‘Prevent needless deaths:’ get vaccinated

COVID-19 case rates in Skagit County are headed toward a rate of 600 new cases per 100,000 people in the next 14 day period. The Washington state Department of Health reported 574.9 new coronavirus infections per 100,000 residents in the last 14 days in the county. Skagit County has the seventh highest 14 day case rate of new coronavirus infections of the state’s 39 counties. It is one of 11 counties with an over 500 14-day new case rate but is the only county west of the Cascades and the only county of the seven with more than 100,000 population.

There have already been 1,385 new infections reported in the county in October, the third consecutive month of at least 1,350. New COVID-19 cases are growing to top the 1,735 new infections reported in September

This ongoing trend prompted Skagit County Health Officer Dr. Howard Leibrand to issue a statement Monday.

“To put it mildly, this is not what Public Health – or our exhausted healthcare workers – have been hoping for,” he wrote.

“It’s very simple: to recover from this most recent wave and prevent needless deaths, people need to get vaccinated as soon as possible. And with Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccine boosters now available, we are encouraging each and every person to get their booster when eligible to do so.”

He made the point that vaccination protects the community beyond the vaccinated. “It slows spread and protects other vulnerable individuals. For our children’s sake – we are pleading with people to get vaccinated today.”

The coming holidays, as in 2020, are set to be very hazardous, not happy, in Skagit County if the pattern of lack of public health precautions does not change. “We have clearly seen spikes in cases after holidays. We cannot afford a spike right now with how high our case and hospitalization rates are at this time,” he wrote.

Those vaccinated need to continue to use discretion when among those not vaccinated. His message to the unvaccinated: “You are taking a very poor gamble and putting your and your loved ones’ health and safety on the line. From state data, we know that unvaccinated 12-64 year-olds are 5-6 times more likely to get COVID-19 compared to those who are fully vaccinated and 19 times more likely to end up in the hospital with serious health complications. The facts are clear.”

Leibrand stressed stringency in wearing masks and limiting social gatherings for everyone.

Anyone experiencing possible COVID-19 symptoms needs to stay home and away from others until they get tested and recover from symptoms, he emphasized.

“If we do not practice these measures, COVID-19 will continue to spread at alarming rates in our community – causing needless long-term illness, death and disruption to all our daily lives,” his statement ends.

Monday the state Department of Health reported the 110th Skagitonian death since data collecting began in early 2020. Thirteen people have died since Oct. 1, 12% of all deaths reported.

Leibrand has served as Skagit County’s health officer since 1989.

Fairgrounds test site update

The number of tests given at the county’s fairground site totaled 1,433 for the four days ending Oct. 22. That is up 24% from the last week in September. An average of 287 people daily waited in their cars for hours to get tested.

The positivity rate for the antigen tests has averaged 12% for the month, has topped 10% 11 times including every day since Oct. 8. On Oct. 21 18% of the 317 people tested tested positive.

The site is open 3-7 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Enter at the south end Taylor Street gate.