued to increase through April 22, vaccination is helping keep admission rates in check.
See the DOH news release for more details. More COVID-19 data can be found on the DOH data dashboard.
COVID-19 vaccination is one of the most important tools to end the pandemic. Do you still need your COVID-19 shot? Appointments are no longer required at any of Kitsap Public Health's vaccine clinics. There is no charge for vaccination, and insurance is not required.
These groups are currently eligible for vaccination in Washington:
- As of April 15, everyone age 16 or older is eligible for COVID-19 vaccination.
- Minors ages 16 and 17 may need consent from a parent or guardian.
- Vaccination is available to everyone regardless of immigration status.
- Learn more at covidvaccinewa.org.
Appointments are still available and are recommended - it guarantees your spot and helps vaccine providers plan ahead. Book an appointment at one of the clinics below, or find more vaccination opportunities at vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov.
FDA authorizes Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for ages 12-15
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded the emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to include adolescents 12 through 15 years of age. The FDA amended the EUA originally issued on Dec. 11, 2020 for administration in individuals 16 years of age and older.
Currently Pfizer-BioNTech is the only COVID-19 vaccine authorized for people 16 years of age and older. Other COVID-19 vaccine providers are also studying the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine on children. More information about expanding vaccine eligibility to adolescents in Kitsap County will be announced upon further guidance from the Washington State Department of Health.
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