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COVID-19 cases in Snohomish County dropped slightly last week and – at least for now – the supply of vaccines for children ages 5 to 11 remains far short of demand, a virtual press conference was told Tuesday.
For the two-week period ending Nov. 6., the COVID case rate here dipped about 20 points to 362 new cases per 100,000. Roughly 1,400 new cases were reported last week.
It’s been less than a week since the Pfizer pediatric dose of COVID vaccine was authorized for 5- to 11-year olds. There are about 75,000 children in that age range living in the county, and only about 10,000 doses of the pediatric vaccine likely to be allocated here each week, said Dr. Chris Spitters, Health Officer with the Snohomish Health District.
“Trying to find an appointment can feel like kind of like trying to win the lottery, and we’re certainly hearing these frustrations from people who are upset with what feels like zero availability,” Dr. Spitters said.
That’s temporary, however, and in time supply will more closely mirror demand as more appointments become available. Officials also are working with pharmacies, school districts and other partners to increase opportunities for vaccinations.
“So, we urge your patience and perseverance,” Dr. Spitters added. “Ultimately all children will have the chance to get vaccinated in the next few months.”
The briefing largely focused on vaccines and case rates, but there was also some recovery news.
Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers made a point of thanking state, federal and British Columbia officials for the recent reopening of the U.S.-Canada border, which has been generally closed during the pandemic.
“Many, many businesses in Snohomish County serve Canadians who come south to shop” Executive Somers said. “And many of our residents have family and friends in Canada who they have not been able to visit in 20 months. Opening the border is great for business and great for our families.”
Watch a video of the full briefing: https://youtu.be/L7ovprYfMc4
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The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is now authorized and recommended for use in children 5 to 11 years old. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) expanded COVID-19 vaccine eligibility following recommendations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup. All groups reviewed data that found the vaccine to be safe and more than 90% effective in preventing COVID-19 in younger children.
The state’s initial pediatric vaccine supply is roughly 315,000 doses, with around 16,000 doses expected here in Snohomish County and an estimated weekly supply of 6,000-10,000 doses thereafter. With about 75,000 children 5-11 years of age in our county, this means that families trying to secure an appointment for their kids will need to be patient in securing an appointment for their child. Assuming full uptake of the available supply, it may take at least 12 weeks for every child to complete the two-dose series.
The vaccine programs at the Snohomish Health District and the state have been recruiting and working with local providers and pharmacies to prepare for this for several months. The behind the scenes work providers have to do to get their systems up and running means that it could still be a few more days before appointments appear on vaccine finder, healthcare provider, and chain pharmacy websites.
“Even then, the available supply of vaccine simply won’t allow for every child to get vaccinated right away,” said Dr. Chris Spitters, Health Officer for the Snohomish Health District. “I know that after waiting so long for this opportunity, many parents are frustrated at not being able to get their child vaccinated right away. Have faith and keep trying every couple of days.”
To help find where vaccines may be available in Snohomish County, the Health District has compiled a list of providers and pharmacies that are expected to receive shipments by November 9. Parents and caregivers can use this to help them navigate which websites and appointment systems to focus on. However, this list is preliminary and deliveries may not have happened yet.
“Keep in mind that many providers want to wait until vaccine supplies are on hand before opening up appointments. Please be patient with them in these early days,” added Dr. Spitters. “We’ve all waited many months for this, and while it’s going to be a bumpy few weeks, we’ll soon get to a rhythm where everyone who wants a vaccine can get one.”
DOH has also updated its Vaccine Locator and to add an option to search for “Pfizer-BioNTech Pediatric” vaccine. If you have questions or need help scheduling an appointment, call the state’s COVID-19 hotline at 833-VAX-HELP, or the Snohomish Health District’s call center at 425.339.5278 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Language assistance is available with both numbers.
See the full press release for more information.
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It was another week with more than 20,000 doses of COVID vaccines administered in Snohomish County. Many were boosters, but thousands began or finished the two-shot series. It all adds up. Over the last four weeks, more than 15,700 people became fully vaccinated here. Take your shot: https://www.snohd.org/587/How-to-Get-Your-Shot
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The latest statewide data comparing COVID case rates and hospitalizations by vaccination status concludes:
Unvaccinated 12-34 year-olds in Washington are
- 5 times more likely to get COVID-19 compared with fully vaccinated 12-34 year-olds.
- 13 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 compared with fully vaccinated 12-34 year-olds.
Unvaccinated 35-64 year-olds are
- 5 times more likely to get COVID-19 compared with fully vaccinated 35-64 year-olds.
- 17 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 compared with fully vaccinated 35-64 year-olds.
Unvaccinated 65+ year-olds are
- 4 times more likely to get COVID-19 compared with fully vaccinated 65+ year-olds.
- 9 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 compared with fully vaccinated 65+ yearolds.
- 9 times more likely to die of COVID-19 compared with fully vaccinated 65+ year-olds.
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The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington says the latest data suggest that COVID cases have begun to rise again.
The latest forecast through March 1 says “we see increasing evidence in the Northern Hemisphere that the expected winter surge has started to unfold. Reductions in cases, estimated infections, and hospitalizations have essentially stopped in the U.S., and we are starting to turn around. Many countries in Western Europe are even farther ahead of the U.S. in the sense that numbers are going up quite quickly in places like the Netherlands or Denmark but also in Germany now and in a number of other countries.”
The report says COVID-19 numbers are rising due to:
- Winter seasonality.
- Waning immunity for those vaccinated.
- Decreased mask use and increased mobility levels.
IHME director and lead modeler Dr. Christopher J.L. Murray also shares insights in this Twitter thread.
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The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Nov. 4 announced a new emergency temporary standard to protect more than 84 million workers from the spread of the coronavirus on the job. The nation’s unvaccinated workers face grave danger from workplace exposure to coronavirus, and immediate action is necessary to protect them.
The White House also released a fact sheet with more information about the OSHA rule, and detailing another new policy that requires vaccination for more than 17 million health care workers.
The OSHA emergency temporary standard covers employers with 100 or more employees and provides options for compliance. Covered employers must develop, implement and enforce a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, unless they adopt a policy requiring employees to choose to either be vaccinated or undergo regular COVID-19 testing and wear a face covering at work. The emergency standard also requires employers to provide paid time to workers to get vaccinated and to allow for paid leave to recover from any side effects.
“COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on workers, and we continue to see dangerous levels of cases,” said U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh. “We must take action to implement this emergency temporary standard to contain the virus and protect people in the workplace against the grave danger of COVID-19. Many businesses understand the benefits of having their workers vaccinated against COVID-19, and we expect many will be pleased to see this OSHA rule go into effect.”
The OSHA ruled faced immediate legal challenges.
See the full press release for more information.
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The state Department of Health on Monday announced another significant milestone in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout:
As of Nov. 6, more than 10 million doses of vaccine have been given out across Washington since distribution began in mid-December 2020.
“Giving out 10 million doses of life-saving vaccine is something we should all be proud of here in Washington,” said Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH, Secretary of Health. “Knowing that younger kids can now be protected from the worst outcomes of this virus is an incredible relief, not just for parents and families, but for everyone. The more people vaccinated, the more community protection we have, and that’s good for us all.”
The achievement was reached thanks to the hard work of providers, local and private sector partners, DOH staff, community members, and countless others whose commitment to community health and safety has been vital to our state’s continued success.
See the full press release for more information.
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Cumulative from January 2020 to present.
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