A Jefferson County man reported dead from the COVID-19 virus on Thursday illustrates the need for booster shots, according to the North Olympic Peninsula’s health officer.
The man, who was in his 70s, had underlying health conditions and was vaccinated but had not received a booster shot, according to Dr. Allison Berry, health officer for Clallam and Jefferson counties.
“Unfortunately, his passing is a stark reminder that people, especially older people and people in a high-risk category, really need to get that booster,” Berry said.
The man was one of two Jefferson County residents who had been in an intensive care unit (ICU) because of COVID-19. As of Thursday, three Jefferson County residents were reported as hospitalized. One was at Jefferson Healthcare in Port Townsend in the ICU. The other two were in hospitals outside the county.
The death reported Thursday brings the number of fatalities ascribed to the virus in Jefferson County since the pandemic began to 28.
Clallam County reported no new deaths on Thursday. The county’s death toll due to the virus since the pandemic began remained at 102.
Seven Clallam County residents were reported as hospitalized with COVID-19 on Thursday. Six of the seven were in an ICU, three at Olympic Medical Center (OMC) in Port Angeles and three more in hospitals outside the county. One was in standard care at OMC.
The state Department of Health, which has updated its website https://doh.wa.gov/emergencies/ covid-19/data-dashboard to include booster data, breaks down by county, gender, age and race the numbers who have received booster shots of vaccine and those who are eligible for a booster.
According to the state dashboard, 69 percent of Clallam County residents are fully vaccinated — meaning they have had all three vaccine shots — and 76 percent of Jefferson County residents are fully vaccinated.
As of Feb. 28, more than 2. 6 million Washington residents had received booster doses. State health authorities encourage everyone over 12 to get booster shots, especially those who are immunocompromised.
“COVID-19 vaccines offer powerful protection against severe illness, hospitalization and death, and booster shots extend that protection,” said Dr. Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett, chief science officer for the state Department of Health.
Both counties added just six new COVID cases on Thursday. Clallam County’s cases since the pandemic began rose from the 10,781 reported on Wednesday to 10, 787 on Thursday. Jefferson County’s cases since the pandemic began increased from the 3,082 reported Wednesday to 3,088 on Thursday.
Clallam County’s case rate dropped to 341 per 100,000 population on Thursday, Jefferson County’s case rate, reported weekly, will be updated later today, but currently sits at 525 per 100,000.
Case rates are the reflection of cases reported over a two-week period. They are computed using a formula based on 100,000 population for counties that do not have 100,000 people living in them.
Jefferson County on Thursday reported 72 people in isolation with active cases.
Clallam County does not report that metric but does report a daily average over a two-week period.
On its COVID-19 dashboard, Clallam County said on Thursday that the average daily number of cases from Feb. 15 to Feb. 28 was 19, down from 22 reported on Wednesday.
Berry expects the case rates to drop to the level of 200 cases per 100,000 population by March 11 — next Friday. That is the date that has been set for lifting the proof-of-vaccination mandate for those who want to eat and drink indoors in restaurants and bars.
“It is very likely we are going to reach that threshold (in case rates) next week,” Berry said.
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Reporter Ken Park can be reached at kpark@peninsuladailynews.com.
