COVID is still in the San Juans, in all its iterations

||| FROM KYRA JAHANFAR for COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT |||

Since the update last Friday May 20, there have been 61 new confirmed or probable cases in San Juan County. Current case count is now 1640. The following represents active confirmed or probable cases reported across the islands.

• LOPEZ ISLAND: There are 2 active cases.
• ORCAS ISLAND: There are 20 active cases.
• SAN JUAN ISLAND: There are 34 active cases.

Note that these numbers do not include suspect cases (e.g., positive over-the-counter tests). Even though suspect cases are not reportable by State guidelines, they do provide a more complete picture of infection rates in our County. There are almost as many suspect cases that we know about this week as confirmed or probable cases.

We are continuing to work several outbreaks in the County.

Even though case counts decreased slightly this week, please remain cautious when thinking about interacting with anyone outside your household. We urge you to continue using the best practices outlined below to limit your personal risk and prevent community spread.

Please consider the following:

• Boosters for children 5-11 have been approved and H&CS is providing clinics to serve this population. Please go to our website to register your child for their booster dose. For more information about this latest eligibility group please see our press release from earlier this week here.
• If you are sick, stay home and test yourself for COVID. Test kits come with two tests for a reason. If the first test is negative, please use the second test at least 24 hours later to accurately determine your status. You may use the following resources if you are symptomatic, test positive, or are a close contact of a positive individual: 1) COVID-19 Symptom Decision Tree and/or 2) What to Do If You Test Positive.
• Those who are high-risk or who are interacting closely with others who are high-risk, should continue to be thoughtful and work to minimize exposure. Minimizing exposure includes wearing masks, limiting gatherings, and testing prior to gatherings.
• It is NEVER too late to vaccinate. COVID vaccines dramatically reduce the risk of hospitalization and death if infected. Booster shots significantly reduce risks even further. Additional appointments at County mass vaccination sites have been opened for the week of June 6. For information on COVID vaccine appointments visit sjccovid.com.
• Individuals that are high-risk and test positive for COVID are encouraged to contact their medical home or Primary Care Provider (PCP) regarding treatment options. Preventative therapies are also available before you get infected.
• Know Your Status! You can still order free COVID test kits through the Washington State Department of Health at the Yes to Test website HERE. Currently, you may place an order for two test kits once a month (this is subject to change). You may also order free test kits through the Federal government HERE.

Those who wish to keep up with case numbers may do so at the SJC COVID Data Dashboard. We will continue written updates as necessary to share critical information.