The following is a summary of the presentation during the Public Health briefings at this week’s Board of County Commissioners meeting made by Jefferson and Clallam County Public Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry. The text is taken from the Peninsula Daily News for Nov. 23.

A Jefferson County resident has died from COVID-19, raising the total number of deaths in the county to 18 and increasing the total on the North Olympic Peninsula to 87 since the pandemic began. The most recent death was reported Monday and was a man in his 70s who had underlying conditions, said Dr. Allison Berry, health officer for Jefferson and Clallam counties. And while he had two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, he had yet to have a booster, Berry said.

“We are seeing waning immunity, especially in folks over 70 who were vaccinated early on,” Berry said. “If you’re over 70 and you got your vaccine more than six months ago, it’s important to get a booster. “If you’re in that age group, you’re at a high risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19, and getting the first two doses decreases that risk, but it doesn’t decrease it to zero.” Boosters “dramatically” increase immunity for that age group, Berry said.

“People younger than 65 who have a chronic condition is another group we recommend getting a booster in,” Berry said. “For other people who are young and healthy, you’re eligible for a booster, but it’s not as critical to get a booster if you’re not in a high-risk profession. “But it does improve your immunity and does reduce your risk of transmitting the virus to other people. If there’s one available, it’s a good idea to get it. But it’s really important for our old population.” Residents can find locations offering booster doses by using the state’s vaccination locator at https://vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov.

In addition to booster doses, health officials continue to work to vaccinate children 5 to 11 years old, Berry said. Jefferson County Public Health and the Department of Emergency Management will host two Pfizer vaccination clinics December for first and second doses for children 5 to 11: 9am to noon Dec. 4 at Blue Heron Middle School and from 9am to noon Dec. 18 at Chimacum Junior/Senior High School. Appointments can be made at https://prepmod.doh.wa.gov/appointment/en/reg/9069924918 or by calling the Department of Emergency Management at 360-344-9791.

Berry was tracking two long-term care facility outbreaks on the Peninsula as of Monday, with one each in Jefferson and Clallam counties. The Jefferson County outbreak has had a total of 13 cases so far, with one staff member infected and 12 residents, Berry said. Clallam County’s outbreak has had a total of 42 cases so far, Berry said. Both outbreaks are believed to have been started by unvaccinated staff members who were exempted for religious or medical reasons from the state’s vaccination mandate for long-term care workers, Berry said. “We’re working with the state to try to formalize that and have a more strict protocol to reduce risk that unvaccinated workers would bring into these facilities.”

Jefferson County added 19 new cases Monday from the weekend. The county has confirmed a total of 1,273 cases since the pandemic began, according to county public health data. Health officials recorded a case rate of 192.61 per 100,000 for the two weeks prior as of Nov. 17. Prior to that, the county had a case rate of 201.93 per 100,000 for the two weeks prior as of Nov. 10.

Submit your Public Health questions to Dr. Allison Berry and to Willie Bence by emailing [email protected]. Note: The weekly deadline for these to be submitted is on Fridays at noon, to be answered at the following Monday’s BOCC meeting.

The following is a summary of the presentation during the Public Health briefings at this week’s Board of County Commissioners meeting made by Jefferson and Clallam County Public Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry. The following summary is taken from the Peninsula Daily News for Nov. 16.

Dr. Allison Berry, health officer for Clallam and Jefferson counties, said Monday that case rates are still high and pose a risk to the community even though transmission hasn’t increased significantly. “We’re still seeing quite a bit of transmission and we are at a risky time,” Berry said during her briefing with the Board of Jefferson County Commissioners.

In Jefferson County, health officials recorded a case rate of 201.93 per 100,000 for the two weeks prior as of Nov. 10. It is a small increase from when the county had a rate of 181.82 cases per 100,000 for the two weeks prior as of Nov. 3. Case rates have to fall below 75 per 100,000 population before Berry will lift the order mandating that indoor dining is limited to vaccinated customers only.

Berry urged those gathering for Thanksgiving to be vaccinated family and friends only. However, if it is a mix of vaccinated and unvaccinated, she recommended people wear good face masks and distance from each other. Those traveling by plane should consider wearing a higher end face mask such as a KN95 or an N95, Berry said.

