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Without intervention, COVID-19 cases in Snohomish County are on track to reach record levels in the weeks ahead, as the delta variant spreads and hospitals fill, a virtual press conference was told Tuesday.
The rate of new COVID cases during the last two weeks now stands at 442 per 100,000 people – the second-highest level in the last 18 months, said Shawn Frederick, Administrative Officer for the Snohomish Health District. There were 85 people with COVID in the county’s hospitals Tuesday, with 11 requiring ventilators to help them breathe.
If the rate of new cases continues unchecked, the county can expect numbers to climb above the high point set during the third wave of infection last winter, Frederick said. He shared a series of slides demonstrating how the delta strain of the virus that causes COVID-19 is spreading in the community, and how vaccines continue to provide the best protection against serious illness.
“We need everyone’s help de-escalating the current situation by masking up and getting vaccinated, if eligible,” he said.
Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers said he was encouraged by Monday’s news that the Pfizer vaccine has now received full approval from the federal Food and Drug Administration.
If anyone was waiting to get vaccinated until FDA approval, the time has arrived, he said.
The Executive added that he recently worked with the Snohomish County Council to get approval for providing leave to all county employees who need time off to get vaccinated against COVID. More than 70% already have been vaccinated.
“We want to try every incentive we have available before we impose a mandate,” the Executive said. “Particularly in light of the FDA’s full approval of the Pfizer vaccine, I believe now is really the perfect time to keep yourself and your community healthier by getting vaccinated.”
Reporters also were briefed on county government’s support for the resettlement of an estimated 1,200 refugees from Afghanistan, people considered at high risk for retaliation for having worked with U.S. forces there during 20 years of war.
Welcoming them is the right thing, Executive Somers explained.
“They helped our soldiers in Afghanistan and now it’s our turn to help them,” he said.
Watch a video of the full briefing: https://youtu.be/FoDtBnUnKKM
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For the fifth year in a row, an Aug. 31 gathering in Everett will call attention to Snohomish County’s other pandemic.
The annual A Night To Remember, A Time To Act is focused on bringing hope and on highlighting the role of prevention and mental health in reducing the loss of life due to substance use disorder, and continuing efforts of combatting the stigma against those affected by substance use disorder and mental health, including families and loved ones of those struggling.
More than 230 people in Snohomish County were lost to drug-related overdoses in 2020 – double the number of deaths since the first candlelight vigil in 2016. There’s been a particularly alarming increase in deaths linked to synthetic drugs, namely fentanyl, which is 50-100 times more lethal than morphine or heroin. Snohomish County and many other communities have experienced a dual pandemic as we face both COVID and the ongoing epidemic of substance use disorder.
Event organizers Debbie Warfield and Cathi Lee joined a virtual briefing Tuesday morning to talk about the event and its purpose. The Everett moms lost their sons Spencer Warfield and Corey Lee to overdoses. They’ve turned their pain into purpose by hosting the event the past five years.
It’s time for action and recognition that everyone can be part of the solution in saving lives, Warfield told the briefing.
Progress has been made addressing the stigma around addiction and substance abuse disorder, Lee said. The Aug. 31 event is a demonstration that people aren’t alone, and that the problem can be addressed, particularly with early intervention, she said.
The event begins at 5 p.m. in the plaza at the Snohomish County Campus, 3000 Rockefeller Ave. in Everett. It is entirely outdoors this year and masks are required, per state orders and guidance. Those who are not comfortable attending in person may participate virtually through the livestream on social media via the Hope Soldiers and Snohomish Overdose Prevention Facebook pages.
See the full press release and listen to Tuesday’s video briefing for more information.
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Snohomish County is excited to be getting “back in the saddle” and having a 2021 Evergreen State Fair! After thoughtful consideration and guidance from state and local health officials, county officials have determined that a fair can take place this year with a few adjustments for the community’s health and safety.
The Evergreen State Fair will look a bit different this year with fewer vendors and limited daily capacity. While most of the Fair offerings take place outdoors, these proactive changes were made to allow more space around the fair park for fairgoers to enjoy the event.
The changes, including limiting attendance, are designed to allow the event to occur while keeping people safe, Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers told a virtual media briefing Tuesday.
The success of the precautions will depend on individual actions, said Shawn Frederick, Administrative Officer for the Snohomish Health District.
“If you are feeling sick, don’t come to the fair,” he said. “… We all need to take steps to keep each other safe.”
This year’s theme: “Back in the Saddle Again – Open for Fun in 2021” is all about dusting oneself off after the challenging ride that was the last year and a half, and the anticipation of safely reuniting members of the community and fans of the Fair after making it through 2020 together. With increased sanitation, limited capacity, and adherence to health guidelines like the mask directive for public indoor spaces, the Fair staff has plans in place to keep everyone as safe and healthy as possible while at the Fair Park. Snohomish County officials hope that the 2021 Fair will bring joy and tradition back to your family’s summer festivities. Enjoy the wonder of experiencing something new, the sweet nostalgia of revisiting old favorites, and the beauty of sharing all of this in community.
See the full press release and the Fair’s COVID-19 response page for more information.
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The latest data report from the Snohomish Health District looked at all COVID cases through July 31. In addition to confirming the impact that the delta strain is having locally, the report also included a first look at cases by vaccination status.
July had twice as many confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 2,670 cases compared to 1,322 in June. Of those, nearly 80 percent were among unvaccinated individuals. Meanwhile, over 3,000 cases were reported during the first two weeks of August.
“This rapid increase in cases over the past six weeks reflects a combination of a more contagious delta strain, reduced mask wearing, increased social and larger gatherings, and an incomplete vaccination coverage,” said Dr. Chris Spitters, Health Officer for the Snohomish Health District.
