11/25: Wednesday Briefing

By rebecca No comments

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STATE

  • Reports are surfacing about a draft for updated recommendations by health officials for when schools and districts could consider resuming full-time or hybrid in-person learning on school campuses.
    • Any new recommendations have not been adopted by the governor, nor published by the health department for statewide adoption.
    • At this time, the Washington State Department of Health continues to advise school districts to stick with remote learning if counties have had more than 75 coronavirus cases per every 100,000 people over two weeks.
  • The state health department confirmed a new record of 3,482 new Covid-19 cases yesterday.
    • The previous high count for new daily cases was 2,600 set on November 17th.
  • The state Health Department of Health issued an alert regarding the rising rate of hospital occupancy due to COVID-19
    • In response, the online state risk assessment dashboard will show hospital ICU bed occupancy, increased 75% since the first of the month, and what percentage of those beds are taken by COVID-19 patients
    • The dashboard will also show the number and percent of occupied adult hospital beds; the number and percent of all beds occupied by COVID-19 patients.
    • The report warns that hospital systems statewide may be forced to delay non-urgent cases, and that patients of all kinds could face delays in treatment.
  • On Tuesday, the Governor said his latest restrictions could be extended beyond Dec 14th for weeks if the current trajectory doesn’t change.
    • If the current infection and hospitalization patterns continue, there could be close to 2000 people hospitalized for COVID-19 within a month.
    • Nearly all elected officials, healthcare workers, and health department officials, including the CDC, urge everyone to celebrate Thanksgiving only with members of one’s household, and not to travel.

REGIONAL

  • The Tacoma Pierce County Health Department reported 284 new COVID 19 cases today.
    • The County’s 14-day case rate per 100,000 people has increased from 322 at the end of last week to 384 today.
    • For reference, the figure is recommended to be at 75 per 100,000 to consider bringing back youngest students for hybrid in-person learning at schools.
    • The department notes that as more people are seeking testing at Pierce County’s mobile sites, there have been delays in processing and reporting
    • Today’s figures include catch-up numbers from up to 3 days ago, and is likely an undercount.

TACOMA

  • The City of Tacoma‘s Administrative offices will be closed Thursday and Friday, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
  • The Tacoma Recovery and Transfer Center (3510 S. Mullen St.) will close on Thursday, and garbage, recycling and yard waste will not be collected on Thursday, November 26th.
    • Customers whose garbage, recycling and yard waste are normally picked up on Thursdays or Fridays can expect pick-up one day later this week.

TESTING SITES

  • There are numerous free COVID-19 testing sites in our region:
    • For King County locations visit KingCounty.gov.
    • A new site has been established at Highline College in Des Moines.
    • For Pierce County locations, visit TPCHD.org/covidtest.
  • The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department won’t be holding any mobile testing events on Thursday or Friday this week. All residents are urged to stay home and spend Thanksgiving only with members of your household.
    • On Saturday, November 28th, the health dept mobile testing units will be up and running at Key Peninsula Longbranch Improvement Club, Journey Church on Pearl St. in Tacoma, and at the Tacoma Dome.
    • And on Sunday, November 29th, testing will be held at 3 locations: the Narrows Sixth Avenue Park and Ride, Gig Harbor High School, and Key Peninsula Middle School
    • No ID is required and tests are free and open to anyone
    • results are available in 3-5 days
    • Testing runs 10am-3pm.