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Declining COVID-19 case rates in Snohomish County and a steady increase in people becoming vaccinated against the disease are reasons for optimism, a press conference was told Tuesday.
The rolling case rate for COVID-19 infections continues to decline. During the latest two-week period ending June 6, it stood at 103 new cases per 100,000 population. This is back to where the county was briefly in March before heading back up.
“Snohomish County has weathered its fourth wave and we’re on the road to recovery,” said Shawn Frederick, administrative officer at the Snohomish Health District. “This is thanks in large part to the growing number of people getting vaccinated. To the 423,000 people and counting here in Snohomish County who have gotten (fully) vaccinated – thank you!”
The good news comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is sharing new information suggesting that COVID infection rates may have been far higher than originally believed. Nearly 40,000 people in Snohomish County became reported cases, which is roughly one in every 20 residents. The CDC believes only about 25% of infections were reported, which means it’s possible that as many as 150,000 more people in the county may have been infected but not diagnosed.
So far, nearly 2,000 people here have been hospitalized and nearly 600 lives lost to COVID-19 since Jan. 20, 2020. Compare that to an average of 26 lives lost annually due to influenza during the 2015-2019 flu seasons.
Vaccination remains the key to beating COVID, said Jason Biermann, director of the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management. The Snohomish County Vaccine Taskforce will continue to offer access to shots, at mass vaccination sites through the end of June, and through community based clinics in the months ahead.
We can all take steps this summer and into the fall to support our community and help our neighbors during this stage of the pandemic, Biermann told the news conference. That can take on many forms: getting your shot to protect yourself and those around you; spending time with a loved one who needs emotional support; or choosing to do your shopping and dining at local businesses.
“Everyone has a role in this,” he said.
Find a video recording of the full briefing here: https://youtu.be/EdMU7qenLhY
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Snohomish County is creating an Office of Recovery to help the community bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers offered details during a virtual press conference Tuesday.
The recovery effort will be staffed by seven project positions, and its work will be overseen by the Executive Office. The Snohomish County Council approved its creation on Monday, funded through the American Rescue Plan Act.
The Office of Recovery will focus on four key areas, Executive Somers said:
Economic: The office will continue to work with businesses to return economic and business activities, including agricultural, to a stronger base and develop new economic opportunities that result in a sustainable and prosperous economy.
Housing: The office will work to implement housing solutions that effectively support the needs of the whole community and contribute to its sustainability and resilience.
Human and social services: The office will work to restore and improve social services networks to promote the resilience, health, independence and wellbeing of the whole community.
Public health and medical services: With the Snohomish Health District in the lead, the office will help to restore and improve health services and promote the resilience, health, and wellbeing of the whole community.
Recovery efforts will look different based on priorities, resources, and partnerships, Somers said. The overall aim will be to revive the local economy, work to restore quality of life and to ensure that help reaches every community in Snohomish County.
See the video briefing for more details: https://youtu.be/EdMU7qenLhY
 Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers checks in with Emergency Management staff during the COVID pandemic.
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The Ash Way Park & Ride mass vaccination site has Pfizer vaccine available (ages 12+, 12-17 with parent/guardian). Here’s a look at the times and dates for the rest of June. Sign up or show up. More: http://bit.ly/snocovaccine. #vaxupsnoco
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The statewide goal is to reach 70% of residents age 16+ having at least their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
We’re now a little over 64% in Snohomish County for that metric – about 38,000 residents from reaching the 70% mark. For comparison, that number is just shy of the population of the city of Lynnwood. #VaxUpSnoco http://bit.ly/snocovaccine
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“We’re all tired of this pandemic, and we want it to get back to normal. We want to see friends, go out and hug our loved ones. But for that to happen, we have to work together. Take your shot.”
-- Brendan Lee, Forward, Everett Silvertips
Why do you vax?
#vaxupsnoco
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The state’s "Shot of a Lifetime" lottery held its first drawings for winners Tuesday, and the state Department of Health released a statement sayings its databases about who has received vaccinations against COVID-19 are up to the challenge. State health officials acknowledged Monday that some people have had challenges accessing COVID vaccine records, but the data is secure:
Many people have experienced challenges while trying to confirm their records were transmitted to the Washington State Immunization Information System (WAIIS) and they are eligible for the “Shot of a Lifetime” lottery drawing. DOH also recognizes that many people were not able to verify their COVID-19 vaccine record in MyIR Mobile. However, the records have been transmitted to the WAIIS, which means DOH is able to access immunization data and will be able to pull winners from the pool of eligible vaccine recipients in the state.
In the meantime, people who have further questions about their eligibility should call the state’s vaccine hotline at 1-833-VAX HELP or visit https://walottery.com/vaccination.
Washington joins several other states in offering a vaccine lottery. Hitting the 70% statewide initiation of vaccination goal is an important component of our collective success against COVID-19, and we look forward to continued progress so we can restore our economy and get people back to living their normal lives.
