Covid update

With no new cases of covid-19 reported in Wahkiakum County in the last two weeks according to the Washington Department of Health, the cumulative total remains 633.

The number of hospitalizations is 49, and the number of deaths attributed to the virus is 10.

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.

While 70.5 percent of the population in the state of Washington opted to receive the primary series of the vaccination for covid-19, only 53 percent of the Wahkiakum County residents chose to do so. Meanwhile, 29.6 percent of eligible people in the state of Washington have had the bivalent booster and 32.1 percent of people eligible for the booster in the county have opted to have it.

“XBB.1.5 is becoming the dominant strain of covid-19,” Wahkiakum Health and Human Services Director Chris Bischoff said. “Despite XBB.1.5 rising, overall the rate of covid-19 is not up significantly across the US as a whole. This is good news, potentially showing that the boosters and acquired immunity are helping.”

The primary series of the Pfizer vaccine and the new Pfizer bivalent booster, including a version for juveniles, are available at the vaccine clinic offered by Wahkiakum Health and Human Services.

The clinic is held 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.

There will be no shot clinic on Presidents’ Day, February 20.

After the health department’s recent move, their vaccine clinics are now held at their new location on their Elochoman Valley Campus, at 42 Elochoman Valley Road.

According to WHHS Director Chris Bischoff, the waiting room/check-in area for the clinic is in the first building that people see when they turn into the south driveway, called Building 1. Parking is to the right. The entrance is at the northeast corner of the building. People will be greeted and given the forms they need to fill out for their visit.

The primary series of the Moderna vaccine and the new Moderna bivalent booster are now available at the Cathlamet Pharmacy by appointment, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. and 2-5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Call 360-795-3691 for more information or to make an appointment.

Flu shots are available at the pharmacy by appointment. The flu shot and the booster can be given at the same time. WHHS is offering both the high dose and regular adult flu shots and the juvenile flu shots during their clinics.