What is Whatcom County doing about COVID masking mandates and suggesting for the fair?
It’s unlikely the Whatcom County will issue a public indoor masking mandate at this time, Health Director Erika Lautenbach said during an online briefing Wednesday, Aug. 11.
Snohomish County’s health officer announced on Tuesday, Aug. 10, that his county will return to a public indoor masking requirement for all residents 5 and older, even if they have been vaccinated.
“There are lots of conversations among local health jurisdictions and the state,” Lautenbach said during Wednesday’s briefing. “Our preference, of course, is for statewide consistency. If there are additional restrictions, it’s very confusing, and it’s always been confusing to have a county-by-county approach.
“But we are concerned about the trend that we’re seeing, especially as we move to a very large fair next week, school starting in three weeks and the fall coming very soon.”
On Thursday, Aug. 12, the Whatcom County Health Department, along with 34 other local health jurisdictions across the state, issued a joint statement reinforcing the urgency of the current federal and state recommendations to wear masks in public setting indoors to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
Wear a mask is a “much less restrictive way” to reduce the likelihood of transmission than decreased business occupancy restrictions and closures, a county health department news release on the joint statement said.
“While vaccinations are our best defense against COVID-19, it takes up to six weeks to get fully vaccinated, depending on which vaccine you get,” Whatcom County Health Officer Dr. Greg Stern said in the release. “Masking provides an immediate and effective layer of protection. With this new surge driven by the highly transmissible delta variant, we should all be thinking about reducing risks by both masking and being vaccinated, not one or the other.”
As for Whatcom County following Gov. Jay Inslee’s Wednesday announcement requiring state employees be vaccinated, Lautenbach said that she has had conversations with Whatcom County Executive Satpal Sidhu about whether a similar requirement should be made for Whatcom’s county employees.
“He is in assessment mode, but no decisions have been made one way or the other about that,” Lautenbach said. “He is aware of other jurisdictions that are mandating vaccination for their employees, and is assessing that for himself.”
The executive also continues to monitor Whatcom’s case and hospitalization rates, spokesperson Jed Holmes told The Bellingham Herald.
Northwest Washington Fair
After a year off due to the pandemic, the expanded Northwest Washington Fair in Lynden was set to kick off Thursday and last through Aug. 21.
Lautenbach said the health department is recommending people consider wearing masks even when they are outdoors at the fair.
“While there are no recommendations or requirements for individuals to mask while outdoors, this is obviously a setting where there are a lot of people in close proximity, and that creates additional risk,” Lautenbach said. “We have communicated with the fair organizers, and I know they’re doing what they can. But I know at this point there are not restrictions on attendance and there are not restrictions with regards to masking.
“So we are a bit hamstrung in our ability to control the spread there without additional restrictions. But we will closely monitor whether or not their appears to be any resulting cases.”
This story was originally published August 12, 2021 at 10:36 AM.