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The state Liquor and Cannabis Board on Monday announced that it would provide a temporary allowance to state licensed cannabis retailers to provide one joint to adult consumers who receive a vaccination at an in-store vaccination clinic.
The board received multiple requests from cannabis retail licensees to engage in promotions to support state vaccination efforts. This allowance went into effective immediately. The allowance is optional for licensees, and will expire on July 12, 2021. The LCB has provided dozens of allowances for alcohol and cannabis licensees throughout the COVID pandemic in an effort to support businesses during the restriction period and to support the vaccine effort.
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The federal government on Sunday congratulated Washington for reaching a goal of surpassing 70% of adults with at least one dose of COVID vaccine. Andy Slavitt, White House Senior Advisor on the COVID response, took to Twitter to mark the moment.
The state calculates roughly 64% of people here age 16 and up have received their first dose of COVID vaccine. On Monday, the state Department of Health released a statement acknowledging differences between the state’s data dashboard and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) COVID Data Tracker, and offering some explanations:
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The CDC reports 7,843,092 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Washington as of June 6, whereas DOH reports 7,253,646 doses have been administered as of June 5. The state’s data dashboard represents the most accurate information the department has control over, and there are a few reasons why numbers are different:
- The federal government gets data from the Department of Defense (DoD), Veterans Affairs (VA), Bureau of Prisons, and potentially a few other sources of vaccines allocated directly from the federal government that do not get shared with DOH.
- Washington residents vaccinated out of state may not have records entered in the state’s Immunization Information System (IIS) but would be included in the CDC dashboard.
- DOH uses 2020 population estimates from the state’s Office of Financial Management, which are larger and more accurate, while the federal government uses 2019 census data.
- The state goal and data dashboard report vaccine initiation for people 16 and older, which is 64% as of June 5. The federal government counts vaccine initiation only for people 18 and up.
See the full statement for more.
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The latest COVID-19 modeling and surveillance situation report from the state Department of Health shows continued declines in disease activity, with vaccination playing a key role. To keep trends on track, we need to keep increasing vaccination and continue preventive measures like wearing masks, maintaining distance and moving gatherings outside if you’re unvaccinated.
Vaccination is protecting people from COVID-19 illness severe enough to require hospitalization, the report found. Among the sobering statistics:
- Over the two-week period ending May 9, the hospital admission rate for unvaccinated people ages 45-64 was about 21 times higher than the rate for fully vaccinated people of the same age.
- Among people ages 65 and older, the hospital admission rate was about 13 times higher in unvaccinated people than in those who were fully vaccinated.
“We continue to see positive trends, but a significant proportion of our population is still unvaccinated and vulnerable to COVID-19 as our state approaches full reopening,” said Acting State Health Officer Scott Lindquist, MD, MPH. “If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, now is the time to get your vaccine so you can enjoy the benefits of reopening without putting your health and your community at risk."
See the full press release for more details.
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The state Department of Health has published another conversation with Dr. John Vassall, Physician Executive for Quality, Safety and Equity at Comagine Health. He is one of the state’s leading experts on COVID-19 vaccine safety. As he did in the first installment, Dr. Vassall discusses vaccine hesitancy. This post focuses on misinformation, the impact of distrust for the health system among many historically marginalized people, and other issues.
A lot of hesitation can be attributed to misinformation. How can we address the false information on the internet? Or help our loved ones who are spreading this online?
Dr. John Vassall: Anyone with a computer can post just about anything on the internet, and some grossly inaccurate and misleading information can seem credible. We all need to be careful about what we’re consuming on the internet; we should seek out legitimate and authentic sources and we should encourage the people in our lives to do the same. The CDC and Washington State Department of Health have great, fact-based information in several languages. For data geeks, the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) can be very satisfying. http://www.healthdata.org/covid
Read more.
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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. The final concept – rise – is about healing and growth.
We can all use some lasting healthy habits for self-care. Mindfulness is a practice that can increase focus, self-control and compassion, while decreasing levels of stress and anxiety.
Simply put, to be mindful is to be present with yourself and the world around you. Mindfulness techniques can vary by skills and attention spans. We’ve broken down some of our favorite exercises by age group.
Read the full post.
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Join Amy Hill, Opioid Outreach Specialist with Snohomish County Human Services, from 11 a.m. to noon June 15 for an on-line training about managing medication safely, including opioid education and Narcan training.
An overdose can occur at any age, including among older adults and people with legally prescribed medications. Narcan (Naloxone) nasal spray can block the effects of an opioid overdose, and save lives.
The training is free and open to anyone. It will be offered on-line via Zoom and a phone call-in option is also available.
For more information call 360-386-9918. Register here for Zoom webinar.
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Whether or not you have insurance, the COVID vaccine is free. All you have to do is show up. Take your shot.
Register for your shot here: http://bit.ly/snocovaccine
Appointments are not required but are recommended.
Cumulative from January 2020 through June 7, 2021.
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ESSENTIAL LINKS AND PHONE NUMBERS FOR UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION
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