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. Also Willie Bence, Director of Emergency Management, gave a report. The summary below was provided by and used with the permission of Jefferson County Government.

We are adding 18 new cases this week. The two-week case rate is 979 cases per 100,000 people. This week’s new cases are the total number of cases reported to us as of Friday, June 24, 2022. Future reports will have a full week’s total of new cases. Our current two-week case rate is within the high transmission risk range. At this level, it’s strongly recommended that everyone wear a well-fitting, high-quality mask while in public, indoor places.

Jefferson County Public Health is streamlining its COVID-19 case data reporting as it transitions from an emergency response to a more sustainable and long-term approach to monitoring the virus. The first-ever weekly report published on Monday, June 27 and will appear every subsequent Monday. In addition to shifting to weekly reporting, data will now appear on an interactive dashboard designed with new data presentation software.

Availability of pediatric vaccinations for those 6 months to 5 years has been delayed due to a shipping issue. Dr. Berry said Jefferson Healthcare/ Sheridan Clinic and Public Health will offer the shots the first week in July. Call 360-385-9400 to secure an appointment at Public Health.

The free Covid mask program coordinated though Emergency Management has been discontinued. Director Willie Bence said that demand has slowed “to a trickle.” Some grocery stores still have a supply, as does DEM.

Submit your Public Health questions to Dr. Allison Berry and 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 BOCC meeting next Tuesday (due to the July 4 holiday).

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

Jefferson County Public Health is streamlining its COVID-19 case data reporting as it transitions from an emergency response to a more sustainable and long-term approach to monitoring the virus. “Our public health nurses continue to spend many hours, including on weekends, compiling data in order to keep up with daily COVID-19 reporting,” said Dr. Allison Berry, Health Officer for Jefferson and Clallam Counties. “Our job is to give people the information they need in order to assess their own risks and make informed choices about how to stay healthier. At this stage of the pandemic, I believe transitioning to once-a-week reporting will provide the public with that information, while allowing our nurses to return more attention to our other public health programs.”

The first-ever weekly report is expected to publish on Monday, June 27 and appear every subsequent Monday. The weekly reported data will include the two-week case rate; the number of new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths as well as all-time totals; a percent positivity of tests performed at Jefferson Healthcare; a bar chart showing hospitalizations by age and vaccination status. Jefferson County Public Health’s nurses have issued a COVID-19 report Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, since March 2020. Today, some of that data is no longer helpful when determining risk factors. For example, there is little evidence a person’s sex influences their risk of being infected with COVID-19. So, cases among those identified as female and those identified as male will no longer be included in the report. In addition to shifting to weekly reporting, data will now appear on a dashboard designed with new data presentation software. The public will be able to view and interact with a line graph of case rates over time. Hovering over certain data will reveal more information about how that data was collected. Jefferson County Public Health values input from members of the public. Anyone with questions or comments may send an email to [email protected].

Submit your Public Health questions to Dr. Allison Berry and 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 summary below was provided by and used with the permission of Jefferson County Government.

In her weekly address to Commissioners, County Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry said there is a “plateauing of our cases overall and there isn’t the rise in hospitalizations that’s been seen in other parts of the country.” This low rate is consistent with all of the top four vaccinated counties in the state—that includes Jefferson and Clallam. Dr. Berry said the primary driver of our low hospitalizations is how vaccinated and boosted we are as a community. “If you are not vaccinated, we are still seeing severe disease and we are seeing death,” she said. Our case rates have risen slowly over the past week (to 873/100,000) but indicators point to a slowing of that rise. “I do think we are moving into a different phase of this response, where we will likely still see transmission in our community but we’re less likely to see severe disease,” Dr. Berry noted. “We have the tools we need to prevent severe disease due to COVID-19.” Dr. Berry said to continue to protect yourselves by wearing a mask in indoor settings and getting vaccinated and boosted.

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 summary below was provided by and used with the permission of Jefferson County Government. Also Willie Bence, Director of Emergency Management, gave a report.