Berry continues to urge all residents 5 and older to get vaccinated for COVID-19, as people continue to bring gatherings indoors due to the worsening weather. A common piece of misinformation being spread is that many people have been dying from the COVID-19 vaccines, and that is false, Berry said.

Berry also said people won’t know how severe COVID-19 will affect them until it does, and there have been several cases of long haulers who will survive the initial infection but will have to manage new heart problems, respiratory issues, brain fog and other symptoms for months afterward, and some of those health problems are expected to be chronic throughout the rest of those patients’ lives. “You don’t know if you’re going to get a cold or you’re going to end up in the ICU,” Berry said.

According to the latest data from the state Department of Health, 81.6 percent of the population 12 and older in Jefferson County have started vaccinations, with 77.7 percent fully vaccinated. Of the entire population, 75.1 percent have begun vaccination and 71.5 percent are fully vaccinated, according to the state’s dashboard.

Jefferson County added four new cases on Monday from the weekend. The county has confirmed a total of 1,221 cases since the pandemic began, according to county public health data. As of Monday morning, five Jefferson County residents were hospitalized for COVID-19, while Clallam County had four residents hospitalized.

Submit your Public Health questions to Dr. Allison Berry and to Willie Bence by emailing [email protected]. Note: The weekly deadline for these to be submitted is on Fridays at noon, to be answered at the following Monday’s BOCC meeting.

The following is a summary of the presentation during the Public Health briefings at this week’s Board of County Commissioners The following is a summary of the presentation during the Public Health briefings at this week’s Board of County Commissioners meeting made by Jefferson and Clallam County Public Deputy Health Officer Dr. Tom Locke. Also Willie Bence, Director, Director of Emergency Management, gave a report. The summary was provided by and used with the permission of Jefferson County Government.

County Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry Monday told Commissioners that the county’s COVID-19 case rate numbers are “getting better.” The current cased rate is 180 per 100,000, down from 250 last week, and our percent positivity is 7.6 – a bit higher than she’d like to see. Ideally it should be below 5%. Two Jefferson residents are hospitalized – one locally and one out of town who has been hospitalized for months. We’ve lost 17 of our citizens due to COVID-19. Currently, 73% of those who are getting infected with COVID-19 are unvaccinated in our community. “In Washington state right now as of today, you’re five times more likely to get infected with COVID-19 than if you are unvaccinated, and you are 12 times more likely to die of COVID-19 if you are unvaccinated,” she explained.

Dr. Berry said the biggest news this week is that the Pfizer vaccine was approved for kids 5 to 11. So now any child in Jefferson County 5 or older is eligible for getting vaccinated. “We are very excited about this,” Berry said. “I think, as we’ve discussed a little bit in the past, there’s a common misconception that kids are not affected by COVID-19 – and that is just not true.” She explained that over 8,000 kids in that age group have been hospitalized in the U.S. and a third of them required ICU level care. “I don’t think any of us wants to see any of our kids affected that way, she said. “30% of the kids in that age group who got hospitalized had no underlying conditions whatsoever. They were otherwise healthy kids who ended up in the hospital or the ICU.” Dr, Berry said kids are much more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19 than any other age group and there is a small potential risk from the vaccine. “When we look at the side effects found in the trials of the Pfizer vaccine for kids, the most common side effect by far was a sore arm. Then after that was fatigue and a headache.”

Dr. Berry also reported there have been two small clusters of outbreaks locally related to our schools: one football team with 4 positive cases and one kindergarten class with 4 positive cases. She said those are the places where she anticipates some transmission to occur.

Director of Emergency Management Willie Bence said the next opportunity for kid’s vaccines is Saturday, November 20 at the Chimacum School. The all-day event has 220 appointments available in the morning and 200 in the afternoon. To sign up, go to the Jefferson County Public Health website or call Emergency Management at 360-344-9791. Second dose clinics for this population will be scheduled in December. Additionally, Jefferson Healthcare has received some Pfizer vaccine for use in well-child checks and it’s encouraged that you talk with your physician if the mass vax clinic setting is not an option.

Submit your Public Health questions to Dr. Allison Berry and to Willie Bence by emailing [email protected]. Note: The weekly deadline for these to be submitted is on Fridays at noon, to be answered at the following Monday’s BOCC meeting.

