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As case numbers rise, the Snohomish Health District is reminding residents to stay home if sick. If COVID-like symptoms develop or they were exposed to a confirmed case, seek testing. Is that test negative? The full quarantine applies if a person was notified that they are a close contact to a case.
Contact tracers at the Snohomish Health District are starting to see a growing number of cases that attended sports events, work or gatherings while symptomatic. Some had fevers or a cough, while others thought they were just fighting allergies.
“Unfortunately, we’re hearing reports of parents or friends urging people not to get tested to avoid an isolation or quarantine period,” said Dr. Chris Spitters, Health Officer for the Snohomish Health District. “I cannot stress enough just how important testing, isolation of cases, and quarantining of contacts are to our fight against this virus. We can’t interrupt transmission or prevent others from getting sick without them.”
COVID symptoms can include one or more of the following:
- Fever
- Chills
- Cough
- Difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle pain or body aches
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Runny nose or nasal congestion
- New loss of taste or smell
If symptoms develop, vaccinated or not, seek testing through primary healthcare providers or www.snohd.org/testing. People should remain home and away from others until results are back, or to seek medical care if needed.
If someone is notified that they are a close contact and need to quarantine, they should seek testing ideally 3-5 days after last exposure. However, the duration of someone’s quarantine period as set by public health, employers and/or schools must still be fulfilled regardless of test results.
“We are also getting requests to appeal their quarantine, or confusion because a clinic or provider told them they were cleared,” added Dr. Spitters. “The test is just an indication from that moment in time, but the research has shown infection can occur up to 14 days after exposure. That’s why it’s so important to quarantine for the full incubation period.”
The exception to quarantine requirements for contacts to COVID-19? Being fully vaccinated. Individuals who are at least two weeks past their final dose do not need to quarantine at home, provided they remain symptom-free.
Read the full release.
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The schedule for drive-thru COVID-19 testing through the Snohomish Health District is as follows:
- Everett site located at 3715 Oakes Avenue – Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Lynnwood Food Bank site at 5320 176th St SW – open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Evergreen State Fairgrounds in the front parking lot off of 179th Ave SE in Monroe – open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Appointments for testing are encouraged, and registration is available at www.snohd.org/testing. Those without internet access or needing language assistance can reach the Health District’s call center at 425-339-5278 to schedule a testing appointment. The call center is staffed 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Callers after hours or on weekends can leave a message, which will be returned on the next business day.
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It was another week of more than 50,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered in Snohomish County. The fully vaccinated population is now nearing that of Everett and Marysville, combined. http://bit.ly/snocovaccine #vaxupsnoco #InItTogether
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Snohomish County appreciates all the partnerships that are helping to vaccinate underserved members of our community. Thanks to the Communities of Color Coalition (C3) for helping to save lives and to reach the goal of vaccination for everyone.
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Gov. Jay Inslee on Thursday said that he wants people to “take it outside” in the weeks ahead as one strategy for defeating COVID-19.
During an open air press conference outside the governor’s mansion, Inslee said that rising COVID case rates and hospitalizations point toward a fourth wave of infection.
The governor said one strategy to make transmission less likely is to meet with others outdoors when possible instead of in confined spaces.
That is in addition to wearing masks, maintaining distance and getting vaccinated.
Inslee noted that all adults in Washington 16 and up – roughly 6 million people – are now eligible for vaccination. Vaccine doses still lag far behind demand.
To date, about half of Washington adults have received at least one dose of vaccine, Inslee said. As of Thursday, 23% of adults in the state are fully vaccinated.
“Taking it outside, together with the vaccine, we think will be a knockout punch for this COVID,” he said.
Watch the full briefing on TVW.
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A new interactive map offers a detailed view of how people in Snohomish County, and elsewhere in the nation, reportedly feel about getting vaccinated against COVID-19.
An estimated 11.48% of people in the county remain hesitant about COVID vaccines, with 5.49% considered strongly hesitant, the data show. Calculate in reverse, and the same data suggest that 88.5% of those polled here expect to get vaccinated.
The map was prepared by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is based on data collected by the American Community Survey from March 3 to March 15. The survey asked “Once a vaccine to prevent COVID-19 is available to you, would you…get a vaccine?” The four available answers ranged from “definitely will get a vaccine” to “definitely will not get a vaccine.”
The survey results are available at the county level, and in more granular public use microdata areas (PUMA) of about 100,000 people each. People living in the county’s south end reportedly are the least hesitant about getting vaccinated. Here are how the county’s regions compare based on strongest hesitancy toward COVID vaccinations.
