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People in Snohomish County are emerging from more than a year of COVID restrictions, but the pandemic may have other plans.
“I want to emphasize that the COVID-19 pandemic is not—I repeat NOT—over,” Dr. Chris Spitters, Health Officer for the Snohomish Health District, told reporters Tuesday during a virtual press conference on the community’s COVID response.
COVID case rates are again on the rise and there are signs that a fifth wave of infection may be building, Dr. Spitters said.
Whether the number of new cases remains relatively small and manageable will largely depend on the willingness of more people to get vaccinated against COVID, to wear masks when gathered in groups and to take other steps to limit the spread of the virus.
“As more pre-pandemic activities resume, I urge you to remember that COVID is not gone and still is spreading in Snohomish County and elsewhere,” Dr. Spitters said. “If we want to keep ourselves and others around us healthy, we need to maintain many of the prevention measures that we’ve been emphasizing for well over a year now.”
First and foremost, he added, if you are not yet vaccinated, get vaccinated as soon as possible.
The media briefing came on the 500th day since the Snohomish County Emergency Coordination Center was activated to help focus the COVID fight.
County Executive Dave Somers praised how the community pulled together and the partnerships that were key to battling the virus on multiple fronts.
“This has been a challenge to all of us like no other we’ve ever experienced,” Executive Somers said. “Everyone, I know, had a role in getting us through four waves of this pandemic. We are stronger and more resilient today as a result.”
Jason Biermann, director of the county’s Department of Emergency Management, said that across the last 71 weeks, nearly 200 people from 18 government agencies joined forces in the ECC. Combined, they logged more than 80,000 hours working to protect lives and to mitigate harm.
The focus is now shifting from day-to-day management of the COVID emergency and more toward recovery. And the need remains to prepare for other known hazards, including heat waves, wildfire risk, smoke-choked skies, severe storms, flooding, earthquakes, etc.
Everyone who gets vaccinated against COVID is taking a step that helps better prepare the community for other challenges that are sure to come, regardless of the form they take, Biermann said.
“COVID-19 now underlies all the work we are doing,” he said.
Find a video recording of the briefing here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp7wg2cG3JE
Tuesday’s press conference marked the county’s last regularly scheduled COVID briefing, although that will be revisited as the need arises. COVID-19 Brief is adopting a similar “as needed” publishing schedule.
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