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It’s easier than ever to find a COVID-19 vaccine, and more than 45,000 people who live, work and play in Snohomish County took the opportunity to get vaccinated last week. Data through May 4 shows that more than 600,000 vaccines have been administered since December.
The increased supplies and loosening requirements have helped in recent weeks. Snohomish County now has 38% of its residents 16 and up fully vaccinated. When adding in the other 108,000 residents who have received their first dose and are waiting for the second, the total climbs to 54% of eligible residents having received a vaccine.
This is welcome news as Governor Inslee announced a two-week pause on the Roadmap to Recovery. While case rates and hospitalization rates continue to exceed the metrics set for Phase 3, this pause will allow time for more residents to get vaccinated with the goal of driving down transmission. These are both critical tasks that require everyone to mask up and vax up to prevent Snohomish County from moving back to Phase 2 when the next data review happens.
The Health District also released its monthly update of vaccine demographic data on Tuesday. Data through April 18 shows that 70% of adults over 65 years of age have initiated vaccine. That high coverage is why this current wave has resulted in lower numbers of hospitalizations and deaths, particularly among that age group.
| Age group |
Fully vaccinated |
Partially Vaccinated |
Total |
Pop. for Age |
% Fully vaccinated |
% Initiating vaccine |
| 15 to 19 |
2,102 |
4,328 |
6,430 |
46,608 |
5% |
14% |
| 20 to 34 |
25,381 |
25,659 |
51,040 |
152,342 |
17% |
34% |
| 35 to 49 |
37,430 |
33,149 |
70,579 |
176,569 |
21% |
40% |
| 50 to 64 |
52,096 |
33,452 |
85,548 |
169,752 |
31% |
50% |
| 65+ |
78,347 |
12,042 |
90,389 |
129,586 |
60% |
70% |
| Total |
195,356 |
108,630 |
303,986 |
674,857 |
29% |
45% |
Compare this to the vaccination coverage among those 20-49 years of age and the larger number of cases for those groups during a similar period of time.
| Age group in years |
Current 2-Week Period 3/28-4/10 |
Prior 2-Week Period 3/14-3/27 |
Cumulative 1/20/20-Present |
| 0-14 |
173 |
104 |
3,191 |
| 15-19 |
115 |
77 |
2,345 |
| 20-29 |
337 |
187 |
6,572 |
| 30-39 |
304 |
156 |
6,254 |
| 40-49 |
236 |
139 |
5,512 |
| 50-59 |
168 |
121 |
4,661 |
| 60-69 |
102 |
77 |
2,934 |
| 70-79 |
36 |
18 |
1,440 |
| 80+ |
9 |
8 |
1,174 |
| Grand Total |
1,480 |
887 |
34,094 |
Most transmission is occurring among younger adults, which requires more in those age ranges getting vaccinated to get Snohomish County through this pandemic. Many young adults may feel less motivation or urgency to get the vaccine because of their lower risk of hospitalization and death.
Even so, lower risk is not zero risk. The goal is not only to prevent bad outcomes, including long-term health impacts, but also to interrupt the sustained transmission being seen locally. In order to achieve that, everyone needs to be on board. Even those at lower risk.
There may be a two week pause to stay in Phase 3, but it’s not a pause on vaccinations. The goal is to get 100,000 more vaccines in residents’ arms during these two weeks. Everyone is encouraged to step up, take their shot and help move Snohomish County forward.
Read more.
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The COVID vaccines are safe, effective and free! The vaccines were not rushed and didn’t start from scratch. Previous research on coronavirus-caused illnesses (such as SARS and MERS) gave developers a head start on the vaccines while still adhering to all safety measures.
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"It was simple. It was quick. Didn’t hurt at all, and I don’t like shots … Getting the vaccine, especially now in our state if you’re 16 or over, it’s the right and necessary thing to do.”
-- April Berg, Washington State Representative
Why do you vax?
#VaxUpSnoCo
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There is nothing more important to a mom than the health and happiness of her family. Help protect yourself, and her, by making sure you both get your COVID-19 shot. Make a date today to get vaccinated. http://bit.ly/snocovaccine
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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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Unemployment claims in Snohomish County declined 11.2% during the week of April 25 through May 1, the state Employment Security Department said Thursday. There were 1,102 claims filed in the county, 139 compared to the week before, according to state data.
Statewide, there were 10,507 initial claims during the most recent data collection period, down 9.6% from the prior week. Initial regular claims were down 90% compared to the same period last year when the economic impacts of the pandemic were beginning to build.
For more information, see the full press release.
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COVID-19 has brought a new set of challenges for pregnant and parenting women, who are already at increased risk for mood and anxiety disorders. A survey conducted last summer indicated that more than 1 in 3 pregnant and postpartum women were experiencing significant levels of depression, in part due to pandemic related feelings of isolation and anxiety. If you or someone you know is struggling visit citymatchnear.org/pmh/ for a list of resources or call the Perinatal Support Washington Warm Line at 1-888-404-7763.
#MMHWeek2021
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The state Department of Commerce is partnering with ArtsFund to provide over $10 million in grants to help community organizations across the state that have been impacted by the pandemic.
The Nonprofit Community Relief grant program focuses on arts, culture, science and heritage nonprofits, as well as organizations whose primary mission is to serve veterans, neighborhood organizations and sports and recreation programs for adults and/or children
Eligible organizations must have 501(c)(3) status, or fiscal sponsorship by a 501(c)(3), with appropriate documentation since their 2019 fiscal year. Additionally, organizations must have operating budgets of at least $25,000.
