|
|
It has been 500 days since the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the United States was identified here in Snohomish County. In the 16 months since then, this county has weathered four waves of increasing cases, hospitalizations and deaths.
Nearly 40,000 people in Snohomish County—roughly 1 in 20 residents—became reported cases. Based on the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’s COVID-19 disease burden estimates that only 1 in 4 infections were reported, it’s possible that as many as 150,000 more residents may have been infected but not diagnosed.
Close to 2,000 people in Snohomish County have been hospitalized since January 2020, along with 591 lives lost to COVID-19 that have left empty places at holiday tables and family get-togethers. However, the number of hospitalizations and deaths don’t give the full picture of COVID’s impact on our community.
While younger residents may have been spared from hospitalization, they are the ones more likely to have lasting impacts. Research studies in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and Clinical Infectious Diseases suggest that up to 30-50% of COVID patient continue to experience fatigue, shortness of breath, brain fog, and/or other lingering symptoms. A recent report in Nature also highlighted what they found to be lasting health burdens on people, societies and economies. The health economists estimated that up to 30% of society’s health burden from COVID-19, across all age groups, is due to post-COVID disability.
Every age group and every part of the county has been impacted by this pandemic, and it will take quite some time to fully recover. But there is reason to be hopeful.
Case counts are on the decline again. The number of outbreaks, hospitalizations and deaths are slowing. Snohomish County is on a rebound, thanks in large part to the growing number of people getting vaccinated.
|
|
|
It’s been six months into the vaccination efforts and more than half of those 12 and older in the county are fully vaccinated. These individuals are able to get back to all of the activities they did prior to the pandemic, and without masks in most settings.
More normalcy is coming in just over three weeks, with the state set to reopen June 30. Schools are wrapping up the academic year filled with remote and hybrid learning, but in-class learning will be back in the fall. Vacations are being booked, summer pastimes are on the agenda again, and visits with friends and family are being planned.
“Things will likely continue to look a little different for quite some time, but relief is on the horizon,” said Dr. Chris Spitters, Health Officer for the Snohomish Health District. “In order to stay on this path to recovery—and avoid any possible detours—we all need to continue masking up until vaxed up.”
See the full press release for more information.
|
|
|
|
Haven’t gotten your COVID shot yet? Vaccine is available for free, regardless of insurance status, at mass vaccination sites this weekend. Sign up or show up. More info: http://bit.ly/snocovaccine
|
|
|
Another 20,700 Snohomish County residents completed vaccination against COVID-19 last week, and more than 10,300 got their first shot. That progress means more than half of the eligible people here are now fully vaccinated against the virus. In other words, a majority of those ages 12 and up here are protected against COVID. The results are mirrored in the county's declining COVID case rate, which has dropped to 129 per 100,000 people during the latest two-week assessment, down from the latest peak of 227 per 100,000 in late March. If you haven't already, take your shot: http://bit.ly/snocovaccine
|
|
|
Reaching out to the community's Russian-speaking residents, South County Fire Firefighter/Paramedic Boris Fayerberg talks about why he got vaccinated against COVID:
Давайте вернёмся туда, где можно собираться вместе и не бояться заболеть. Защитите себя и других и получите вакцину.
Let’s go back to where you can get together and not be afraid of getting sick. Protect yourself and others and get the vaccine.
--Boris Fayerberg, South County Fire
#vaxupsnoco
Facebook
Twitter
|
|
|
Gov. Jay Inslee on Thursday announced a suite of new incentives to help encourage unvaccinated Washingtonians to get the COVID shot, including cash prizes totaling $2 million.
The Washington State Lottery will be conducting a “Shot of a Lifetime” giveaway series during the month of June, working with state agencies, technology companies, sports teams and higher education institutions across the state to offer a myriad of different prizes to vaccinated individuals.
Starting next week, the Lottery will conduct one drawing for $250,000 every week for four weeks for all vaccinated individuals. At the end of the four weeks, there will be an additional, final drawing for a $1 million prize.
Vaccinated Washingtonians don’t need to do anything to be entered in the four drawings. The Lottery will automatically gather names from the DOH statewide immunization database.
|
The incentives announced Thursday include:
- Lottery cash drawings, with prizes totaling $2 million
- Higher education tuition and expense assistance
- Sports tickets and gear
- Gift cards
- Airline tickets
- Game systems and smart speakers
“These generous programs will encourage more Washingtonians to take this life-saving vaccine,” Inslee said during a press conference Thursday. “I hope people will see this as an opportunity to reopen even sooner than June 30th if we can stay motivated, stay informed and get more people vaccinated faster throughout the month of June.”
An estimated 2.3 million eligible people in Washington have not initiated vaccination against the virus that causes COVID, Inslee said.
Approximately 63% of Washingtonians 16 years and older have initiated their vaccinations.