COVID-19 case rates remain high in Jefferson County, according to County Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry, but they seem to be plateauing. She told Commissioners today we have an 18% positivity rate, with a case rate of 823/100,000. There has been no surge in hospitalizations. “It’s interesting that we are seeing very, somewhat different patterns than what we’re seeing in the rest of the country,” she said. “Much of the rest of the country has experienced a surge in hospitalizations. The Northeast, the South and Midwest were really hit hard by a surge in hospitalizations. But in Jefferson and Clallam Counties, we really have not seen that. And that is most likely due to the very high rates of vaccination we have in our communities.” Dr. Berry said she’s hopeful that “we are moving truly into a more endemic phase of this virus. Now variants can always throw a wrench in those plans. But so far, we are moving into a more hopeful direction.” She recommends that everyone continue to wear masks in indoor settings.

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.

In our final regular edition of Through Science to Health, KPTZ host Chris Bricker speaks with Dr. Christine Skorberg, Medical Director of the Women’s Health Clinic at Jefferson Health Care. While in search of a new and all-inclusive name for the Clinic, her colleague, Dr. Asif Luqman, suggested its new appelation, OB/Guyne Clinic. Dr. Skorberg discusses her philosophy of relationship-based medicine, which is centered on listening, honest conversation, and respect for patients including all races, sexual orientation, situations, and lifestyle.  She describes the panorama of care and guidance that ranges from birth to vintage years and covers the services offered at the Clinic. Chris would like to acknowledge his former co-hosts who have provided their expertise, insight, and talent at different times over the course of our program’s run: Kate Keenan and Lynn Sorensen. A big Thank You from the Heart for your earlier contributions to the show!

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 Deputy Dr. Tom Locke . The summary below was provided by and used with the permission of Jefferson County Government.

Public Health Deputy Dr. Tom Locke told Commissioners this morning that COVID-19 cases are climbing throughout the U.S. by 53% and hospitalizations are going up as well. Washington is 15th on the list of states in terms of COVID-19 activity; cases are up 37% and hospitalizations area up 27%. Deaths are also increasing in the state. Jefferson’s two-week case rate is 848/100,000. Two people currently are hospitalized. The World Health Organization estimates the official global death rate to be 6.2 million. The U.S. has surpassed 1 million deaths, and Dr. Locke reported that three-quarters of these were in people 65+. Black, Hispanic, and Native American populations were disproportionally represented with almost two times the risk of death as their white counterparts. Harvard and the Brown School of Public Health computed that 318,000 people could have been saved if the U.S. had been fully vaccinated. As of today, 29 people in Jefferson County have died from COVID-19.

In Washington State, the BA.2 sub variant is the predominate COVID-19 strain. On the east coast, there is another strain – BA.2.12.1. Both of these are extremely transmissible and three times as contagious as Delta. These two covariants are partially resistant to prior immunity. The immunity derived from a vaccine or a prior infection is still very valuable but is not effective in preventing mild or moderate infection.

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.

Note: Due to the Memorial Day holiday, there will be no BOCC meetings, nor Public Health Briefings, on Monday, May 30. The next Briefings will take place on Monday, June 6. Please send any questions by Friday, June 3.

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. Also Willie Bence, Director, Director of Emergency Management, gave a report. The summary below was provided by and used with the permission of Jefferson County Government.

Click here to read complete notes on the day’s briefings

Even though KPTZ’s broadcast of Monday’s meeting was cut short due to technical issues, here is the complete recording of the meeting’s Public Health briefings by Dr. Berry and Willie Bence. The summary below was provided by and used with the permission of Jefferson County Government.

Click here to read complete notes on the day’s briefings

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. Also Willie Bence, Director of Emergency Management, gave a report. The summary below was provided by and used with the permission of Jefferson County Government.

During County Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry’s weekly update, she noted that cases are rising on the west coast and throughout the U.S. Additionally, she feels there is a “dramatic undercount” because the vast majority of the country doesn’t count home antigen tests in their reported totals. Locally, home tests account for 70% of our positive cases. Washington state believes that they’re capturing about 16% of the positive cases in their counts right now. Dr. Berry noted that hospitalizations are beginning to rise which she noted is a “concerning trend.”

