Higher hospitalization rate would keep 2 Whatcom regions at ‘medium’ COVID community level
Though Whatcom County as a whole received a “low” COVID-19 community level ranking from the CDC for the second straight week, two of the county’s seven school district regions would be in the “medium” range.
The regions covered by the Ferndale and Lynden school districts would not have received the CDC’s best grade if community data were broken down to that level, The Bellingham Herald’s analysis of the latest location data released by the Whatcom County Health Department showed.
Though both regions saw drops in their weekly COVID infection rates from the previous report, Ferndale and Lynden had weekly COVID-related hospitalization rates of greater than 10 patients per 100,000 residents, the county reported.
To be classified in the “low” level by the CDC, counties must have:
▪ Fewer than 200 new cases per 100,000 residents in the past seven days.
▪ Fewer than 10 new COVID-related hospitalizations per 100,000 residents in the past seven days.
▪ Less than 10% of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients.
At the “medium” level, the CDC recommends those who are at high risk of serious complications from COVID and those who could expose those at high risk to wear masks. Masking for all people in most indoor situations is not included among the CDC’s recommended guidelines for communities in the “low” level.
At every level, the CDC says people “can wear a mask based on personal preference” and should wear a mask if they have COVID symptoms, test positive or have possible exposure.
Washington state ended its mandate to wear masks in most public indoor areas, including schools, on Saturday, March 12.
Weekly regional data
Despite the hospitalization rates that were slightly higher in Ferndale and Lynden, those regions were two of the five regions where weekly infection rates dropped to double digits. Only the Bellingham and Blaine regions continue to have weekly rates higher than 100 new cases per 100,000 residents, and Bellingham was the only region to see its case rate increase.
The county health department releases weekly data on the location of COVID-19 cases using school districts as geographical boundaries, including each region’s number of total cases during the pandemic, infection rate, hospitalization rate, percentage of residents who have initiated vaccination and a breakdown of case rates by age. Data in this week’s report was through Saturday, Feb. 26.
Overall, Whatcom County saw its pandemic total of cases increase by 260 between Feb. 27 and March 5, which was less than the 299 cases reported one week earlier.
Whatcom County has a weekly infection rate of 94 cases per 100,000 residents from Feb. 27 to March 5, according to the Washington State Department of Health’s COVID-19 Data Dashboard, though that data remains incomplete and likely will change. Three of the county’s regions had infection rates lower than that mark, according to the county’s data this week.
The County also had a weekly hospitalization rate of eight COVID-related patients per 100,000 residents between Feb. 27 and March 5, according to the state.
Here is what the health department’s latest data showed for the seven regions in the county:
▪ Bellingham: Had a weekly infection rate of 107 cases per 100,000 residents (up from 101 a week earlier) with 135 new cases reported. The region’s hospitalization rate climbed to six COVID-related hospitalization per 100,000 residents, and 83% of the region’s residents have initiated vaccination.
▪ Blaine: Had a weekly infection rate of 106 cases per 100,000 residents (down from 154 a week earlier) with 22 new cases reported. The region’s hospitalization rate dropped to no COVID-related hospitalizations per 100,000 residents, and 76% of the region’s residents have initiated vaccination.
▪ Ferndale: Had a weekly infection rate of 93 cases per 100,000 residents (down from 152 a week earlier) with 45 new cases reported. The region’s hospitalization rate climbed to 14 COVID-related hospitalizations per 100,000 residents, and 72% of the region’s residents have initiated vaccination.
▪ Lynden: Had a weekly infection rate of 93 cases per 100,000 residents (down from 233 a week earlier) with 33 new cases reported. The region’s hospitalization rate stayed at 19 COVID-related hospitalizations per 100,000 residents, and 59% of the region’s residents have initiated vaccination.
▪ Meridian: Had a weekly infection rate of 71 cases per 100,000 residents (down from 89 a week earlier) with eight new cases reported. The region’s hospitalization rate stayed at no COVID-related hospitalizations per 100,000 residents, and 68% of the region’s residents have initiated vaccination.
▪ Mount Baker: Had a weekly infection rate of 25 cases per 100,000 residents (down from 50 a week earlier) with four new cases reported. The region’s hospitalization rate stayed at six COVID-related hospitalizations per 100,000 residents, and 50% of the region’s residents have initiated vaccination.
▪ Nooksack Valley: Had a weekly infection rate of 70 cases per 100,000 residents (down from 157 a week earlier) with 13 new cases reported. The region’s hospitalization rate climbed at nine COVID-related hospitalizations per 100,000 residents, and 56% of the region’s residents have initiated vaccination.
This story was originally published March 12, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
