COVID-19 Surge in King County
King County is currently witnessing an increase in COVID-19 cases this summer, accompanied by a rise in hospitalizations, as reported by Seattle and King County Public Health.
The county’s data dashboard indicates that during the week of August 10, a total of 111 individuals were hospitalized due to COVID-19. The data reveals that emergency room visits for COVID-19 have reached their peak for the year, although they remain lower compared to the same period last year.
Dr. Eric Chow, Chief of Communicable Disease Epidemiology and Immunization at Seattle and King County Public Health, emphasized the ongoing health risks posed by COVID-19, particularly for high-risk populations. He told KOMO News, “COVID-19, with this increase, really expands the time of year when we should take these precautions and think about these respiratory illnesses.”
Questions Surrounding the Increase
In response to questions about the reasons behind this summertime increase, Dr. Chow stated, “The question is certainly on all our minds. It could be several different reasons, including how COVID-19 spreads from person to person and what people are doing at this point in the year.”
To assess COVID-19 rates, officials analyze data from emergency room visits, positive test results, and wastewater collected from treatment facilities. Dr. Chow noted that emerging variants are contributing to the recent surge.
Tyler Bartholomew, a Seattle resident, shared his perspective: “I think it’s probably just going to be the norm, I guess. We’ve been hearing that since COVID-19 pandemic times—it’s just going to be a norm of our life and hopefully it gets less and less as more people are vaccinated, but it’s not surprising.”
Vaccination Efforts and Recommendations
Data from the county shows that in the past year, nearly 19% of residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. Chow highlighted that finding the vaccine may be challenging at this time of year due to the transition between last year’s formulation and an updated vaccine. He stresses the importance of taking additional protective measures.
Dr. Chow recommends that individuals aged six months and older stay up to date on vaccinations. For those with existing health conditions, he suggests further precautions such as wearing a well-fitted mask and ensuring better ventilation wherever possible.