Because both Jefferson and Clallam counties are in the high risk transmission zone (above 200 cases per 100,000), Dr. Berry strongly recommends masking in indoor settings. “I think that transition back is going to take a little bit of time, she noted. “Many, many people in our communities got the message that COVID-19 was over when a lot of the restrictions went away so I think it’s going to take a little time to get everybody on board with masking in indoor settings again. I do think it’s a really good idea to do so. We’re seeing quite a bit of COVID-19 transmission. “If you’re in an indoor space with people you don’t know and you don’t know their vaccination status, that’s a space where it’s a really good idea to wear a mask. But, if you are in a private setting, I think a small dinner party is reasonable. If you are going to have a party with 10 or more people regardless of their vaccination status, I would recommend wear a mask in a setting like that. ”Dr. Berry suggested that location is important, too. For example, when visiting a care facility or a high-risk family member, wear a high-quality mask. Consider testing before you go and, if you are symptomatic, postpone your visit.

Dr. Berry noted that COVID-19 at-home testing is an important measure to determine if you are infected. Here’s the protocol from Dr. Berry: If you just have a mild symptom and it goes away and you test and it’s negative, that’s good enough. If you’re testing just because you’ve traveled and you don’t have any symptoms, a single test should be enough for you. But if you are sick, especially if you’re vaccinated, we know that your symptoms tend to start very early and sometimes even before your viral load has caught up enough to get to turn positive on a test. So, especially for our fully-vaccinated folks – but really for anyone – if you get sick and you take a test on that first day that you have symptoms and it’s negative, but those symptoms persist, take another test the next day. We’ve seen people turn positive 24 to 48 hours later, especially if you’re vaccinated, because your viral loads are low. That’s good. Your low viral load makes you less likely to transmit to other people and less likely to get severe symptoms, but you could still turn positive later. If you’re sick, take more than one test. There are an ample supply of antigen tests right now. If you’re still sick a couple days later, definitely still stay home whenever you’re symptomatic. And take a test again the next day. Test kits are available at Jefferson County Public Health, the libraries, and the fire departments in South County. They are also available free of charge from the State: https://sayyescovidtest.org. Order now to have a supply when needed.

As for Booster shots, Dr. Berry noted that the first booster is the most important one. “It would be reasonable if you are 75 and up and you have underlying conditions, consider getting that fourth booster just as a safety precaution,” she said.

If you are 65 and older, test positive for COVID-19, and are at a high risk for severe disease, there is an 5-day course of oral medication available. In Jefferson County, contact the Jefferson Healthcare COVID Nurse Consult Hotline for information on how to access the prescription: 360-344-3094.

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. Also Willie Bence, Director of Emergency Management, gave a report. The summary below was provided by and used with the permission of Jefferson County Government.

County Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry today reported that although Jefferson County doesn’t have a high number of deaths and hospitalizations from COVID-19, there’s now a high transmission rate and a 9% positivity rate. About 70-90% of our cases now are found through home antigen testing. There are two small clusters in schools, numbering three cases each, that are related to unmasking in classroom settings. There has been no further spread within the schools. There is also one long-term health care facility affected in Jefferson County. Dr. Berry strongly recommends wearing the highest quality KN95, KF94 or K95 mask you can find when in public, indoor places. “I don’t go into an unmasked space without a high quality mask,” she said. She said the trigger to go back to mandatory masking would be “if we saw a rise in severe disease in hospitalization and death.” If you contract COVID-19, Dr. Berry said to isolate for 10 days. After 10 days, you are not contagious. For more information, call the hotline at Jefferson Healthcare: 360-344-3094.

Dr. Berry this morning also discussed the need for a second booster or fourth dose. She explained that it does decrease your risk of COVID-19 disease for about four weeks. But it doesn’t dramatically change the prevention against severe disease. The first booster is still providing excellent protection. She said that the vaccines we have available now “cannot prevent all infection and make it so it’s 100% you don’t get COVID-19. However, they still reduce your risk of getting COVID-19 and dramatically reduce your risk of getting very sick and dying.” Dr. Berry said one of the myths circulating is that getting COVID-19 provides a lifetime immunity. “When we look at databases of hospitalization and death from COVID-19, we’re seeing it in reinfected people and in relatively high rates when you get beyond the 90-day threshold,” Dr. Berry explained. “It really matters to get vaccinated if you’ve had a a prior infection.” She also said that if you’ve had a breakthrough infection on top of getting vaccinated, you are pretty well protected and that it is the equivalent of four doses of vaccine.“ The risk from contracting COVID-19 yourself is primarily giving it to someone else who would die,” she said.

Submit your Public Health questions to Dr. Allison Berry and 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.