Washington is set to reopen fully on June 30, or when the percentage of eligible adults who have initiated vaccination reaches 70%, whichever comes first.
See the full press release for more information.
|
|
|
Unemployment claims in Snohomish County dropped more than 12% during the week of May 23 through May 29, the state Employment Security Department said Thursday. There were 950 initial claims filed in the county, 131 less compared to the week before, according to state data.
It was the first week since early March 2020 that fewer than 1,000 initial unemployment claims were filed in the county.
Statewide, there were 10,085 initial claims during the most recent data collection period, down 13.6% from the prior week. Initial regular claims in the state were down 68% compared to the same period last year.
For more information, see the full press release.
|
|
President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced an effort to “pull out all the stops” to make sure 70% of U.S. adults by July 4 at least initiate vaccination against COVID-19. He’s dubbed the program “the National Month of Action.”
The multi-prong effort includes several initiatives, including offering free child care to those getting vaccinated; extended hours at pharmacies; offering access to goods and services as incentives to get vaccinated; and stepped up community outreach. A White House fact sheet contains the full details.
|
|
|
|
The state Department of Health on Monday launched a new mobile vaccine service called “Care-A-Van” to deliver vaccines to communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
DOH is working closely to support community partners and local health jurisdictions to increase vaccine access for priority communities, which include:
- Counties with higher vaccine gaps by race/ethnicity.
- Communities with a high rank on the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) for COVID-19.
- Sectors with recent outbreaks.
- Communities overrepresented in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.
- Demographic groups with lower vaccination rates compared to other groups.
- Groups not represented or underrepresented in current DOH data systems that have likely experienced COVID-19 health disparities and vaccine inequities.
- Geographic locations that have not had a visit from the DOH Care-A-Van.
To request a visit from a DOH Care-A-Van, submit a form through the Care-A-Van page on the DOH website at least 30 days in advance of the date you are requesting.
See the full press release for more information.
|
|
|
|
The state Department of Health hopes Washington businesses will continue to encourage mask wearing by customers who haven’t been vaccinated against COVID-19. A variety of posters can be downloaded from the Snohomish Health District website: https://www.snohd.org/501/Posters-for-Download
|
|
|
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 425-39-5278 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.
|
|
|
Researchers at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington have crunched COVID numbers for a Think Global Health report. The forecast examines anticipated cumulative COVID death rates by fall:
Which countries will have the highest mortality from COVID-19 come September 1, 2021? The numbers may surprise you.
When we took an initial look at total COVID-19 deaths recently, our Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation forecast showed that the countries with the largest epidemics include India, the United States, Brazil, Russia, and Mexico. This forecast took into account our estimates for deaths that have gone unreported. The percentage of deaths missing from official statistics in these five countries ranged from 31 to 82 percent.
But when looking at COVID deaths in another way—per 100,000 people—a very different picture emerges. Countries in Central Asia, and Central and Eastern Europe rise to the top with Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kyrgyzstan, and Belarus topping the list. In Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Belarus, fewer than 10 percent of COVID-19 deaths have been reported. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, less than half of deaths are included in official statistics.
See the full report.
|
|
|
The state Department of Health continues its series focusing on mental health and the pandemic. They are exploring the “Four Rs” of mental health: Reflect, Release, Restore and Rise. This third article focuses on restoring:
To restore means to bring back or return to a former condition. We are reminded on a daily basis that the effects of COVID-19 on our mental health are far reaching and vary greatly from person to person.
And while life may not return to the “normal” we once knew, we can certainly work toward restoring things that previously brought us happiness, stability and joy.
One of the main, and often overlooked, areas of trauma after a disaster is mental health.
“It’s very normal for people to experience symptoms of acute stress after any disaster,” says Dr. Kira Mauseth, Co-Lead for the Behavioral Health Strike Team at the Washington State Department of Health.
Dr. Mauseth shares that common symptoms may include anxiety, sleep disturbances including nightmares, feelings of loss, being more irritable or crying, and trouble focusing. Coping with these symptoms can be challenging and isolating, but all ranges of symptoms are natural and there are many helpful resources for support and reliable information.
Read the full post.
|
|
|
|
This is the fourth installment from the state Department of Health addressing questions about COVID-19 vaccines. Among other things, this post addresses:
- I’m young and healthy. Do I still need to get the COVID-19 vaccine?
- Does the vaccine cause any long-term health effects?
|
|
|
Things are changing quickly, and many people are getting vaccinated. There is so much discussion on the topic that it might seem unapproachable. Just remember that having a conversation with those around us is an important step to achieve the safer community we all want.
http://bit.ly/snocovaccine
#VaxUpSnoco, #verdanthealthcommission, #SouthSnohomish
Facebook
Twitter
|
|
|
ESSENTIAL LINKS AND PHONE NUMBERS FOR UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION
|
|
|
|
|
