As CDC brings back masking inside, Whatcom takes this approach to COVID-19
Whatcom County officials continue to emphasize vaccination as the best way to prevent COVID-19, even as other Washington counties are taking extra precautions amid a statewide fifth wave of the new coronavirus pandemic.
In a joint statement issued Monday, July, 26, the local health officials from eight Washington counties recommended a return to using masks or face coverings at indoor public spaces.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also reversed course Tuesday, July 27, on some masking guidelines, recommending that even vaccinated people return to wearing masks indoors in parts of the U.S. where the coronavirus is surging, according to the Associated Press.
Citing new information about the ability of the delta variant to spread among vaccinated people, the CDC also recommended indoor masks for all teachers, staff, students and visitors to schools, regardless of vaccination status, the AP reported.
The new guidance follows recent decisions in some areas to revert to indoor mask mandates amid a spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations that have been especially bad in the South. The country is averaging more than 57,000 cases a day and 24,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations.
For much of the pandemic, the CDC advised Americans to wear masks outdoors if they were within 6 feet of one another.
On Monday, Whatcom County Health Department spokeswoman Scarlett Tang told The Bellingham Herald that the COVID-19 vaccines offer the best protection against the virus.
“Vaccination remains the safest and most effective tool for protecting people’s health against the coronavirus, including the delta variant, and we ask everyone 12 and over to get vaccinated as soon as possible,” Tang said in an email.
“We want to remind people that masks are still required for unvaccinated people in public indoor spaces. Your risk of getting infected by the delta variant is greatest if you’re not vaccinated. This includes people who are only partially vaccinated — that is, not two weeks past their final vaccine dose,” she said.
But Tang said that “wearing a mask will provide (vaccinated people) with an additional layer of protection as there will always be a small number of breakthrough cases.”
As of Saturday, July 24, 71.0% of Whatcom County residents 16 and older have initiated vaccination, and 65.2% are fully vaccinated. Statewide, those numbers are 68.2% initiating and 62.8% fully vaccinated.
Whatcom County saw a 22% increase in rolling case counts going from nine cases on July 7 to 11 cases on July 14, the dates for which the most complete data was available from the state Department of Health.
Statewide, there was a 41% increase over the same time period.
“The health officers of King, Pierce, Snohomish, Kitsap, Clallam, Jefferson, San Juan, and Grays Harbor counties have joined together to pass on their best public health advice to protect you, your family, and our communities,” said a joint statement. “We recommend all residents wear facial coverings when in indoor public settings where the vaccination status of those around you is unknown.”
Skagit County’s health officer, Dr. Howard Leibrand, said the goal of that recommendation is to protect high-risk people and those who can’t get vaccinated, including children under 12.
“It is clear that masks protect individuals from COVID-19. It is never a bad idea to wear a mask in an indoor situation, particularly as we see the delta variant becoming more prominent in our communities,” Leibrand said in a statement.
“With that said, I want to assure my community that vaccination is — and will continue to be — the absolute best tool we have to stop the spread of COVID-19,” he said.
Whatcom County has seen just one delta case, according to the state’s latest variant report on July 21.
The delta variant is also about 50% to 60% more contagious than the alpha variant, which is 50% more transmissible than the original strain of COVID-19, according to the Whatcom health department. According to a recent study, the delta variant’s viral load is about 1,000 times higher than the original COVID-19 strain.
This story was originally published July 26, 2021 at 3:20 PM.
