King County Coronavirus Numbers Can Be Delayed After Thanksgiving

Seattle — According to public health data, the number of coronavirus cases reported daily in King County fell below peak levels last week and declined from the 700s to the 500s. However, authorities believe that snapshots may not tell the complete story of the current situation.

Dr. Jeff Duchin, a health officer in King County, hosted a weekly press conference on Friday detailing the latest trends seen on the day immediately following Thanksgiving holidays. There were some areas of improvement, but Duchin said some complex factors could overshadow what’s really happening.

“Due to the holiday weekend, some of our large number of test sites have been closed or reduced in capacity,” Duchin said. “A similar pattern was seen after the weekend of July 4th and Labor Day, but the holiday test was interrupted and then resumed. Like those who didn’t do either, the next few days. I hope you can understand the trends more accurately. Ask for a test or look for one that hasn’t been available in the last few days. “

Overall, test levels have fallen by about 25% from their pre-Thanksgiving peak, approaching the levels seen in early November. However, positive rates remain elevated across the county, which may indicate a higher infection rate than is reflected in the data.

“I think we may be in the eyes of a hurricane now, and we may see a resumption of our increasing trend in a few days,” Duchin said. “I don’t think so, but it’s a clear possibility.”

Hospitalization rate three times that of early November

One of the indicators that I did not give up is the hospitalization rate, which has continued to rise with an average of 20 hospitalizations a day since Thanksgiving, which is three times the number in early November. As of Friday afternoon, at least 329 patients in King County were hospitalized with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 disease, according to public health data.

“Our hospital system is expanding,” says Duchin. “They activated the emergency response system and began to cancel some surgery, and these are not trivial changes. These are joint replacements, heart valve replacements, and potentially some cancers. It’s like surgery and confirms that there is room for increase in the number of COVID-19 patients. “

According to Duchin, most hospitalizations are for patients aged 40-69, but have increased altogether, including patients aged 20-39 over 70.

As the burden on the hospital system continues to grow, the impact on community health care can be exacerbated.

“I continue to have the highest level of concern that none of us, or our loved ones, will receive the life-saving care we expect when needed,” Duchin said. Told. “We all need to keep in mind. This is a realistic possibility and we need to do everything we can to prevent it.”

So far, the increase in mortality due to COVID-19 remains relatively small, Duchin said, but the marker of concern means that the outlook can change quickly.

Apart from hospitalization rates, the number and magnitude of outbreaks in long-term care facilities is increasing, and vulnerable people are at particular risk of developing serious or life-threatening complications.

Without immediate federal support, King County’s public health efforts could be hit.

Another area of ​​urgent need is more federal assistance to allow the county to expand its response to COVID-19, as well as to maintain its existing activities during the most critical times of the pandemic. ..

“We are facing the disappearance of funds when our challenge has risen to the highest level since the outbreak began,” Duchin said. “We really need to reduce the COVID-19 response because Congress’s failure to pass the stimulus is hurting us when we need more resources than ever before. I think. Just at this point, we need to increase it. “

Without a financial guarantee, Duchin said he had already begun to relocate some staff to help his department maintain its current level of service. More funding will be needed to meet the need for testing and case studies. In addition, new efforts will be needed to support the distribution of vaccines in the coming weeks.

King County hopes to receive up to 150,000 Pfizer vaccines by the end of December.

Washington has finalized preparations for acceptance and distribution First 62,000 doses Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine is assumed to be approved for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration and next week’s advisory board.

In King County, public health officials were told to anticipate doses of 130,000 to 150,000 by the end of December, out of the 262,000 sent to the state in the first two shipments. According to Duchin, this number is close to the estimated number of top priority groups for vaccines, including healthcare workers, residents, and long-term care staff. They also leave some room for unexpected hiccups while his office plans it.

“There is a lot of uncertainty in this project and we expect some bumps on the road,” Duchin said. “We are optimistic that we will be able to put together a program to make these first high-priority groups available for vaccines … If everything goes according to plan in late December, vaccines will be available. Immediately after becoming “

Hopeful news in the near future is welcome, but Duchin warned that it will take time to reach adequate vaccination levels among the general public.

“It will take a considerable amount of time to vaccinate as many people as needed to actually stop the COVID-19 epidemic in the community. This is the so-called herd immunity effect,” Duchin said. Mr. says. “It is important to remember that this virus is still present. It will not go away when the vaccine arrives. Months to vaccinate enough people to dent this type of infection Will also cost. “

There is Thanksgiving behind us and the need for attention continues

As Christmas and New Year’s Eve approach, Duchin said it’s still as important to be vigilant as preparing for Thanksgiving.

“It’s not enough to celebrate a safe Thanksgiving to turn this around,” Duchin said. “We need to think about every aspect of our lives, what we do every day, and make sure we consider ways to minimize the risk of COVID-19.”

This includes avoiding crowded indoor areas, continuing to limit unnecessary travel and interactions outside the home, always using face coverings, maintaining proper hygiene, and living in the home. Everything is included, even to say no to a gathering with people who aren’t. These actions need to continue far beyond the holidays.

“Unfortunately, the changes we need to make in our lives need to last for the next few months. We need to remember all of the COVID-19 safety precautions and continue to practice them as much as possible. Through this crisis that is facing now. ”

Another surge added to the third wave could bring disasters of an “unprecedented” scale to the state’s health system, Duchin said.

“If people get together during the Christmas holidays, or decide to engage in activities that are in close contact with others, especially indoors, or if they increase the amount of activity they engage in the community … either increased. If so, the number of cases will increase accordingly, and things will inevitably get worse. ” “When you start with such a high level of illness, when things get worse, it gets worse very quickly.”