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Requiring nearly everybody to wear masks indoors again is necessary for Snohomish County to curb alarming growth in COVID-19 cases, a virtual press conference was told Tuesday.
A new masking directive goes into effect on Thursday and applies to everybody age 5 and up.
The delta variant of the virus that causes COVID is spreading rapidly, with new cases up nearly 400% since July 1, said Dr. Chris Spitters, Health Officer for the Snohomish Health District. That level of infection – roughly 280 new cases per 100,000 people – exceeds the Centers for Disease Control’s threshold for designating high-transmission counties.
Hospitals are again seeing a spike in COVID patients, with the worst symptoms roughly 10 times more common among unvaccinated people, the press conference was told. As of Tuesday morning, there were 62 hospitalized COVID patients in the county, including four on ventilators, triple the number compared to July 24.
“Intensive care units in the county are operating at 90% capacity or higher, leaving little room for additional COVID or non-COVID care,” Dr. Spitters added.
Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers said that getting vaccinated remains the best path to slow the spread of COVID and to limit individual risk of severe illness.
“If you want to live you should get vaccinated,” he said.
To date, 69% of eligible people in the county have at least initiated vaccination, but that is only about half of the total population.
“We still have nearly a quarter million individuals over 12 years not yet having started vaccination, along with the 125,000 children under 12” who aren’t yet eligible, Dr. Spitters said.
Until more people are vaccinated, requiring everyone to mask up indoors is the best strategy for slowing COVID’s spread, the press conference was told.
The mask directive applies to indoor spaces that are open to the public, including retail, grocery stores, government buildings, and other businesses and places where members of the public can enter freely. It does not apply to indoor non-public spaces, including businesses, offices, and other places of employment with limited access. Employers in those settings should continue to follow current guidance and requirements from the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries on worker safety.
For more information on the masking directive, see the full press release.
“Please, wear a mask in public settings, get vaccinated if you haven’t already, and encourage or help others to get vaccinated, too,” Dr. Spitters told the press conference. “COVID is still with us and we need your help to get it back under control.”
Watch a video of the full briefing: https://youtu.be/TvQJTSMXp20
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Public libraries and many other air-conditioned spaces are again serving as cooling stations in Snohomish County as temperatures climb to potentially dangerous levels later this week.
Snohomish County is part of the excessive heat warning issued by the National Weather Service for much of Washington state. Temperatures are likely to exceed 95 degrees F in parts of the county. These temperatures can become dangerous to vulnerable individuals and pets who are unable to stay cool.
Find a list of available cooling stations, along with tips on how to stay cool and information to help recognize the signs of heat-related illness, at www.snohd.org/weather
“Check on your parents, grandparents, neighbors, anybody that you know who doesn’t have air conditioning,” Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers said during an online media briefing Tuesday. “Also, please make sure your pets have all the water and shade they need. It is vitally important that they keep cool also.”
For more information see the full press release.
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The National Weather Service has issued a Fire Weather Watch starting Thursday morning for much of the west slope of the Cascade Range, including portions of east Snohomish County.
A Fire Weather Watch means that there is a potential for critical fire weather conditions to develop. Dry and unstable air with warm temperatures can contribute to active fire behavior. In western Washington, significant growth on existing fires takes place under such conditions. If a fire were to begin, air quality may diminish in the surrounding area.
Learn more.
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Due to high fire danger, lack of recovery from the minimal precipitation recently received in some areas of Snohomish County, along with many local resources being deployed to assist in existing wild fire suppression efforts, the outdoor burn ban previously issued on June 25 for Snohomish County has been UPGRADED to a Stage 2 burn ban which includes recreational fires. The upgraded burn ban will take effect immediately and remain in effect until further notice.
This restriction bans all outdoor burning, including recreational fires. Enclosed outdoor cooking appliances such as gas or charcoal grills or pellet smokers may be used during the Stage 2 burn ban.
Incorporated cities and towns included in this outdoor burning ban are: Brier, Darrington, Edmonds, Everett, Gold Bar, Granite Falls, Index, Lake Stevens, Marysville, Mill Creek, Monroe, Mountlake Terrace, Mukilteo, Snohomish, and Sultan.
See the full press release for more information.
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Gov. Jay Inslee on Monday announced a requirement for most state workers, and on-site contractors and volunteers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. State employees and workers in private health care and long-term care settings will have until October 18 to be fully vaccinated.
The requirement applies to state workers, regardless of teleworking status. This applies to executive cabinet agencies, but the governor encouraged all others such as higher education, local governments, the legislative branch, other statewide elected officials and organizations in the private sector to do the same.
“It is the mission of public servants and those providing health care to serve our fellow Washingtonians. These workers live in every community in our state, working together and with the public every day to deliver services,” Inslee said. “We have a duty to protect them from the virus, they have the right to be protected, and the communities they serve and live in deserve protection as well.”
The governor made the announcement at a press conference on Monday at Kaiser Permanente in Seattle. He was joined by Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, King County Executive Dow Constantine, Kaiser Permanente Washington President Susan Mullaney, Washington State Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah, and Seattle-King County Public Health Officer Dr. Jeffrey Duchin.
The City of Seattle and King County also announced a COVID-19 vaccination requirement for their employees. Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers told reporters Tuesday that his office is studying the governor’s order and weighing options.
Read the full press release for more information.
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If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, it’s important to get tested. Snohomish Health District offers free drive-thru testing by appointment in Lynnwood and Everett. To make an appointment, please visit http://snohd.org/testing.
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Vaccination is still our best defense against COVID. Vaccination offers protection from the virus, including delta and other variants. Unvaccinated individuals in Snohomish County during the month of July were roughly 10 times more likely than vaccinated individuals to get COVID, be hospitalized due to COVID, or die of COVID-19.
Community-based clinics for free vaccination will be available this summer and into the fall in partnership with schools and events. Generally, these clinics are for ages 12+ (Pfizer) and 18+ (Pfizer or J&J), with a parent or guardian accompanying anyone ages 12-17. No insurance or appointment required.
A calendar is available at www.snohd.org/community-vax-clinics. This calendar will be updated frequently.
For more information on where you can get vaccinated quickly, conveniently and free of charge, please visit www.snohd.org/covidvaccine, call 425-339-5278, or text your ZIP Code to GETVAX (438829).
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Cumulative from January 2020 through August 9, 2021.
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ESSENTIAL LINKS AND PHONE NUMBERS FOR UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION
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