The following is a summary of the presentation during the Public Health briefings at this week’s Board of County Commissioners meeting made by Jefferson and Clallam County Public Deputy Health Officer Dr. Tom Locke. Also Willie Bence, Director, Director of Emergency Management, gave a report. The summary was provided by and used with the permission of Jefferson County Government.

During her briefing to Commissioners this morning, Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry said Jefferson County has 1130 cases diagnosed so far in this response. The current case rate has gone up in the last week to 254/100,000. Four of our citizens are currently hospitalized, with three at Jefferson Healthcare. Dr. Berry said 74% of our cases at this point are among those who are unvaccinated. The primary driver of our rise in cases is workplace outbreaks. She said there is a workplace outbreak in a Jefferson County location with a relatively low vaccination rate, with 12 cases so far. She also reported that there’s a very large outbreak in Grays Harbor county that is spilling over into Jefferson County. There are some Jefferson County residents who are employees.

Currently in Jefferson County, 70% of our population is fully vaccinated; 77% of those who are eligible are fully vaccinated. Dr. Berry noted it’s one of the highest rates in the state. “We continue to see some lagging in our pediatric populations,” she said. “Of the eligible kids, only 50% of those 12 to 17 are fully vaccinated.” Dr. Berry offered the following: “I want to encourage everyone in our community. If your kid is eligible for getting vaccinated, please get them vaccinated soon. And regardless, the more that we can keep our overall case numbers down in the community, the better our schools will do. And the higher likelihood that our schools can stay normal, which is so critical for our kids’ mental health.”

Director of Emergency Management Willie Bence offered information about the County’s next mass vaccination clinics focused on the Moderna booster. Booster shots have been approved for those over 65, anyone with a significant underlying medical condition, and anyone who is in a high-risk workplace or living situation. If you received your second dose six months ago or more, you are eligible for a booster of Moderna.

For those who received the Johnson & Johnson single dose vaccine more than two months ago, they are eligible for a booster as well. The CDC has approved the mixing of doses, and this is particularly important for those who received the J&J. Bence said J&J recipients are seeing a better response to one of the mRNA vaccines – either Pfizer or Moderna. Moderna Booster Clinics will be held November 6 at Chimacum School with 360 appointments available 1-4pm and on November 13 at Blue Heron Middle School in Port Townsend. For more information or to make an appointment see the Jefferson County Public Health website or call 360-344-9791. Local pharmacies and your primary care physician are also offering boosters.

Submit your Public Health questions to Dr. Allison Berry and to Willie Bence by emailing [email protected]. Note: The weekly deadline for these to be submitted is on Fridays at noon, to be answered at the following Monday’s BOCC meeting.

The following is a summary of the presentation during the Public Health briefings at this week’s Board of County Commissioners meeting made by Jefferson and Clallam County Public Deputy Health Officer Dr. Tom Locke. Also Willie Bence, Director, Director of Emergency Management, gave a report. The summary was provided by and used with the permission of Jefferson County Government.

Deputy Health Officer Dr. Tom Locke today told the Commissioners that the FDA Advisory Committee last week met to consider booster shots for the Moderna and J&J vaccines, and the panel voted to support boosters for both. The next step is Wednesday when the Centers for Disease Control advisory committee meets. It is expected they will likely approve a half-strength shot for Moderna. The vaccine contains three times the active ingredient as the Pfizer vaccine. As for J&J, Dr. Locke said there is less certainty as to what’s going to happen. Local pharmacies will be making the booster available. The DEM will also plan for special clinics in the coming weeks. Call 360-344-9791 for updates and scheduling information.

Jefferson County now ranks lowest in the state in terms of average daily cases. San Juan County ranks second, followed by King. We are 10 cases per 100,000 on average per day. The two-week case rate is 157 cases per 100,000. Dr. Locke said these three lowest-ranked counties also have the three highest rates of vaccination. There were two COVID-19 admissions to Jefferson Healthcare over the weekend and one county resident currently with severe disease is in a Seattle hospital. Dr. Locke said relative to the rest of the state, Jefferson County is benefiting from its high vaccination levels and its diligent efforts to control transmission. “There’s really no way out of the pandemic without widespread vaccination,” he said. “We really need to get population immunity to 90% or higher if we want this to come to an end.” “I’m warning people that that vaccine requirements are going to become more widespread, not less widespread…,” Dr. Locke explained. “If we do this right, there is some modeling that says if we increase vaccination rates and continue masking and other control measures until rates are really low, we could see a steady drop in cases through the winter and things would, by and large, be over by March, 2022.”

