County COVID rate continues to drop

As Washington state prepares for a June 30 reopening, Snohomish County’s COVID-19 case rate has dropped to it’s lowest level in more than seven months.

“For the first time since mid-October our two-week case rate has dropped below 80,” said Snohomish Health District Health Officer Dr. Chris Spitters during a June 15 press briefing.

There were about 300 new cases across the county in the week of June 6 to 12, he said.

That reduces the two-week daily case rate average to 79 cases per 100,000 people, which means a sixth straight week of dropping case numbers.

“New cases are dropping off significantly,” said Spitters.

He attributes the drop to the number of people receiving the vaccine in the county.

About 55 percent of the county’s residents age 12 or older have been vaccinated. All adult age groups have at least 50 percent who have begun vaccination.

“We want to continue to see these numbers go up as we get closer to the state’s reopening,” said Spitters.

In the week of June 6 to 12 about 25,000 community members got vaccinated in Snohomish County, which is a number that remains steady from previous weeks.

However, about 250,000 eligible adults remain unvaccinated in the county.

While the state’s reopening will mean less mandates, Spitters encouraged caution as restrictions ease.

“It’s important to remember that unvaccinated individuals and immunosuppressed individuals regardless of their vaccination status should continue to wear face coverings,” he said.

Those who have not received vaccination are still a danger for spreading COVID-19.

A recent study from the medical journal The Lancet showed that “extending such guidelines to other individuals could fuel a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases,” said Spitters.

“The authors urged a cautious approach in the coming months, especially with the emergence of highly-transmissible COVID variants,” he said.

The new ‘Delta variant’ of the COVID-19 virus has been identified in the state and county.

“The antibodies are not quite as powerful in neutralizing [COVID-19] in the test tube,” for this variant, said Spitters.

Outside the lab the effects remain to be seen, but Spitters said it is not more concerning than other variants.

“This doesn’t seem to be breaking away from the pack from other variants,” he said. “It is of concern and we will continue to watch it."

Those who are vaccinated do not need a mask in most settings, but may continue to need them in specific environments such as healthcare settings, schools and public transportation, said Spitters.

As recovery efforts continue, County Executive Dave Somers is proposing use federal funds to support local hazard pay.

“I proposed last week, with the support of county council chair [Stephanie] Wright and vice-chair [Megan] Dunn, two ordinances to provide hazard pay to some county employees and grocery stores with more than 500 employees in Snohomish County,” said Somers.

For grocery store workers that could mean an extra $4 per hour.

“They have ensured our food supplies remain uninterrupted and at great risk to their personal lives,” said Somers.

The extra money is meant to provide a small stimulus, support local grocery store workers and allow local businesses to retrain their employees.