Coronavirus updates: Pierce County launching several mobile testing sites this week
This page includes coronavirus developments around Washington state for Tuesday, Feb. 2.
Pierce County launching several mobile testing sites this week
Updated 12:30 p.m.
Pierce County has several free mobile COVID-19 testing sites opening this week, according to its website.
“Mobile testing stations are in the community so people can get tested for COVID-19,” the site says. “These tests are free. Identification is not required. On-site staff can help you register. Results are available in five to seven days. Complete one form for each person getting tested.”
Results can take 5-7 days to become available, the site says, and positive results are prioritized for notification. Those who haven’t been given results after seven days are asked to call 1-833-723-0490.
Here are the mobile testing sites scheduled to open in the coming days:
Thursday, Feb. 4
▪ Pacific Lutheran University Golf Course in Tacoma: Walk-up site, open 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 5
▪ Eatonville High School: Walk-up site, open 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
▪ Asian Pacific Cultural Center in Tacoma: Drive-thru site, open 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 6
▪ UW Tacoma: Drive-thru site, open 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
▪ Journey Church in Tacoma: Walk-up site, open 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 7
▪ Daca Park in Fife: Walk-up site, open 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
▪ Metro Parks Center at Norpoint in Tacoma: Walk-up site, open 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Sumner-Bonney Lake School District expands in-person learning
Updated 12 p.m.
The Sumner-Bonney Lake School District will welcome back students in third, fourth and fifth grade to in-person learning this week in its hybrid model.
Students in these grades have been divided into two learning groups.
Group A will begin classes Tuesday, and will attend school Tuesdays and Thursdays each week, per the district’s website.
Group B will begin classes Wednesday, and will attend school Wednesdays and Fridays each week.
“Our staff, buildings and buses are ready with health and safety protocols in place,” the district tweeted Monday.
Kindergartners, first graders and second graders returned to school last month, and also attend in-person classes two days per week in the hybrid model.
A full calendar detailing the return to in-person learning in February is posted on the district’s website.
More information on what to expect as more students return to in-person learning is also available on the district’s website.
Registration full for drive-thru vaccination clinics in Pierce County
Updated 9:40 a.m.
About 35 minutes after the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department opened registration for two COVID-19 drive-thru vaccination clinics Tuesday morning, all available spots were full, according to a tweet from the county.
“The COVID-19 vaccination events at Franklin Pierce High School and Washington State Fairgrounds are full,” the county wrote just after 9:30 a.m. “We expect to announce more pop-up vaccine events soon. Make sure you’re following us on social media and keep an eye on our website for more opportunities.”
For those who completed registration, the Franklin Pierce site will be open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday, and the health department said its goal is to immunize 1,000 people. The second event at the fairgrounds will run from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday, with a goal to immunize 2,500.
The health department asks those who have registered to arrive no earlier than 10 minutes before their scheduled appointment time.
MLB planning on-time start to spring training, regular season after proposal for delay is rejected
Updated 9:30 a.m.
Major League Baseball plans to start spring training and the regular season on time after the MLB Players’ Association rejected a proposal Monday to delay its timeline by more than a month.
“On the advice of medical experts, we proposed a one-month delay to the start of Spring Training and the regular season to better protect the health and safety of players and support staff,” the league wrote in a statement Monday. “A delay of the season would allow for the level of COVID-19 infection rates to decrease and additional time for the distribution of vaccinations, as well as minimizing potential disruptions to the 2021 season that currently face all sports.”
The proposal included delaying Opening Day until April 29 and clubs playing a 154-game schedule instead of the full 162.
““In light of the MLBPA’s rejection of our proposal, and their refusal to counter our revised offer this afternoon, we are moving forward and instructing our Clubs to report for an on-time start to Spring Training and the Championship Season, subject to reaching an agreement on health and safety protocols,” the statement said. “Our 2020 season taught us that when the nation faces crisis, the national game is as important as ever, and there is nothing better than playing ball. We were able to complete a 2020 season through Herculean efforts and sacrifices made by our players, Club staff and MLB staff to protect one another. We will do so again, together, as we work towards playing another safe and entertaining season in 2021.”