Director of Emergency Management Willie Bence said this past weekend’s Pfizer vaccination clinic at the Blue Heron School in Port Townsend set a record for number of shots in arms – 726. This coming weekend, there’s a clinic planned at the Quilcene High School, 9am to noon, and 1-4pm. As of Monday morning, there were 240 appointments still available. Call 360-344-9791 or visit the Jefferson County Public Health website to make an appointment. Bence also said if you are homebound, call the DEM and get on a list for home “visits. Bence said booster doses for Moderna will also be scheduled as soon as it receives CDC approval.

Submit your Public Health questions to Dr. Allison Berry and to Willie Bence by emailing [email protected]. Note: The weekly deadline for these to be submitted is on Fridays at noon, to be answered at the following Monday’s BOCC meeting.

The following is a summary of the presentation during the Public Health briefings at this week’s Board of County Commissioners meeting made by Jefferson and Clallam County Public Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry. Spokespeople from Jefferson Healthcare joined to address the meeting. Also Willie Bence, Director, Director of Emergency Management, gave a report. The summary was provided by and used with the permission of Jefferson County Government.

During her Monday briefing to Commissioners, County Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry said Jefferson has the second lowest COVID-19 rate in the state, although it is still quite high. Our current case rate is 226 per 100,000, second only to San Juan County. No one is currently a patient at Jefferson Healthcare with COVID-19. She reported that most of our household cases in the last few days have been from known positive cases. “We are not seeing widespread community transmission like we’ve seen in earlier days. However, we are seeing folks get COVID-19 from traveling, and then through household contacts here.”

Dr. Berry said there was a cluster related to the Brinnon school district, with a  total of 16 cases, nine of which were traced to school; primarily the risk factor was bussing. She reported that all of these kids are doing well. There were three adults affected, and they, too, are all doing well. “The kids have to travel a very long distance on those buses and they were not eligible for vaccination. The schools are doing a really good job and we have not seen additional cases from that and we have not seen any other cases in any of our other school districts. But, I think this does highlight that our unvaccinated kids are at risk of contracting COVID-19.”

She said you are nine times more likely to get COVID-19 if you are unvaccinated, and then you are up to 26 times more likely to get hospitalized if you are unvaccinated. It really does make a difference to reduce transmission in our community, and to reduce subsequent strain on our hospital system.

Dr. Berry said that there have not been any positive cases of Influenza on the Olympic Peninsula, and there’s very, very low level activity in Washington. She said now is a really good time to get your flu shot before the flu gets here, “so that we can prevent a significant surge of flu, as well as COVID-19.” She recommends a flu vaccine for nearly everyone six months and older.

Director of Emergency Management Willie Bence said the Pfizer booster clinic at Chimacum on Saturday was a success, with 635 people receiving the vaccine. Next Saturday, the clinic at Blue Heron Middle School is scheduled to handle 600 people, but Bence said there is a waiting list of 150 and those people may be accommodated and will be contacted if a decision is made to do so. The vaccination clinic in Quilcene on October 23 has plenty of appointments still available. Sign up for these appointments through the Public Health website or the call center (360- 344-9791). These appointments are for the Pfizer vaccine only. Information on the Moderna and J&J boosters will be coming in the next week.

If you lost your original vaccine card, it cannot be replaced. The best way to get your vaccine records reissued is through: https://wa.myir.net. This is acceptable documentation to allow you to get into restaurants and bars when they ask for proof of identification. It is also helpful at vaccination clinics to certify that you got the vaccine and are eligible for your COVID-19 booster. You can download to your phone or print out a copy and bring it to the clinic.

Submit your Public Health questions to Dr. Allison Berry and to Willie Bence by emailing [email protected]. Note: The weekly deadline for these to be submitted is on Fridays at noon, to be answered at the following Monday’s BOCC meeting.

The following is a summary of the presentation during the Public Health briefings at this week’s Board of County Commissioners meeting made by Jefferson and Clallam County Public Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry. Spokespeople from Jefferson Healthcare joined to address the meeting. Also Willie Bence, Director, Director of Emergency Management, gave a report. The summary was provided by and used with the permission of Jefferson County Government.

County Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry told the Commissioners this morning that both Jefferson and Clallam counties are leading the way in the Puget Sound area with some of the largest decreases in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. Currently, Jefferson Healthcare has no positive inpatients for the first time in a long time. Dr. Berry reported there are two county residents who are currently hospitalized in out-of-county facilities. Clallam County has 8 people in the hospital, down from a peak of 21.

From Dr. Allison Berry today in her briefing to Commissioners:

Washington State cases decreased by 12% in the last week, but that does not tell the regional trend story. There are still “incredibly high case rates” on the east side of the mountains. Jefferson County’s case rate is up to 1019 cases,  276 per 100,000. Dr. Berry said we are “still very high, not as high as it was, but so much higher than we would like it to be.”

Currently, there are two people in the hospital at Jefferson Healthcare – both were unvaccinated. There is one other resident hospitalized out of county. Jefferson Healthcare now has bed space, which is a dramatic change from where have been. Some elective and non-urgent procedures will begin again. Dr. Berry said we are seeing many more cases that are related to primarily unvaccinated out-of-county or out-of-state travel, or by having guests from out-of-town. “We are investigating a cluster of cases in the Brinnon area among kids, and so we’ll be working very closely with the school district on that,” she said. “It does look like there’s some social transmission, some sports transmission, and we’re going to be doing some close investigation to assure that there’s not any in school transmission.”

Appointments at Jefferson DEM’s large-scale booster dose clinics this Saturday at the Chimacum School District’s Multi Purpose room and next weekend at Blue Heron Middle School are filled. About  600 people have signed up for boosters for the Pfizer vaccine only. Space currently is available at the Quilcene clinic on October 23, with about 200 appointments available. It will be at the Quilcene School. Go to the Jefferson County Public Health website or call DEM at 360-344- 9791 for scheduling.
PLEASE BRING YOUR VACCINATION CARD WITH YOU TO THE APPOINTMENT. 
Here’s a link to the Washington My IR database. You can register and have your immunization record available on this website: https://wa.myir.net.

Pharmacies have been offering booster doses as well. Check with your local pharmacists or call DEM for details. If you are still in need of a first dose, call DEM and we’ll help you find a way to get it. Some pharmacies and primary care providers are helping accommodate those people. DEM is working on clinic details for 5-11 year old vaccination clinics when it is approved and available for this age group.

Submit your Public Health questions to Dr. Allison Berry and to Willie Bence by emailing [email protected]. Note: The weekly deadline for these to be submitted is on Fridays at noon, to be answered at the following Monday’s BOCC meeting.

The following is a summary of the presentation during the Public Health briefings at this week’s Board of County Commissioners meeting made by Jefferson and Clallam County Public Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry. Spokespeople from Jefferson Healthcare joined to address the meeting. Also Willie Bence, Director, Director of Emergency Management, gave a report. The summary was provided by and used with the permission of Jefferson County Government.

County Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry told the Commissioners this morning that both Jefferson and Clallam counties are leading the way in the Puget Sound area with some of the largest decreases in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. Currently, Jefferson Healthcare has no positive inpatients for the first time in a long time. Dr. Berry reported there are two county residents who are currently hospitalized in out-of-county facilities. Clallam County has 8 people in the hospital, down from a peak of 21.

Our current case rate is 275/100,000, down 41% in the last week; Clallam is down 35%. Washington State is experiencing a plateau in cases,  There are 45 available ICU beds in the state. On the west coast, there is a slow decrease in cases.

In response to misconceptions about Covid being spread by those who are vaccinated,  Dr. Berry offered some data. “The vaccines, while they have had some decrease in efficacy with the rise of the Delta variant, are still incredibly effective at preventing any infection at all. So, we are still seeing, depending on the study, between 74 and 88% effectiveness at preventing COVID-19.” She said if you are vaccinated, you’re less likely to have the virus which means you can’t give it to other people. And then, even if you are unlikely enough to get one of those breakthrough infections, then we see that you have lower amounts of viable virus that you could transmit to other people, and you also are infectious for a shorter period of time – three days as opposed to 10.

