Snohomish County runs the risk of being one of the next counties to return to Phase 2 of reopening when the state re-evaluates the COVID-19 data on May 3rd.
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To remain in Phase 3, large provinces must have 200 or fewer new cases per 100,000 inhabitants during two weeks and five or fewer hospitalizations per 100,000 inhabitants during the past week. As of Tuesday, Snohomish County has now closed one of the thresholds and sits at 205 new cases per 100,000.
For new business, the country has doubled its numbers in less than a month, having increased by more than 250% since the March low of 85 new cases per 100,000. The 950 cases the country saw for the week of April 4 were also the highest total week Snohomish County has seen since the onset of the fall and winter waves last November.
Although it currently meets hospitalizations, the province is approaching the limit of 4.6 per 100,000 inhabitants for the week ending April 10, and dr. Chris Spitters, health official in Snohomish County, said Tuesday that he believes the region is likely to exceed or approach the five standards for hospitalization by May 3rd.
“This puts us on the threshold and is in danger of moving back to phase 2,” said Dr. Spitters warned. “Nonetheless, these trends may not land us in Phase 1 again long after.”
What causes the recent push, according to dr. Spitters that an increase in unmasked large gatherings among members of the community is likely to be blamed.
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“A quick scan of social media feeds is a good quality indicator,” he described. “There are just too many people who gather with friends or family members who are not fully vaccinated, do not wear masks and do not keep their distance.”
Snohomish County Health posted on Facebook on Tuesday: ‘There have been many COVID outbreaks among youth sports teams. These outbreaks endanger the Snohomish community and the province is in danger of returning. ‘
Despite that, Spitters has indicated that it may not be too late for Snohomish County to turn things around before May 3rd.
He recommends that residents continue to hide and avoid meeting with others outside your household in large groups of unvaccinated people.
“If we start this approach right away and do all of these things well, I think we have a fair chance of avoiding the stricter restrictions,” he said. ‘Returning a phase is difficult for many, but that’s where we’re heading for the next few weeks if these numbers do not turn. This has happened before and it will happen again if we do not change course. ”