Data source: Jefferson County Public Health Department website, graph created by KPTZ.*
The COVID-19 pandemic is steadily worsening throughout the U.S., including Washington state and Jefferson County. Exposure risk is likely to remain high for the next three to four months. People are tired of having their lives disrupted and are willing to take more and more risks. Activities like social gatherings that were low risk during the summer are now much more likely to result in COVID-19 transmission.
Dr. Locke’s advice is to try to forgo as much preventable risk as possible, including club meetings, social events, non-essential travel, and alike. We’re experiencing the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will almost certainly be worse than anything we’ve previously experienced.
On a hopeful note, vaccines are on the verge of licensure and deployment. Vaccine supply will be very limited at first, but as winter gives way to spring supplies will improve and the end of this long public health emergency will finally be in sight.
– Dr. Tom Locke, Jefferson County Public Health Officer
*For current cumulative case count in Jefferson County, since December 8, visit the WADOH website.
