Covid-19 update

By Diana Zimmerman

There were four more covid-19 cases reported in the last week in Wahkiakum County, according to the Washington Department of Health (WA DOH), bringing the cumulative number of covid-19 cases to 598, with eight of those considered currently active.

Disclaimer: With the easy accessibility of at home tests, the actual number of active covid-19 cases and actual cumulative numbers in the county, are hard to know.

Wahkiakum Health and Human Services Director Chris Bischoff said that covid-19 cases are beginning to decrease in most counties in the state, but levels are still fairly high.

One more hospitalization was reported in the county, bringing the total number to 41. The number of deaths attributed to the virus stands at nine.

WA DOH reports that 69 percent of the total population of the state of Washington has completed the primary series of vaccinations. The percentage of Wahkiakum County residents receiving the primary series of vaccinations is much lower, at 51.4 percent.

“Pfizer has submitted a new covid-19 booster to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for review,” Bischoff said. “This booster will target both the original strain of covid-19 and the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of omicron. I would expect the FDA to finish its review before the end of September. Moderna is also getting ready to submit their booster for review.

"Hopefully, those will both be ready in October to provide increased protection for the fall/winter season.”

The Pfizer vaccine, including a second booster, is available for anyone six months and older at the WHHS vaccine clinic on Mondays and Wednesdays, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30-3 p.m. Call 360-849-4041 for more information.

The Moderna vaccine, including a second booster, is available at the Cathlamet Pharmacy. Call 360-795-3691.

As for monkeypox, Bischoff says that New York is starting to see a decrease in new cases as health officials aggressively target at risk populations for vaccination.

“The FDA and Centers for Disease Control approved a change in how the vaccine is administered that allows for less of the vaccine to be used while still remaining very efficacious,” Bischoff said. “This will allow the existing stock to be used by more people.”