While Whatcom’s vaccine numbers dropped, cases and hospitalizations climbed last week
Whatcom County last week saw its highest number of reported COVID-19 cases since late February — yet another sign that the county’s numbers are trending in the wrong direction.
The county’s case total grew by 238 last week, as its total number of cases during the pandemic grew from 7,907 on Saturday, April 24, to 8,145 on Saturday, May 1. It was the first time Whatcom had more than 200 cases reported in a week since it had 264 the week of Feb. 21-27.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the only number trending in the wrong direction last week:
▪ Whatcom’s infection rate (the number of new cases in a two-week period per 100,000 residents based on epidemiological data from eight days earlier) grew from 152.2 on Friday, April 23, to 183.8 on Friday, April 30, according to the state’s Risk Assessment Dashboard. An infection rate of 200 would fail one of two criteria used by the state to determine if Whatcom can remain in Phase 3 of the Healthy Washington — Roadmap to Recovery plan.
▪ Whatcom’s weekly hospitalization rate (the weekly number of new COVID-related hospitalizations per 100,000 residents based on epidemiological data from 10 days earlier) doubled, going from 2.2 on April 24 to 4.4 May 1. An infection rate of 5.0 would fail the second of the two criteria used by the state to determine if Whatcom remains in Phase 3.
▪ Whatcom’s COVID test positivity rate climbed to 4.20% on Friday, April 30, according to the state’s Risk Assessment Dashboard, up from 3.60% April 23. Meanwhile the number of reported tests last week dropped to 4,427, down from 4,703 the week before.
▪ The number of reported vaccine doses administered in Whatcom County last week dropped 12.6% from the previous week — falling to 12,848 last week from 14,695.
PeaceHealth vaccine update
PeaceHealth is expecting to distribute 1,750 first doses of the Pfizer vaccine this week and 3,000 second doses in Whatcom County, according to its weekly vaccine update. While that is 1,250 fewer first doses than last week, the number of booster doses is expected to increase by 1,000.
As all doses are the Pfizer vaccine, individuals 16 and older are eligible to receive doses, though parental consent is needed for those under 18.
Check for available appointments by going to its online scheduling tool at peacehealth.org. PeaceHealth affiliation isn’t required to get the COVID-19 vaccine from PeaceHealth. Or call 833-375-0285 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The phone line doesn’t accept messages.
For other vaccine sites, check with your health care provider or go to Washington state’s Vaccine Locator tool at vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov.
Whatcom County seniors who aren’t tech-savvy or who are homebound and need help with transportation or have other barriers to getting a COVID-19 vaccine appointment can call 360-746-3450, which is being offered by the Whatcom Council on Aging.
The Washington State Department of Health also offers assistance at 800-525-0127, then press #. Language assistance is available.
As of Friday, the state Department of Health dashboard reported that 141,816 vaccine doses had been administered in Whatcom County and that 53.00% of Whatcom’s residents 16 and older had initiated vaccine and 37.38% were fully vaccinated.
COVID-related death
The COVID-related death reported Friday was for a person who first tested positive for COVID-19 on April 13, according to the state’s epidemiological curves.
It was Whatcom’s first epidemiological death (date of first diagnosis) in April, and represented only the third since February — March 5 was the previous most recent death epidemiologically.
No other information about the person, such as gender, age or hometown was reported.
Though age data is not yet available on the two deaths that were reported last week, 79 of the first 89 COVID-related deaths in Whatcom County (88.8%) were people 65 and older, and all but one was in people 50 and older.
Monthly update
After seeing its lowest daily average of new cases in six months reported during March, Whatcom County had that rate climb a bit during April.
Whatcom County had 823 new confirmed cases reported between April 1 and 30 — 27.43 per day, which is up from 22.19 in March but still well below it saw in December, January and February.
Whatcom County also had five deaths reported during April — up from three reported in March.
School outbreak update
Whatcom County K-12 schools have had seven reported outbreaks involving 25 associated cases, according to data published Friday, April 30, by the Washington State Department of Health in its COVID-19 Outbreaks in Washington State K-12 Schools report.
Six other counties in the state have more than Whatcom’s seven outbreaks, including Spokane County’s state-high 38 outbreaks involving 185 cases.
Overall, the state has seen 182 outbreaks in schools in 708 associated cases — 55% of which were 18 years old or younger, according to the report.
The DOH defines an outbreak as occurring if:
There are two or more laboratory‐positive (PCR or antigen) COVID‐19 cases among students or staff.
The cases have a symptom onset within a 14‐day period of each other.
The cases are “epidemiologically linked,” or the patients had contact with one or more persons with COVID-19.
The cases do not share a household.
And, the cases are not identified as close contacts of each other in another setting.
Tour de Whatcom update
Though it had to cancel its biggest annual event — Ski to Sea — due to the ongoing pandemic, Whatcom Events announced Friday that registration is now open for the July 17 Tour de Whatcom bicycle ride.
The event leaves from behind Boundary Bay Brewery in Downtown Bellingham and offers routes of between 22 and 100 miles showcasing Whatcom County’s valleys, rivers, farmland, beaches and the Puget Sound.
Changes that will allow the ride to continue this year include:
▪ Requiring face masks be worn at the start area and rest stops, though not while riding.
▪ Riders will receive brown bag snacks the morning of their ride.
▪ Rest stops will only have restrooms, hand washing stations and water stations, though the midway stop for Century riders in Lynden will also have food.
▪ The start of the ride will be staggered by ride length.
▪ There will be no after-party, though Boundary Bay Brewery will be open for beer, barbecue and its full menu.
▪ There will be no Bike Corral in 2021.
▪ Photographers will not be along the route.
This story was originally published May 3, 2021 at 12:10 PM.