Area Estimated strongly hesitant
North (including Marysville and Arlington) 6.06%
East (including Snohomish, Monroe, Lake Stevens) 6.13%
Central (including north Everett) 6.21%
West Central (including Mukilteo, south Everett) 5.16%
Southwest (including Edmonds, Lynnwood) 5.13%
South Central (including Mill Creek, north Bothell) 4.26%
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The state Department of Health (DOH) is reporting a total of 217 COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases among vaccinated individuals in Washington state as of April 3, 2021. That is an increase from the 102 cases first reported on March 30, 2021. Breakthrough cases have now been identified in 24 of Washington’s 39 counties, including Snohomish County where 28 cases have been reported. None of the Snohomish County cases have resulted in hospitalizations or deaths.
Vaccine breakthrough occurs when a person tests positive for COVID-19 two weeks or more after receiving the full course of an approved COVID-19 vaccine. Large-scale clinical studies found that COVID-19 vaccines prevented most people from getting COVID-19 illness. However, the vaccines are not 100% effective. This means a very small number of fully vaccinated people will still get sick with COVID-19. Scientists note that breakthroughs are expected with any vaccine.
To date, more than 1.7 million people have been fully vaccinated in Washington state. The breakthrough cases represent a small portion, about .01%, of the fully vaccinated population.
DOH is investigating a total of five suspected deaths of individuals who experienced vaccine breakthrough. The people who died were between 67-94 years old and all had multiple underlying conditions. Four were residents of long-term care facilities.
See the full press release for more information.
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Unemployment claims up again as some displaced early in pandemic reapply
Unemployment claims in Snohomish County shot up 43% during the week of April 4 through April 10, the Employment Security Department said Thursday. There were 1,707 claims filed in the county, 514 more compared to the week before, according to state data.
The increase in initial claims was partly driven by claimants who have reached the end of their benefit year. For those that applied for unemployment early in the pandemic, they have reached the end of their 52-week benefit year and must reapply for unemployment to continue receiving benefits
Statewide, there were there were 17,281 initial claims during the most recent data collection period, up 45.7% from the prior week. Even so, initial regular claims are down 88% compared to the same period last year.
For more information, see the full press release.
 State added 23,000 jobs in March after losing more than 166,000 during pandemic year
Washington’s economy added 23,100 jobs in March and the state’s preliminary seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment rate decreased from 5.6% in February to 5.4% in March, according to the Employment Security Department .
“Broad gains in hiring continued from February through March in response to the improving public health position,” said Paul Turek, economist for the department. “Although employment remains below pre-pandemic levels, the state’s labor market is on track to make up the deficit relatively quickly.”
Washington lost an estimated 166,400 jobs from March 2020 – March 2021, not seasonally adjusted. Private sector employment fell by 4.2 percent, down an estimated 121,200 jobs, while public sector employment fell by 7.5 percent with a net loss of 45,200 jobs.
The three industry sectors with the largest employment losses year-over-year, not seasonally adjusted, were:
- Leisure and hospitality down 74,900 jobs
- Government down 45,200 jobs
- Manufacturing down 27,200 jobs
See the full press release for more information.
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Vaccine cards can be easy to lose, so here are some tips to keep them in good condition. Visit wa.myir.net to get your online immunization record.
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The state Department of Health offers an online COVID-19 isolation and quarantine calculator with advice available in multiple languages. Just plug in the date you tested positive or were exposed to somebody with COVID and learn how long you need to isolate.
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Most of us know we can prevent the spread of COVID-19 by wearing masks, washing our hands, keeping our distance, and staying home when we’re sick. But, can cleaning and disinfecting also protect your family from COVID-19? The good news is that your current cleaning routine may already be enough to keep you safe!
See the state Department of Health’s full blog post.
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Older adults are invited to join us for a live Q&A event about COVID-19 hosted by AARP on Wednesday, April 21st at 4 p.m. PT. Bring your questions about next steps as we move forward and emerge from the pandemic, and get answers from Governor Jay Inslee and Secretary of Health Dr. Umair A. Shah.
Reserve your spot today and receive a reminder phone call at the beginning of the event: vekeo.com/aarpwashington or call 1-855-962-1240 during the event to listen.
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Gov. Jay Inslee encourages people to take their activities outside. This weekend is a perfect opportunity to enjoy the sunny weather. Masking and social distancing still apply. #TakeItOutside
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′′This vaccine is how we can get back to normal life."
- Dr. George Diaz
Providence Regional Medical Center
Planning to receive, or have you received, your COVID vaccine? Share the reasons why you plan to receive (or received) it with your community using #vaxupsnoco or #vacunatesnoco
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“Esta vacuna es la forma de que podemos volver a una vida normal.”
Dr. George Diaz,
Providence Health & Services, Northwest Washington
¿Planeas recibir, o has recibido, tu vacuna contra el COVID? Comparte las razones por las que planeas recibirla (o la recibiste) con tu comunidad utilizando #vacunatesnoco.
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