photo courtesy of CDC
(OLYMPIA) The number of Washington counties now on HIGH alert for COVID cases has nearly tripled since last week.
Just before the holiday weekend began, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listed six Washington counties as red…or HIGH…when it comes to COVID numbers. This morning, 15 counties get that designation, including Pierce, Thurston, and Lewis. Most of Oregon is now classified as “high Alert” as well.
Under this designation, residents are strongly encouraged to wear a face covering in any indoor location.
Medical experts conceded they have no idea exactly how many COVID cases are out there due to the fact most “positives” are revealed by home tests these days, and the state doesn’t have access to this information. Doctor Peter Graven at Oregon Health and Science University believes the number of positives is just as high as last summer at this time, when the only testing was being performed in doctor’s offices and health departments.
Unmasked gatherings over the July 4th holiday weekend will likely continue the current wave of infections into August.
