WA DOH: More Vaccination Necessary To Contain Pandemic

SEATTLE, WA — Mass vaccination has done wonders to decrease case counts and hospitalizations, and head off a potentially disastrous fourth wave of COVID-19. But, state health leaders warn, the vaccination rate will need to hold steady if the state is going to safely reopen and weather the strain of new COVID-19 variants.

According to the latest release from the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), statewide case counts and hospital admissions are declining, but there are signs that those declines are beginning to flatten out.

As of June 3, 36 of Washington's 39 counties had a 14-day case rate of under 200 new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents. Case rates were also declining across all age groups, except in patients 70 and older, whose case rates have remained flat for some time. In patients 20 through 69-years old, case rates are approaching the lows seen in March before the fourth wave started.

Health analysts take it as a sign that vaccination efforts are working to curb the pandemic, and taking the opportunity to urge remaining unvaccinated residents to take the plunge and get protected.

“The evidence is clear: vaccination protects you and the people around you, including kids under 12 who can’t get vaccinated yet,” said Acting State Health Officer Scott Lindquist, MD. “Immunity levels in your community and social circles determine how likely you are to be exposed to the virus, and we expect to continue seeing outbreaks in communities with lower vaccination rates. As we get closer to reopening, you can help keep your community safe by getting your vaccine and talking to the people you know about getting theirs.”

Vaccination will be particularly important as several COVID-19 variants of concern are gaining traction in the Evergreen State. Genetic sequencing has not been extensive enough to know exactly how prevalent each strain has become in Washington, but the DOH says data shows that the B.1.1.7 variant (sometimes called the U.K. variant as it was first identified in the United Kingdom) has become the dominant strain of the virus and is responsible for more than half of Washington's current COVID-19 case. The gamma (P.1) variant and the delta (B.1.617.2) variant are responsible for fewer cases, but the DOH says they are appearing at concerning levels and appear to be gaining new ground.