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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.
Kitsap County scaling back drive-through testing sites, but testing options still abound
The Kitsap County Emergency Operations Center and Kitsap Public Health District have scaled back drive-through COVID-19 testing operations. We will continue to offer drive-through testing at the fairgrounds on Mondays and Thursdays, but will no longer operate sites in Poulsbo or downtown Bremerton. Learn more at kcowa.us/covidtesting
We launched our drive-through testing sites last fall to help meet the need for fast, convenient testing in our region. Since then, more than 8,500 people have been tested at our sites, including nearly 600 who were positive for COVID-19.
We are scaling back operations this spring because demand for testing has fallen off significantly in recent weeks and free COVID-19 testing is readily available at other sites across the county. Our focus remains on providing COVID-19 vaccination to as many community members as possible so we can continue to drive down case rates and help bring the pandemic to an end.
We have the ability to open additional testing sites in the future if needed.
Testing remains crucial
It is still important to get tested for COVID-19, even as cases decline and more people become vaccinated. We urge all Kitsap residents (vaccinated or not) to avoid contact with others and get tested as soon as possible if they have any symptoms that could be COVID-19, even if their illness is mild. Unvaccinated people should get tested if they have spent time around someone who has COVID-19.
Why is testing so important?
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Testing helps prevent COVID-19 from spreading and keeps people around you safe. If you test positive, you can isolate from others and avoid getting your friends, family, coworkers, or classmates sick. When a positive test is reported, public health employees interview the person who tested positive and notify their close contacts so they can also take steps to avoid passing the virus to others.
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With fewer cases being reported locally, we have an opportunity to identify a larger percentage of cases in the community and block the virus from spreading.
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Testing also provides the data we need to track the pandemic and inform local response efforts. Both positive and negative test results help us understand where and how COVID-19 is spreading in our community. You can find our data reports at kcowa.us/covid19data
How to get tested
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Pharmacies, clinics, and testing sites across the county offer free COVID-19 testing. Find a full list of testing providers at kcowa.us/covid19
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At-home testing kits are now available online and over the counter at some retailers, including Walgreens pharmacies. You may be charged for a test kit. If you test yourself at home, please remember to report your results to public health by calling 211.
If your test is positive, talk to your healthcare provider and follow CDC guidance for isolation. You should also reach out to people you’ve spent time with to let them know you tested positive. A public health employee may contact you with additional guidance and resources. Learn more about self-testing on the CDC’s website or check out this guide from our colleagues at Public Health Seattle-King County.
FROM OUR HEALTH OFFICER
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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.
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Numbers to know
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As of June 8, 53% of Kitsap residents 12 and older had received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 47% were fully vaccinated. More than 123,000 Kitsap residents have received at least one dose of vaccine.
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99 COVID-19 cases were reported in our county in the most recent week with full data available (May 23- May 29): 1 case on Bainbridge, 29 in Bremerton, 27 in Central Kitsap, 13 in North Kitsap, 29 in South Kitsap.
- Kitsap County's rate of cases per 100,000 population over 14 days — a key metric in state reopening plans — has fallen to about 76. COVID-19 continues to spread widely in the county, but the rate of new cases reported has declined since late April.
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112 COVID-19-associated deaths have been reported in Kitsap to date.
- Find more local COVID-19 data at kcowa.us/covid19data
Based on new federal and state guidance, fully vaccinated people may no longer need to:
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Wear a mask or distance from others in most indoor and outdoor settings. Learn more.
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Wear a mask or distance from others at work, unless required by employer. Learn more.
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Quarantine if they have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 and have no symptoms.
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To keep each other safe, everyone should continue to:
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Avoid crowded indoor events or continue masking in those settings.
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Continue masking in all healthcare settings, schools, public transportation, and any other settings where visitors are still asked to mask.
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Follow rules set by businesses and organizations.
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Stay home when sick and get tested for COVID-19. Find a testing site at kcowa.us/covid19 or call a local clinic or pharmacy.
Learn more on the CDC and state Department of Health websites.
QUESTIONS? CONTACT: pio@kitsappublichealth.org
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