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“Get vaccinated today” was the rallying cry of Dr. Howard Leibrand, Skagit Health Officer, in a Monday, July 26 statement released after eight westside county health officers, from San Juan to King, jointly promoted wearing masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status. The goal is to protect high-risk individuals and those who are not able to be vaccinated, including children under twelve years old, Leibrand noted.

While fully supporting masks, Leibrand championed vaccination as “the absolute best tool we have to stop the spread of COVID-19.” Skagit County data from March 1–July 13 show unvaccinated individuals make up 96% of all COVID cases, he said, highlighting the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines.

He called the delta variant “particularly concerning,” finding it is becoming more prominent and much more transmissible than the variants that have been circulating in Skagit County prior to July.

Leibrand warned that the delta variant may cause more serious illness. “If you are unvaccinated and not using precautions like masking and social distancing, you are at very high risk of becoming infected with delta variant and getting seriously ill in the coming days and weeks,” he said. “It is clear that masks protect individuals from COVID-19. It is never a bad idea to wear a mask in an indoor situation.”

Leibrand projects that “COVID-19 is likely going to be with us for a long time” and does not see a “clear end” to its presence. The most important protection comes from vaccination, he said, while encouraging mask wearing, also.

Delta variant in Skagit County

Two COVID-19 cases attributed to the delta variant were identified in Skagit County, a July 15 county news release stated. Public health staff assume that the variant is more widespread than limited testing has found.

The release notes delta variant is the cause for the dramatic increases in COVID-19 cases in other parts of the country and globally due to its increased transmissibility (meaning it spreads more easily). As of June 19, the CDC estimated the delta variant accounted for more than 30% of COVID-19 cases in the US. Two weeks earlier, 10% of cases were attributed to the delta variant.

Skagit County COVID-19 cases

The total new coronavirus cases increased 376% the last two weeks, to 79 July 19-23 from 21 July 6-9. Only once in the month’s first 19 days was there more than 11 new cases. Since July 19, there have been a daily average of 16 new infections reported, 57% of July’s cases, 79 total. Through July 23 there were 138 total new infections reported, not per 100,000 residents.

There are fewer hospitalizations, 12 through July 23, about three weekly. This is down 37% from June, when 19 people were hospitalized in Skagit County, though a week remains in the month.

Skagit County has 69.8 cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 residents these last two weeks and a positive testing rate of 6.4% the past week, the Washington state Department of Health reported July 25. In the same time periods, Whatcom County recorded 73.7 cases per 100,000 residents and a positive testing rate of 3.8%, while Snohomish County’s rate is115.5 cases per 100,000 residents and a positive testing rate of 6.7%.

San Juan County, by contrast, recorded 17.3 per 100,000 residents with a positive testing rate of 5.0% in the same periods, It is one of two counties, of Washington’s 39, meeting the state goal of fewer than 25 newly diagnosed cases per 100,000 people during the prior two weeks.

There have been between 170-179 confirmed cases in 98257, the La Conner area zip code since March 2020, with the latest case recorded July 26.

Three county residents have died this month, bringing the total to 79 since March 2020.

In July Skagit Public Health started reporting case data weekdays instead of daily.

Free vaccine clinics

Skagit Public Health has vaccine clinics scheduled for:

July 28 and Aug 11 at Skagit Transit Station, downtown Mount Vernon, 5-9 p.m.

July 28 and 30: Skagit Valley softball fields from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

July 29: West Winds Motel, Mount Vernon, 4-7 p.m.

Aug 11-14: Skagit County Fair, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

Get a $25 gift cards for a first dose while supplies last.