Lewis County COVID Cases, Hospitalizations Still Spiking as Rates Decline Elsewhere in State

Rising: County Sees First Person in 30s Die of COVID; Pe Ell a Hot Spot

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Lewis County continues to buck statewide trends of declining COVID-19 case rates, and as Washington sees more promising signs of a retreating pandemic, Lewis County is reporting more cases and deaths.

This week, the county reported 149 new cases — the most since January. And public health officials confirmed five new deaths, including the first Lewis County resident in their 30s to die from COVID-19. The county’s death toll now stands at 66.

According to state data, Lewis County is now seeing a case rate of 334 per 100,000, compared to the state’s average of 192. Only three counties — Ferry, Lincoln and Grays Harbor — have a higher rate. Lewis County’s hospitalization rate has similarly spiked to 17.4 per 100,000, while the state’s rate has decreased to 5.9.

Under the state’s recent reopening model, Lewis County would be approaching Phase 1.

According to Public Health Director JP Anderson, the county’s growing case load is partially spurred by an increase in youth coming down with the virus.

In the past two weeks, Pe Ell — whose school district recently paused in-person learning due to COVID exposures — saw the most dramatic jump in infections, with cases jumping by almost 15%. By contrast, the Twin Cities area saw cases increase by just over 5%.

On Wednesday, County Commissioner Sean Swope seized on the local surge, repeating arguments that the state should move its quarantine and isolation facility from Centralia given the area’s high volume of cases.

“Here we are, we’re spiking, and we have the COVID quarantine facility, and you’d think … they’d have that in a place where the numbers aren’t spiking,” he said.

After the county’s letter demanding the state Department of Health (DOH) relocate, Swope said communication has been “pretty silent.”

DOH officials told Centralia’s city council this week that only one person is currently housed in the facility.

 

Two Societies



As Lewis County’s cases rise, its vaccination rate continues to lag behind the state. And gaps in vaccination rates across the state have DOH officials warning of a potential “tale of two societies.”

Health Secretary Umair Shah discussed the possibility Wednesday morning with reporters, describing a situation in which vaccinated populations can safely go about their lives while unvaccinated populations continue to spread the disease.

Counties’ fully vaccinated populations range from Stevens County’s 18.63% to Jefferson County’s 59%. Lewis County falls at 27.66%, well below the state’s average of 40.75%.

That “tale of two societies” would be a “terrible place to be,” Shah said. Especially when “there are so many people across the globe where people really really want to get vaccinated, and here we have vaccines that are free, they’re available, they’re right down the street from you, and people are not availing themselves of that.”

“And we want to make sure we do everything we can to change that narrative,” he said.

 

Vaccine Opportunities

Local public health officials continue to set up small community clinics, sometimes multiple times a day. And officials are revving up for another major vaccine opportunity: the three-day Packwood Flea Market this weekend.

While Anderson originally said officials would try to reserve Johnson & Johnson shots for the event, he announced this week that the clinic would instead be a “buffet of vaccines,” with all three versions available for people to choose from. No appointments are required to get a dose at the flea market.

Clinics at the Lewis County Mall are also still underway, and residents can walk in for a shot this Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon, Wednesday June 2 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday June 5 from 7 a.m. to noon. Multiple versions of the vaccine are available.