The delta strain is causing people to get sick quicker, making it easier to spread and to infect more people than previous strains. This is a strain that has become very efficient at moving through communities at lightning speed. In addition to the Delta variant, the time since vaccination and age of the affected population may also be playing a role.
While the proportion of new cases among fully vaccinated residents has increased somewhat, the vaccines are still proving to be highly effective at preventing hospitalizations and death. Of the 140 residents hospitalized in July, 79 percent (111 patients) were unvaccinated.
Although 20 percent of cases and hospitalizations occurring in fully vaccinated individuals may be concerning about trends in vaccine effectiveness, it should not be cause for alarm. For instance, older people are more likely to have been vaccinated and more likely to have severe disease if infected. That combination could result in a lower apparent effectiveness if age is not accounted for in the analysis.
Meanwhile, the recent rise in cases has not yet been associated with an increase in mortality locally.
“From January through July, only four fully vaccinated residents died from COVID-19,” noted Dr. Spitters. “These vaccines are doing what they were made to do, and that’s to save lives.”
In addition to the report, the Health District also published new heat and ZIP code maps through July 31. It’s important to note that the ZIP codes in Snohomish County with the lowest vaccination rates are also among the high case rates during that time period.
For more information about the COVID vaccine, including where to find a clinic near you, visit www.snohd.org/covidvaccine.
For more information, see the full press release and the social media gallery at the links below.
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The number of Snohomish County residents getting their first dose of COVID-fighting vaccine continues to increase each week. With the delta variant, it’s more important than ever to get vaccinated if eligible. It helps protect you, your community and those not able to get vaccinated, including children under 12. To find a vaccine site near you, visit www.snohd.org/covidvaccine.
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Gov. Jay Inslee last week announced a vaccination requirement for employees working in K-12, most childcare and early learning, and higher education. Getting vaccinated is free and easy. If your job or volunteer work requires that you are fully vaccinated by October 18th, see the below graphic for dates and deadlines to remember. For a list of our community vaccine clinics, please go to www.snohd.org/community-vax-clinics.
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State Secretary of Health Umair A. Shah, M.D., MPH, has amended Order 20-03 requiring face masks for everyone over 5 in most public indoor settings regardless of vaccination status, effective Monday, Aug. 23. Gov. Jay Inslee announced the new order, as well as a vaccine requirement for education workers, at a press conference last week. The new mask mandate mirrors the Aug. 10 directive from the local health officer, Dr. Chris Spitters: https://bit.ly/3y5MNtw
A video from the county’s COVID Joint Information Center breaks down details about the statewide mask mandate.
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Passengers on Community Transit buses will be required to wear masks until Jan. 18, 2022, based on an extension of a federal rule.
The Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) current mandate was set to expire Sept. 13, before last week’s announced extension. The rule applies to employees and passengers on public transportation and airlines.
The rule is intended to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Community Transit lifted social distancing requirements on its buses earlier this summer. In addition to requiring that riders wear face masks, the agency continues to disinfect its buses every night and has upgraded its air filters to help ensure a safe ride.
Bus drivers are required to wear masks whenever a passenger is on board.
The mask requirement also includes people visiting airports, onboard commercial aircraft, and on commuter rail systems.
Airline travelers should check with their airline on additional inflight restrictions prior to taking their trip. All commuters and travelers should check with the CDC website for additional guidance. For additional information about TSA procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of our “Stay Healthy. Stay Secure.” campaign, visit tsa.gov/coronavirus.
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The latest COVID-19 modeling and surveillance situation report from the state Department of Health shows current COVID-19 cases and hospital admissions at their highest levels to-date. These upward trends are likely to continue in the coming month due to the delta variant. With hospital staff and capacities strained statewide, both masking and vaccination are now crucial to control and manage disease transmission.
Some of the report’s findings include:
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COVID-19 prevalence has nearly quadrupled between July 8 and August 6. Our best current estimate of prevalence is 0.64% as of Aug. 6, which means about 1 in 156 Washingtonians has an active COVID-19 infection. These levels are similar to those at the height of the third wave in the winter of 2020.
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Hospitalizations are at an all-time high. Both total beds and intensive care unit (ICU) beds occupied by COVID-19 patients have increased sharply, exceeding the previous high point of winter’s third wave. The seven-day rolling average for hospital admissions declined to a low of 29 as of June 16 and remained low through July 8. As of Aug. 6, however, the seven-day average of admissions has tripled to 96. Hospitalizations are also increasing in younger ages, notably 20-39.
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Vaccination continues to prevent serious illness. Unvaccinated people ages 16-44 and 45-64 are 10 times more likely to be hospitalized than those who are fully vaccinated. Admissions are about 6 times higher for unvaccinated people ages 65 and up.
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Death rates are fairly flat, with some variability. The seven-day rolling average has varied between 5 and 10 deaths per day since March 23 and is currently at 6 per day as of July 30.
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Delta variant is now dominant. About 98% of cases are estimated to be caused by the delta variant.
“Vaccinations will help us in the long term, but in order to get through the short term, we need to be wearing face coverings right now to control the spread of COVID-19,” said Acting Chief Science Officer Scott Lindquist, MD, MPH. “We absolutely need to realize that it could literally be any one of us, or our loved ones, needing hospital care in the near future. At this point, to ensure that care is available when we need it, our hospitals are counting on every one of us to mask up and get vaccinated.”
See the full press release for more information.
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Cumulative from January 2020 to present.
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ESSENTIAL LINKS AND PHONE NUMBERS FOR UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION
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