The North Olympic Peninsula is tops in the state for percentage of its population immunized against COVID-19, Jefferson County Health Officer Dr. Tom Locke said.
Clallam County leads the state in the percentage who have had both shots and is second in the percentage who have had one shot. Jefferson County leads the state in the percentage who have had one shot and comes in second for those fully vaccinated, Locke said.
Jefferson and Clallam counties are in the top three in the state for the lowest prevalence of infection over the past year, Locke said. The leader is San Juan County, followed by Jefferson and then Clallam.
He warned that continued caution is needed.
“We don’t want people to let up on testing,” Locke said. “We want people who have symptoms to be tested even if they have been vaccinated.”
It’s rare — about 5 percent — but the state has reported at least 1,200 “breakthrough cases” in people who have been fully immunized, Locke said.
And although variants have not been detected on the Peninsula, more and more are being found elsewhere. Since they are more transmissible, the variants will eventually become predominant.
“We can keep the levels of infection down by keeping up our guard,” said Locke, emphasizing the use of face masks, social distancing and hand-washing. “If we do a bad job of this, it will spread faster.”
However, Locke said, those who have been fully immunized are at low risk of infection if they get together in small groups, and those who have been immunized also can gather in small groups with people who have not, if no one is at high risk — in other words, many grandparents and grandchildren.
Dr. Allison Berry, Clallam County health officer, reported Sunday that one more case had been confirmed since Saturday, bringing Clallam County’s total number of cases since the pandemic began to 1,042.
She texted that she had “no demographics for that one at this point.” A few recent cases have been confirmed among children 10 and younger.
Jefferson County reported no new cases Sunday, holding steady at 343 cases since the pandemic began.
Clinics slated
Clinics on both Saturday and Sunday are planned at the Port Angeles High School gym; the Pfizer clinics were nearly full as of Sunday, Berry texted. To register, go to vaccine.clallam.net/register or call 360-417-2430.
The Sequim clinics organized by the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe on Tuesday and Thursday this week will be only for second doses. Registration is not needed, but proof of vaccination cards are.
Details on future vaccinations clinics on the West End will be posted when they are available. For more information, visit forkshospital.org or call 360-203-0754.
Jefferson Healthcare hospital will get 1,170 Pfizer second-shot doses and 1,100 Moderna first-shot doses this week, according to jeffersonhealthcare.org/covid-19-vaccine.
In addition, the state Department of Health has started a three-week allocation plan which will allow the hospital to open vaccine appointments more than a week out, the notice said.
Those eligible for vaccine shots, including those in the most recent tier of 1B2, can schedule a vaccine appointment at Jefferson Healthcare at the website.
Individuals older than 18 who are eligible under any of the phases can schedule directly on the website or call 360-344-9791 weekdays from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Anyone between 16-17 years of age can email vaccineresponse@jeffersonhealthcare.org to ensure a Pfizer appointment. Pfizer is approved for 16 and older and Moderna is approved for 18 and older.
The Washington State Phase Finder app is the best tool to determine eligibility.