The MLBPA wrote in a statement it received the proposal — which also included the 30 teams to play double headers, required clubs to “accept previously rejected proposals that link expanded playoffs with expansion of the designated hitter” and offered “no salary or service time protections in the event of further delays, interruptions, or cancellation of the season,” per MLBPA’s statement Monday — late last week.
“The MLBPA Executive Board and Player leadership reviewed and discussed the owners’ proposal throughout the weekend and today,” the statement says. “The clear-cut result of these deliberations is that Players will not accept MLB’s proposal, will instead continue preparations for an on-time start to the 2021 season, and will accept MLB’s commitment to again direct its Clubs to prepare for an on-time start.
“We do not make this decision lightly. Players know first-hand the efforts that were required to complete the abbreviated 2020 season, and we appreciate that significant challenges lie ahead. We look forward to promptly finalizing enhanced health and safety protocols that will help Players and Clubs meet these challenges.”
Registration open for next round of drive-thru vaccination clinics in Pierce County
Updated 9 a.m.
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department announced Monday that two new COVID-19 drive-thru vaccination clinics will open this week.
Only those in Phase 1A and Tier 1 of Phase 1B who live or work in Pierce County are eligible to register.
Registration opened at 9 a.m. Tuesday for events at Franklin Pierce High School in Tacoma and the Washington State Fairgrounds in Puyallup, according to the health department’s Twitter account.
The Franklin Pierce site will be open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday, and the health department said its goal is to immunize 1,000 people.
Registration can be completed through an online form.
The second event at the fairgrounds will run from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday, with a goal to immunize 2,500.
Registration for that site can also be completed through an online form.
“You must register for an appointment,” the health department wrote on Twitter. “Arrive no more than 10 minutes before your scheduled time.”
The department will provide updates when spots are full and plans to announce dates and locations for more events soon.
“Appointments will fill quickly,” the department wrote Monday on Twitter. “We know you’re eager to get vaccinated, but in the meantime please don’t reach out to us or any site you think might host an event.
“Reach out to family members who don’t have Internet access — and qualify for a vaccine — to help them register.”
The department said last week, for its events in Lakewood, Puyallup and Gig Harbor, it saw “the kind of web traffic you might expect for ticket sales to a major concert.”
“Our website usually doesn’t get that much traffic,” the department wrote. “We believe it caused a glitch with the link, but we’ve fixed it.”
State reports 851 new cases, 33 deaths
Updated 9 a.m.
The Washington State Department of Health reported 851 new cases of COVID-19 and 33 additional deaths Monday.
The state no longer reports updated case counts on Sundays and deaths are no longer reported on weekends.
Statewide case totals have reached 313,335 cases and 4,318 deaths, up from 312,484 cases Saturday and 4,285 deaths Friday. The new case total includes 14,237 cases that are listed as probable.
Previous case and death counts are revised daily by the state DOH.
King County continues to report the highest numbers in the state in total cases (78,389), hospitalizations (4,848), deaths (1,252) and vaccine doses given (259,845).
Pierce County reported 120 new COVID-19 cases and two deaths Monday. The county’s totals are now at 33,133 cases and 400 deaths since the first confirmed case was reported in March.
Spokane County (33,477 cases, 469 deaths) and Snohomish County (27,866 cases, 490 deaths) have each reported more than 400 deaths, while Yakima County has reported 24,566 cases and 368 deaths.
Each of the state’s 39 counties have reported positive cases and all but two have reported more than 100. Only two counties have not reported a virus-related death.
More than 4.5 million tests have been administered in the state since the pandemic began.
The state had distributed 728,636 doses of vaccine as of Saturday, with its current seven-day average at 28,115. The state’s average daily goal is 45,000.
Debbie Cockrell, Craig Sailor and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
This story was originally published February 2, 2021 at 9:07 AM with the headline "Coronavirus updates: Pierce County launching several mobile testing sites this week."
