Editor’s Note: Read COVID Updates by VashonBePrepared in Spanish and English at tinyurl.com/yan39zeh.
Public Health: Omicron Spreading Very Fast, Extremely Infectious
In less than one month, Omicron has overtaken Delta as the dominant form of COVID in the United States. It happened in about one-third of the time it took Delta to become dominant. Some studies estimate that Omicron is more than two and possibly as much as five times more infectious compared to the already highly infectious Delta and other forms of COVID.
“This all boils down to one thing: Everyone will be safest if they assume that we are all working, playing, and gathering with people who are more than likely spreading Omicron; it’s that infectious,” said Dr. Jim Bristow, Medical Reserve Corps volunteer. “In this scenario, rapid tests taken just before gathering become an extremely valuable tool because, while not perfect, they will identify most infectious individuals who can then interrupt the chain of transmission by isolating themselves.”
The CDC estimates that nearly three-fourths of the nation’s new infections are Omicron. In our region, sampling by University of Washington researchers indicates that at least half of new infections are Omicron.
Three Really Important Things to Do: Boost, Mask, Think
Numerous studies have shown that boosters protect against Omicron, so get that booster. We have a very high vaccination rate on Vashon, but only about half the island has had the booster shot compared to well over 90% fully vaccinated. A booster raises antibody levels by 25 times for Pfizer and 37 times for Moderna. COVID vaccines don’t fully prevent the disease for everyone, but they nearly eliminate the risk of hospitalization and death from COVID. Boosters make a major improvement in your level of protection.
Note: The CDC now recommends the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines over the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. If you had the J&J vaccination, you can request a booster using Pfizer or Moderna.
Another thing that works for sure is to keep the virus out of your nose, airway, and lungs. That’s why a good mask can protect you. Your best choice is an N95, NIOSH-approved mask. NIOSH stands for National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, a division of the CDC. You can get a complete list of NIOSH-approved N95 masks at bit.ly/CDC-N95s.
Being COVID-safe starts in your brain. Think about where you are and who you are around. None of us wants to become a hermit again. But you can think carefully about how to avoid exposing yourself to someone who has COVID. They may not even know they have it. Avoid indoor crowds where there could be unvaccinated people, especially if they are not wearing masks.
Rapid antigen tests will be an increasingly important tool in controlling the spread of Omicron. Consider having a test party right before a gathering or holiday feast. Rapid antigen tests aren’t as consistently accurate as PCR tests, but they can tell you if someone is shedding virus and thus could spread the disease. Again, be sure to wear a high-quality mask if you are going into a situation where you might be exposed.
Mass Booster Vaccination Site Reopens Soon
The island’s mass booster vaccination site reopens on Jan. 4. Vashon Pharmacy operates the site with volunteer support from the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), and Community Emergency Operations Team (CERT). The site can provide as many as 180 booster shots per day and will be open at the Methodist Church on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. However, you can’t just walk up and get a shot. You must make an appointment and you can do that at VashonPharmacy.com/COVID.
You can also get booster shots at your healthcare provider. Both Sea Mar clinic and Vashon Natural Medicine offer boosters — call ahead to find out their schedules and how to get the shot. You can also get boosters on the mainland at major medical providers, multiple drug store chains, and the City of Seattle vaccination sites.
No New Cases Reported at High School
There have been no new Vashon High School COVID cases reported by the School District since two mass testing events were conducted during the last week of school before winter break. The final testing event on Dec. 15 detected no new positive cases. There have been several new cases among teenagers since then but none traced directly back to the original outbreak. A total of 10 high school students and three community members were linked to the outbreak by contact tracing, including eight members of the high school wrestling team.
Latest Vashon COVID Statistics
Source: Public Health — Seattle & King County (PHSKC) and Vashon EOC. Note that these statistics do not include all recent Vashon cases due to the lag in posting data to the PHSKC COVID dashboard.
271 = Total COVID cases for Vashon residents since the pandemic began.
10 = New cases since the last weekly report (19 new cases in 14 days).
8 = Patients hospitalized since the pandemic began.
4 = Deaths since the pandemic began.
92.7% of Vashon residents age 12 and above have been fully vaccinated (compared to 85.7% of the total King County 12+ population. 55.1% percentage of fully vaccinated islanders aged 12+ who also have their booster doses. (Boosters have not yet been approved for 12- through 15-year olds.) 59.8% of islanders 5 to 11-year olds have had first doses of vaccine.
For King County, the PHSKC dashboard says unvaccinated people are six times more likely to get COVID, 40 times more likely to be hospitalized for COVID and 44 times more likely to die of COVID.
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