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Case rates are once again on the rise, currently showing 428 cases per 100,000 population for the two-week period ending January 9th.
This is our second highest case rate since the beginning of the pandemic.
Our choices determine how quickly our community can return to normal. Wear a mask. Avoid crowds. Wash your hands. #InItTogether
For the week starting Jan. 11, Snohomish County falls under Phase 1 of the new Healthy Washington - Roadmap to Recovery. This allows for some modest expansion of economic activity as detailed in the graphic below.
With Snohomish County now incorporated into the new Puget Sound Region with King and Pierce counties, movement will be based on meeting all four metrics for the region:
- A 10 percent or greater decrease in the rate of COVID cases per 100,000 population in most recent 14-day period compared to the prior 14-day period
- A 10 percent or greater decrease in the rate of new COVID hospital admission rates per 100,000 in most recent 14-day period compared to the prior 14-day period
- Test positivity of less than 10% for the most 7-day period measured
- Total ICU occupancy of less than 90% for the most recent 7-day period measured
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) will compile updated data by region every Friday. Regions that meet all four criteria above are eligible to move to Phase 2 on the following Monday. Based on the first dashboard update, the Puget Sound Region is meeting three of the four criteria and is therefore not eligible to advance yet.
The region needs to see a 10 percent or greater decrease in hospital admission rates per 100,000 when comparing two-week periods. The period from December 20 to January 2 saw a 1 percent increase in hospital admission rates across the region compared to the period from December 9 to December 19.
The DOH and coronavirus.wa.gov data dashboards will continue to be available online. Additional data regarding the new criteria for the Roadmap to Recovery will be provided separately for the near term. The risk assessment dashboards will be revised in the future, but there should be no break in the availability of COVID-19 data.
See the full press release for more details.
Vaccination is an important step on the path out of the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a phased plan for administering the vaccine and it will take time before most of the public is vaccinated against COVID. In the meantime, even once a safe and effective vaccine is available, people should maintain other preventive measures. At this time, Phase 1A is being vaccinated, which includes:
- High-risk workers in health care settings
- High-risk first responders
- Residents and staff of nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other community-based, congregate living settings where most individuals over 65 years of age are receiving care, supervision, or assistance
If you are a member of the group in Phase 1A and have not been vaccinated please contact your primary care doctor or email: COVIDVaccine@snohd.org or call 425-339-5278.
If you do not fall within the above categories, you will be eligible in a future phase.
The Joint Information Center’s FAQs about COVID-19 vaccine are now available in additional languages at www.snohd.org/covidvaccine.
 Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers, Snohomish Health District Prevention Services Director Katie Curtis, and Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management Director Jason Biermann give updates on the response to COVID-19 in Snohomish County.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyijWX7AP3w
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