October 6, 2021
COVID-19 Updates from Skagit County
Local COVID-19 Case, Hospital & Vaccine Data
Skagit has a total of 9,782 cases; an increase of 429 new cases since last Wednesday; Hospitalizations are at 565 total (increased by 20 since Wednesday), and 99 deaths (increased by 2).
Skagit currently has a case rate of 604.8 per 100k over the last 14 days and a hospitalization rate of 19.9 COVID patients per 100k over the last seven days. This is the highest hospitalization rate that we’ve seen throughout the pandemic.
A total of 171,896 doses have been administered in Skagit County. We are now at 72.5% partially vaccinated amongst our population 12 years and older.
Changes to Fairgrounds Operations
The Skagit County Fairgrounds Testing and Vaccination Site is now operating from 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. The site will no longer operate on Wednesdays. Please come to the south gate entrance at 501 Taylor Street in Mount Vernon.
Vaccination services continue to be offered to all people 12 years and older. People can access a first or second dose of Pfizer or Moderna, or a single-dose of Johnson & Johnson, when supplies are available. Third doses of Pfizer and Moderna are also available to certain immunocompromised individuals. Please speak with your healthcare provider about whether an additional dose is appropriate for you.
Pfizer booster doses are available—by appointment only—for eligible individuals who received Pfizer for their first and second dose. If you received your second dose of Pfizer in March 2021 or earlier, you may now be eligible for a booster dose if you meet the criteria below. Those eligible for a Pfizer booster dose include:
Pfizer Boosters
To make an appointment for a Pfizer Booster, go to: https://prepmod.doh.wa.gov/
Search for "Skagit County Public Health" under Name of Location. If there are no appointments, check back on the following Monday for newly added spots, or call the COVID Info Hotline at 1-800-525-0127 (press #).
Want to know what the difference is between a third dose and a booster? Check out our latest blog post: https://bit.ly/3oFb3Sp
COVID-19 Testing
Free antigen testing at the Skagit Fairgrounds is now limited to individuals who live, work, or go to school in Skagit County. Those coming for testing must be 5 years or older and must (a) be currently symptomatic or (b) have had recent exposure to COVID-19. Please expect long wait times.
For a list of other testing providers in Skagit County, go to: www.skagitcounty.net/coronavirus.
More COVID-19 Vaccine Updates
If you’ve been wondering when people who received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine will be eligible for a booster dose, here are some important dates:
On October 14th, the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) will discuss an amendment to the emergency use authorization of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine for the administration of a booster dose, in individuals 18 years of age and older.
On October 15th, the VRBPAC will discuss amending the emergency use authorization of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 Vaccine for the administration of a booster dose, in individuals 18 years of age and older.
And when will COVID vaccines be available for children 5-11 years old?
The FDA anticipates receiving a request from Pfizer to amend its emergency use authorization to allow the use of its vaccine in children 5-11 years of age in the days to come. In anticipation of this request, the FDA has scheduled an advisory committee meeting on October 26th to inform the agency’s decision-making. More to come on this soon!
For more information: https://bit.ly/3Fjvs54.
Flu Vaccines
This year, it’s more important than ever to get vaccinated against the flu. The flu vaccine can keep you from getting and spreading the flu to others during the COVID-19 pandemic and help keep our hospitals from being overwhelmed.
The flu vaccine for everyone six months and older. Flu can be serious even in healthy people, but some people are at higher risk including:
- People 65 years and older
- Young children, especially those under 5 years of age
- Pregnant people
- People with medical conditions like asthma, diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, or neurologic conditions
You should get your flu vaccine before the end of October for the best protection through the fall and winter months when flu is most likely to spread. You can even get your COVID19 and flu vaccines at the same time.
Looking for your shot? Check your local doctor’s office or pharmacy for availability. You can also visit www.vaccinefinder.org or call the Help Me Grow Washington hotline at 1-800-322-2588 to find an appointment for kids under 18 years of age.
Need more information? Go to: https://www.doh.wa.gov/YouandYourFamily/IllnessandDisease/Flu |