“All those things come together to make you less likely to transmit the virus,” she said. Dr. Berry also addressed the conversations about potential side effects from the vaccine. She explained that there is an association between mRNA vaccines and the myocarditis. “But one that we haven’t talked enough about is there is a much stronger association between getting COVID-19 and myocarditis. So, when we see young people die of COVID-19, the number one thing they’re dying of there is myocarditis. You are 54 times more likely to get myocarditis from COVID-19 itself, than you are from a COVID-19 vaccine.”

Director of Emergency Management Willie Bence said that three mass Pfizer vaccination clinics for booster doses have been scheduled for only those 65 plus, or 50 to 64 with an underlying condition. Those conditions are listed on the Public Health website. The schedule is Saturdays:
– October 9 at the Chimacum School Multi-Purpose room;
– October16 at Blue Heron Middle School in Port Townsend; and
– October 23 at the Quilcene school gym.
Hours are 9am to noon and 1pm to 4pm. During each clinic there will be about 600 doses available.  Links will be posted on the Jefferson County Public Health website or call 360-344-9791 from 9am to 4pm beginning tomorrow. Appointments are required for these clinics. Remember to bring your vaccination card to be updated.

Submit your Public Health questions to Dr. Allison Berry by emailing [email protected]. Note: The weekly deadline for these to be submitted is on Fridays at noon, to be answered at the following Monday’s BOCC meeting.

The following is a summary of the presentation during the Public Health briefings at this week’s Board of County Commissioners meeting made by Jefferson and Clallam County Public Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry. Spokespeople from Jefferson Healthcare joined to address the meeting. Also Willie Bence, Director, Director of Emergency Management, gave a report. The summary was provided by and used with the permission of Jefferson County Government.

Jefferson County Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry this morning said COVID-19 cases are decreasing locally. The total number of of cases is up to 932, but our case rate over the last two weeks was 379 per 100,000 – a decrease from where it was last week. “It’s still very high, much higher that we want it to be, but it does suggest that what we’re doing is working,” she said.

Berry told Commissioners that local hospitals continue to be strained and are full, and that hospitalizations typically follow COVID-19 cases about two to three weeks out. She expects the strain to continue, but said things should be easing up in a couple weeks. Statewide, 1,800 people are hospitalized and ICU beds are at about 97% capacity, down one percent from last week. 

Outbreaks in Clallam County (1100 per 100,000) continue to rage with numerous outbreaks in long-term health care facilities. Kitsap County is still seeing high case rates of infections as well (572 per 100,000), with multiple long-term care facility outbreaks, too. Dr. Berry stated that the number one way that COVID-19 gets into long-term care is through unvaccinated staff. She said there have been a few cases where the initial introduction was actually an unvaccinated visitor that infects the family member. That infection is passed to staff and it makes its way through the facility. “We are seeing improvement in Jefferson County, we’re moving in the right direction,” Dr. Berry said. “Case rates are still very high, hospital systems are still very strained, but if we keep doing what we’re doing, I think we really can continue to turn this around and get to a much better place.”

Dr. Berry also noted that there is a nationwide shortage of test kits, particularly the rapid tests that are used in schools so that we can find the results and kind of act on them quickly. Public Health and Emergency Management are working to secure more kits for the long term.

During his COVID-19 briefing, Director of Emergency Management Willie Bence reminded people that the governor’s vaccination mandate will go into effect October 18, meaning that people will need to be fully vaccinated by that date. The single dose Johnson & Johnson needs to be received by October 4 if they already have not begun the Pfizer or Moderna two-part series. DEM plans to have one more private clinic to help employers meet the upcoming deadline, and information may be obtained by calling 360-344-9791.

Bence said his staff is monitoring the potential approval for ages 5-11 to receive the vaccine, as well as the potential approval for booster doses for the 65+ general population. He said they’ve done a lot of planning and are “very comfortable” with where they are with it.

Submit your Public Health questions to Dr. Allison Berry by emailing [email protected]. Note: The weekly deadline for these to be submitted is on Fridays at noon, to be answered at the following Monday’s BOCC meeting.

The following is a summary of the presentation during the Public Health briefings at this week’s Board of County Commissioners meeting made by Jefferson and Clallam County Public Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry. Spokespeople from Jefferson Healthcare joined tto address the meeting. Also Willie Bence, Director, Director of Emergency Management, gave a report. The summary was provided by and used with the permission of Jefferson County Government.

