COVID-19 Trending Downward In WA Thanks To Vaccination: DOH

SEATTLE — The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is crediting rising vaccination rates for the recent decline in new COVID-19 cases counts — and is encouraging Washingtonians to keep up the pace if they want the transmission rate to continue its dive.

As of May 6, up to 36.5 percent of all Washington's population was fully immune to the coronavirus, according to the latest DOH modeling. 23.6 percent of the population acquired immunity through vaccination, the remaining 12.9 percent did so by overcoming COVID-19 infections.

Combined, that immunity is helping drive down the transmission rate: without immunity, the DOH estimates that every COVID-19 patient would infect an average of 1.34 more people. With immunity, the average patient spreads the virus to 0.88 other people. That's still high, the DOH says, but as long as the transmission rate is below one, case counts will continue to decline over time.

And case counts have been declining. Just weeks ago, more than half of Washington's 39 counties were grappling with increasing case counts. Now, only a few are, like Lewis, Kittitas, Stevens and Whatcom counties. As of May 6, case rates were flattening or remained flat in patients 0-9 and those 60-years-old and older. Similarly, hospitalization rates declined slightly in people ages 20-79.

Those hospitalization rates help illuminate why the vaccine is so critical. According to DOH data, the hospitalization rate for unvaccinated Washingtonians 45-64 years old is 18 times higher than in people the same age who have gotten all their shots. For patients 65+, the hospitalization rate among the unvaccinated is 11 times higher.

“We are excited to see trends improving, but we are not out of the woods yet,” said Acting State Health Officer Dr. Scott Lindquist. “We still have work to do on vaccinations if we want to continue to see declines in disease and make progress toward full reopening. Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself, your family and your community from the virus.”

According to the Washington State Department of Health's COVID-19 Data Dashboard, as of Monday a total 6.4 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the Evergreen State. Around 38 percent of all Washingtonians are now fully vaccinated, and 48 percent are at least partially vaccinated.

If 70 percent of Washingtonians 16 or older get at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, Gov. Jay Inslee has promised to lift all remaining pandemic restrictions.

All Washingtonians 12-years-old or older are currently eligible for vaccination. Anyone who still needs a shot can find one by using the DOH vaccine locator.