PORT TOWNSEND — High transmission rates of COVID-19 are down from a peak in July, but the virus is still spreading quickly, said Dr. Allison Berry, the health officer for Clallam and Jefferson counties.
Berry provided an update Tuesday to the Board of Jefferson County Commissioners.
“You likely know someone who’s had COVID in the recent weeks; it’s very much here,” Berry said. “One thing we have noticed in the last week or so, there’s actually an increase in emergency department visits and actually hospitalizations in our region, particularly notable in our Clallam County hospitals.”
Berry said cases range from mild to severe, which may depend on an individual’s vaccination history.
“What we are seeing among folks who are having to go to the ER, who are being hospitalized, is that they are folks who have not had a vaccine in the last couple of years, who got initially the first round of vaccines but really haven’t had another dose since like 2021,” Berry said. “We’re really seeing waning efficacy from those earlier vaccines.”
A vaccine for the recently prevalent KP.3 strain is being distributed to local pharmacies now, Berry said, adding that she recommends calling ahead as some pharmacies are not yet stocked. Others are running quickly through their supply.
Uniform access to the vaccine should be available in the coming weeks, Berry said.
Pharmacies may be the most convenient way for someone to update their vaccine, Berry said, but primary care clinics also will administer the vaccine. The health department also will provide children with updated vaccines, once it receives its shipment, which is expected in the next week or two, Berry said.
Kp.3 is a variant of the KP.2 strain, which is contained in the new vaccine. The KP.3 variant has been the dominant strain of the COVID-19 virus since early June, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Berry recommends that those who have had the virus recently should wait two months before they receive a new vaccination.
“We encourage everybody to get their COVID-19 vaccine,” Berry said. “But if you’ve just had COVID, in this wave, we recommend you wait two months before you get your next vaccine. That way, you’ll get the best benefit from your vaccine. Your immune system responds best if it gets a little pause between its different stimuli.”
Berry said the vaccine is most effective for the first three months after getting it.
Commissioner Kate Dean asked Berry to weigh in on people who might be considering timing their vaccinations more closely to holiday travels. Berry said it depends on different factors.
“There is a lot of COVID circulating right now,” Berry said. “If you’re in a higher risk group, I would recommend you get vaccinated sooner rather than later. Getting that added protection on board is a good idea for you.
“If you’re younger, healthier, you got last year’s vaccine and you’ve got a major gathering coming up in the holidays, then it’s not unreasonable to wait a little bit, wait till October perhaps,” Berry said. “You’ve just got to know that you don’t have a lot of protection on board because of how the virus has mutated, so you want to plan accordingly. If you’re in your close indoor gatherings between now and when you get your updated vaccine, paying particular attention to masking in those spaces is going to be important.”
The Bridge Access Program, which once provided uninsured adults with access to coronavirus vaccines, is no longer actively funded, Berry said.
“None of us want to live in a constant state of emergency,” Berry said. “But there were a few programs that were nice during the emergency, making people have access to the vaccines, making sure people had access to treatment. All of those funding mechanisms have gone away. Unfortunately, that has left vulnerable folks in our society more vulnerable again. If you are uninsured, that means you are likely to have to pay out of pocket.
“I wish we would learn from the good parts of what we learned during the pandemic and apply that to making sure that all of our citizens had access to basic necessary medical care, but unfortunately that does not appear to be the way that it has gone. ”
Berry added that the state Department of Health pays for vaccines for all children, although there may be a small administrative fee.
Tests can be found for free at the Jefferson County Health Department, at south county fire departments, or at libraries and bookmobiles, Berry said. The tests are being paid for by the public health department. Berry said that funds for purchasing these tests will not last, but the tests are here for the present surge.
“I have heard that the federal government is starting to bring back free tests, and we actually still have them at the health department,” Berry said. “What I do encourage folks is, if you do have the funds, buy them at a local pharmacy, I buy mine at a pharmacy so that those free tests can go to folks who don’t have as much money.”
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Reporter Elijah Sussman can be reached by email at elijah.sussman@sequimgazette.com.