“Nonprofits strengthen communities by providing cultural, creative, recreational and other enrichment opportunities and by linking people to others with common interests,” said Commerce Director Lisa Brown. “This has been especially true during the pandemic. People are looking for ways to maintain community and cultural connections and these nonprofit organizations provide that important link.”
Full details and Frequently Asked Questions are available here.
The Nonprofit Community Relief grant application portal opens on May 10 at www.artsfund.org/ncrgrants. Applications are online only.
An online information session is scheduled May 11, 2021 from 2-3:00 p.m.. To attend the webinar, please register via this link. This webinar will be recorded and include automatically generated subtitles. ASL interpretation will be provided.
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The Vaccine Action Command and Coordination System (VACCS) Center has partnered with Lyft, Uber, United Way Worldwide, Washington 211 and Sea Mar Community Health Centers to provide access to free and discounted rides to vaccine appointments for people with transportation challenges.
These partnerships mean that starting May 10th, people who face transportation barriers and need a ride to get a vaccine can call the state COVID-19 information hotline at 833-VAX-HELP and a hotline specialist will assist in coordinating the rides.
In March, VACCS launched its free vaccine transportation initiative in partnership with Sound Transit and Pierce Transit, which provide complimentary rides to anyone with a vaccine appointment. Now, VACCS is expanding that offering and is partnering with Washington 211 and United Way Worldwide through their Ride United partnership with Lyft to provide access to rides to appointments. In addition, Uber is working with Washington 211, Sea Mar Community Health Centers and at least six other community-based health clinics to provide free vaccination transportation for people who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
See the full press release for more information.
Uber says it has committed millions of free rides for vaccine appointments and started a fund so people can pay to donate a ride. To sign up in the Uber app people can tap “Vaccine” to get started, schedule an appointment through Walgreens, and then reserve their ride back on the Uber app.
Lyft is also offering free or discounted rides, saying it is “mobilizing partners and community members to help provide access to 60 million rides to and from vaccine appointments.” People can sign up for a ride themselves or “send a ride” to a friend or family member who needs one.
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Spring has brought new hope to Washington. With more people in our state getting vaccinated, a return to normalcy feels closer than ever. But we can’t enter this new beginning until we face a startling reality, the state Department of Health says.
COVID-19 cases are increasing again in Washington. This dangerous trend comes while hospitalizations and deaths are increasing, especially among younger populations. Medical experts say we have reached the ‘fourth wave’ of the pandemic in Washington. We have a higher rate of infections than we did in the third wave, and the numbers are increasing daily.
So how did we get here? Even with millions getting vaccinated?
- There are five variants of concern spreading in Washington state. During the latest sequencing and variant report, we discovered a 35% increase in variants from the week before.
- Experts believe these variants are causing more severe infections — raising hospitalization rates and ultimately, deaths. Over 600 hospitalizations were reported in the past week by state hospitals — the most we’ve seen in months.
- Although people of all ages are vulnerable to COVID-19, the most recent wave seems to be impacting younger people more than others. People under the age of 50 currently make up half of Washington’s hospitalizations.
- The virus continues to spread as more people let their guard down by not wearing masks, keeping physical distance, etc. Even if you are fully vaccinated, there are still guidelines to follow. We all need to do our part to slow the spread.
- Demand for the vaccine is slowing, even though eligibility has expanded. The vaccine is our best shot to end the pandemic, and it’s effective against many variant strains.
Read more.
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The state Department of Health’s most-recent report on COVID-19 outbreaks says there were 182 outbreaks linked to 708 cases in Washington's K-12 schools between Aug. 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021. Those COVID-19 outbreaks included 23 reported in Snohomish County schools, accounting for 88 cases, the report says.
Read the full April 30 report here.
Teachers and school staff: A free online course is available focused on evidence-based information and practices for reducing the spread of COVID-19 in school settings. One in-service hour (1.0 STARS credit which can be credited as a clock hour) is provided at no cost for a limited time. Sign up here: https://childcare-snohd.talentlms.com/catalog/info/id:233
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Even as COVID-19 vaccines become more widely available to people across the United States, Americans continue to express concerns about the impact the pandemic has had on their mental health and the mental health of their children, according to the results of an APA poll released on Sunday.
The findings were based on an online survey conducted March 26 to April 5 of 1,000 adults 18 years and older.
According to the survey, 43% of adults reported that the pandemic has had a serious impact on their mental health, up from 37% in 2020. Adults aged 18 to 29 years were more likely to report the pandemic has had a serious impact on their mental health than those 30 and older.
More than half of adults (53%) with children under 18 in their household said they were concerned about the mental state of their children, and almost half (48%) said the pandemic has caused mental health problems for one or more of their children. Twenty-six percent of parents said they sought or are currently seeking professional mental health help for their children because of the pandemic, and 22% reported they had difficulties scheduling appointments for their children with mental health professionals.
“This poll shows that even as vaccines become more widespread, Americans are still worried about the mental state of their children,” said APA President Jeffrey Geller, M.D., M.P.H. “This is a call to action for policymakers, who need to remember that in our COVID-19 recovery, there’s no health without mental health.”
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Make a vaccination date with a friend! Coordinate your appointments by visiting www.bit.ly/snocovaccine and carpool together to one of our seven mass vaccination sites in Snohomish County. #InItTogether
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ESSENTIAL LINKS AND PHONE NUMBERS FOR UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION
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