Clark County reported 16 new COVID-19 cases and one death Friday, ending an eight-day stretch with the lowest average daily cases since late in August.
The death was a woman age 80 or older with an underlying condition, according to Clark County Public Health. Her death brings the total deaths from COVID-19 in Clark County 284. Deaths are added to the county’s total 10 to 12 days after they occur. Five deaths were reported this week.
The new cases include 10 that were confirmed using molecular (PCR) testing, for a total of 24,346 to date, and six that were diagnosed using antigen testing, for a total of 1,528, according to Public Health data.
Since Public Health was closed and didn’t report data on June 18 in observance of Juneteenth, the weekly average includes eight days, going back to June 17. In that period, the county averaged about 24 new cases a day, down from about 36 new cases a day last week, according to Public Health data.
It was the lowest number of new cases per day since the week ending Aug. 28.
Other indexes also reflected the decline. There were 184 active cases Friday, down from 191 on Thursday. Active cases are confirmed and probable cases still in their isolation period.
Hospitalizations also fell slightly. There were 23 people hospitalized with COVID-19 on Friday, down from 24 on Thursday, and there was only one person hospitalized awaiting test results, down from two Thursday, according to Public Health data.
Disease activity has been falling as an increasing number of Clark County residents are vaccinated against the virus that causes the disease.
As of Wednesday, 60 percent of Clark County residents age 16 or older had received at least one dose of vaccine, while 53.6 percent were fully vaccinated, according to the Washington Department of Health, which said 58.3 percent of those 12 and older in Clark County had one dose, with 51.6 percent fully vaccinated.
An analysis by the Associated Press this week found that nearly all COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. now are in people who weren’t vaccinated. Using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the news agency found that only about 150 of the more than 18,000 COVID-19 deaths in May were in fully vaccinated people. The CDC itself has not estimated what percentage of hospitalizations and deaths are in fully vaccinated people, citing limitations in the data.
Vaccination information
Data for Clark County and the state also show that COVID-19 vaccines are extremely effective at preventing COVID-19 infections as well as hospitalizations and deaths. According to county data, there were only 124 cases of COVID-19 in vaccinated people reported as of May 25, the same day the county reported a total of 24,327 COVID-19 cases, meaning that 99.49 percent of all reported cases to that date were among people who were not fully vaccinated.
Anyone age 16 or older is eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19, and anyone age 12 or older is eligible to be vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine, though a parent or legal guardian must accompany minors ages 12 to 15. Underage teens are advised to check with vaccination sites about what sort of parental consent might be needed.
Vaccinations are available without an appointment in Clark County, including at the Tower Mall vaccination site, 5403 E. Mill Plain Blvd. in Vancouver, though it will close Wednesday.
More information about opportunities for vaccination is available on Clark County Public Health’s COVID-19 vaccine information website. Appointments at a number of locations throughout Clark County can be scheduled through the Washington Department of Health Vaccine Locator. Those who do not have internet access or need help scheduling an appointment can call Public Health from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at 888-225-4625. Call center representatives can assist with scheduling. Language assistance is available.