Jefferson County Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry Monday told the Commissioners that the county has diagnosed 871 cases of COVID-19.  The current case rate in the last two weeks is 533 per 100,000, still higher than it was last week, but not skyrocketing the way it has done before. Four people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19. There have been 13 deaths, most of these from a virus outbreak in a local long-term care facility.

Dr. Berry said hospital capacity in the state is “incredibly strained” with only 35 ICU beds available. Transferring patients out of our county has become “very, very difficult.” This is driven, she said, by “primarily unvaccinated COVID-19 cases.” Additionally, Idaho has declared a crisis for the northern part of the state. That has caused people to come to Eastern Washington for care. Surgeries and critical care have been postponed because of this outsourcing.

“Most of our local cases right now are people in their 20s and 30s,” Dr. Berry reported. “We’ve seen definitely our older population start to be quite a bit more cautious in their indoor gatherings. And I think that is starting to make a difference in our community, but it is the early days and we are still seeing significant strain on our public health and health care system. I certainly encourage anyone who has not yet been vaccinated to get vaccinated as soon as possible. It is the number one way you can prevent getting hospitalized for this illness and the number one way you can prevent dying of this illness.”

Dr. Berry told Commissioners that the vaccine is “incredibly safe and well-tested.” She refuted reports that it has an effect on fertility, saying it was a misinterpretation of a small study done on rats. She explained that in the United States, a large trial was conducted, looking at women who were pursuing fertility treatments. It was determined that women who got vaccinated and women who did not get vaccinated develop the same number of eggs in fertility treatments. “So, no effect on fertility, and it’s very, very safe,” Dr. Berry said. “What is not safe, is COVID-19.”

Apple Martine was introduced as the County’s new Director of Public Health. She said the department, although strained, is carrying on its mission, with a large focus on COVID19 which includes contact tracing and case management. “Managing folks in isolation and quarantine is something that we take a lot of pride in,” Martine said. “And we work very hard  to manage those and make sure that people are able to be compliant, able to work through their symptoms and get better, and not spread into the community. And we have had little spread in the community until recently.”

Martine said biggest thing you can do to support the COVID-19 response is to get vaccinated and wear a mask. “If you test positive for COVID-19, especially on a home test, and you don’t have a healthcare interaction, definitely log on to our website,” Maritine suggested. “You can also look at our Facebook page. We’ve got a good flow chart of where to go.”

Martine reminded everyone that “your healthcare professionals are here to support you….we’re happy to help make sure that you don’t end up in the hospital if we can. Especially, if you test positive, and you are at high risk of progressing to severe disease.” If you’re over 65, and you test positive for COVID-19, there are treatments available to you. Or if you have advanced diabetes, and you test positive for COVID-19, monoclonal antibody therapy is available in Jefferson County for those high risk folks. So please do engage with your primary care provider; we can help get you that therapy to try to keep you from getting in the hospital.

Dr. Berry reported that Jefferson County’s vaccination card mandate for restaurants and bars has not yet been enforced by the Health Department. “We thought it was best to really just give people support for this first week,” Dr. Berry said. “Next week, we’ll start enforcing against businesses who are not participating in the order,” she explained. “How that works is we will reach out to the business. We always try to get voluntary compliance first and answer any questions that they have. And then, if they’re not willing, give them 72 hours to fix the violation. Then we can start revoking permits after that – and we would if they don’t make any changes.” 

One way that they could get into compliance, she said, is to move to takeout-only or outdoor-dining-only. “And so, for some businesses, that might be a more manageable option,” she said. She admitted that the Health Department has a tiny staff that’s monitoring this mandate. “We’re going to give people some time to get on board. But now, we’re just going to be prioritizing them. We will eventually get to everything.”

Willie Bence reported that 78 immunocompromised people received their 3rd vaccine dose at the drive-thru clinic in Chimacum on Saturday. They will do another 3rd dose drive-thru clinic for IMMUNOCOMPROMISED people Saturday, September 18 at Blue Heron Middle School in Port Townsend. For details, click here.

Submit your Public Health questions to Dr. Allison Berry by emailing [email protected]. Note: The weekly deadline for these to be submitted is on Fridays at noon, to be answered at the following Monday’s BOCC meeting.