Covid-19 update

Another Wahkiakum County resident tested positive for covid-19 on Tuesday, bringing the cumulative total of cases to 115. Nine of those cases are potentially active.

Cowlitz County is reporting 5,379 total cases, with 160 considered active. They have had 70 deaths attributed to covid-19. As of Friday, Pacific County had 966 cases, with 25 considered active, and 11 deaths.

Across the river, Columbia County is reporting 1,671 cases and 26 deaths, and Clatsop County has had 961 cases and eight deaths.

Washington state is still struggling, Wahkiakum Health and Human Services Director Chris Bischoff said.

Hospitalizations have been increasing and the state average for new cases per day in April was around 1,100, which was the highest rate since January.

“We’re sort of plateauing,” Bischoff said, “but plateauing is not good at that number.”

Numbers have been going down overall in the United States over the past 14 days, about 27 percent in cases per day, Bischoff said. Hospitalizations are down, and fatalities as well.

“We expect the fatalities level to move down a notch,” Bischoff said. “We are struggling in vaccinations across sectors, but we’ve done decently in that most at risk group, 65 and over.”

Vaccinations clinics set

Washington state has given almost 5.4 million doses, and vaccinators are exceeding their daily goals but have been running into vaccine hesitancy, Bischoff said.

Thirty-eight percent of the population in Wahkiakum County have received at least one dose of two dose series, he added, noting that 34 percent are fully vaccinated.

“We did get 78 doses of Pfizer into the county, which we are trying reserve those for 16-17 year olds,” Bischoff said. “Having some of those around will be good.”

The Family Health Center will have an evening vaccination clinic through their office in Cathlamet today (Thursday), from 4-7 p.m. Moderna and Johnson and Johnson vaccines will be available, and the clinic is open to anyone in the county; they do not have to be Family Health Center patients.

On May 15, WHHS will host another shot clinic from 9-12.

It will be longer if need be, Bischoff said.

They will have Moderna and Pfizer vaccines available. There are currently a lot of open spots, and Bischoff is not planning to order a lot of vaccine, unless they get a lot of interest.

“Pass the word,” he said, “I’d like to take my mask off. Let’s get some people vaccinated.”

Bischoff also said there is a possibility in the future that the state may bring one of their vaccination teams to Wahkiakum to drive around the county. They won’t exactly be knocking on doors, Bischoff said, but it will be an effort to eliminate every barrier they can to get vaccines to people.

Call 360-849-4041 to get screened for covid-19, to sign up for vaccinations, or to ask for assistance if shut in or have transportation issues and want to get a vaccination.

“For this instance, we are allowed to have Wahkiakum on the Move to come pick them up,” Bischoff said.

Final note: “If you are vaccinated and are exposed to someone with covid-19, you don’t have to do a 14 day quarantine,” Bischoff said. “I’m hoping that is a carrot for folks. I’ll take whatever carrots I can get.”