||| FROM KYRA KINNAMAN for SAN JUAN COUNTY HEALTH & COMMUNITY SERVICES |||
Note: Current positive case numbers are available online at the County Case Data Dashboard.
Since the last update on Friday August 13, total cases in San Juan County have increased from 237 to 264. Of these 27 new cases, initial investigations indicate that at least seven appear to have occurred in fully vaccinated individuals — a number that is not at all surprising given the overall high rate of vaccination in San Juan County.
There are approximately 27 unvaccinated close contacts of positive cases who are currently in two-week quarantine. Note that vaccinated close contacts do NOT need to quarantine and this number would be far higher if not for the relatively high vaccination rate in San Juan County.
The transmission sources for these new cases vary widely. More than half of these new cases were previously identified as close contacts of previous positive cases.
Note that an unvaccinated individual included in last week’s report has been hospitalized on the mainland. This is the first DOH reported COVID hospitalization for a San Juan County resident since April.
- LOPEZ ISLAND: There are no new cases on Lopez Island since the last update. There are no positive cases under active monitoring on Lopez Island.
- ORCAS ISLAND: There are fourteen new cases on Orcas Island since the last update. There are fifteen positive cases under active monitoring on Orcas Island.
- SAN JUAN ISLAND: There are thirteen new cases on San Juan Island since the last update. There are thirteen positive cases under active monitoring on San Juan Island.
- SHAW ISLAND: There are no new cases on Shaw Island since the last update. There is one positive case under active monitoring on Shaw Island.
KEY POINTS:
- San Juan County will be offering free walk-up COVID vaccine clinics on San Juan (8/24), Orcas (8/25), and Lopez (8/26). For full details go to: www.sanjuanco.com/1737/COVID-Vaccine-Info
- Immunocompromised individuals interested in discussing need for a third dose of vaccine should review their situation with their primary healthcare provider – who will then arrange for the delivery of vaccine if appropriate.
- As per recent Federal guidance, San Juan County is working with local healthcare providers and pharmacies to discuss plans to supply booster shots for later in fall. Once finalized, those plans will be well publicized and widely shared with island communities.
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Why do those close contacts who are vaccinated not need to quarantine? Vaccinated peopke are getting it and transmitting it. What happened to follow the science?
Good question Darlene.
Indeed, Darlene, Micheal, take a look at these real world statistics on the Vaccine:: https://www.openvaers.com/
Bless us all, everyone.
Spirit Eagle
Yesterday’s report showed 13 active cases on both Orcas and San Juan Islands. That’s the highest I’ve ever seen, but I may have missed an even higher report
It is incumbent on County health officials (Dr. James) to quarantine vaccinated individuals exposed to Delta variant cases. As evidence grows, vaccinated individuals carrying the Delta variant are increasingly likely to transmit the virus to those vaccinated and unvaccinated. To not quarantine the vaccinated is naive and will result in increased numbers of cases in our county and across the nation. Once again, profiteers, politicians and bureaucrats desiring to cement power positions stand before the welfare of the people.
TrialSite News Explains:
“There are different kinds of immunity. The current crop of vaccines are designed to foster “Internal Immunity,” declares Dr. Segal, which is protection “inside of the body, including the lungs.” Thus, most vaccinated people avoid hospital as the vaccines are protecting them from “being overwhelmed by the coronavirus,” declares Segal. That is why the health authorities are now making this next big vaccination push, as a way to reduce the stresses and strains on the health care systems, ICUs, and the like.
But as TrialSite shared the thinking of Dr. Eric Topol, one of the most influential physicians and researchers in the country, mucosal immunity is quite different. It offers the human subject the “first line of defense by protecting the nose and mouth,” writes Segal, thus lowering the risk of transmission to others.
As it turns out, Topol, Segal, and undoubtedly many others have come to terms with the fact that the current vaccines “…are largely ineffective at stimulating the secretion of IgA into our noses that occurs after actual infection with a virus.” The result, of course, is what we are now witnessing around the world, a growing number of so-called breakthrough infections. This trend started unfolding in heavily vaccinated places such as Israel, where there has been a clear lowering of vaccine effectiveness over the past couple of months with the Delta variant’s rise.
Take home message:
Each of us needs to wear a mask when outside of our home.
This will help protect people who cannot be vaccinated, such as children, or immunocompromised people for whom vaccinations are ineffective.
Vaccinated people can “catch” the virus because it readily multiplies in the cells lining our nose and mouth.
The Delta Variant is much more aggressive here.
It binds more strongly to the “doorways” on our cell surfaces and sneaks inside.
Even when we are vaccinated this happens.
This is because the vaccines stimulate protective antibodies for only some parts of our body.
To completely protect against infection, a vaccine would need to stimulate production of a type of antibody called IgA that is produced by the cells that line our nose and mouth.
Scientists are working on solving the problem:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7914464/
Localized and Systemic Immune Responses against SARS-CoV-2 Following Mucosal Immunization
Six states break records for COVID infections – Aug 21 – Washington state, Oregon, join Louisiana, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi as states most affected by Delta variant.. Gov Inslee?
Washington state COVID-19 hospitalizations reach all-time high as delta variant surges
KOMO- TV
SEATTLE – COVID-19 is packing Washington state hospitals with patients more than it ever has.
Washington State Hospital Association CEO Cassie Sauer said there are 1,240 patients with COVID-19 hospitalized throughout the state and the hospitalizations are among patients in their 20’s and 30’s.
The highest this number has ever been was last December when there were 1,100 hospitalized.
“COVID hospitalizations are at the highest they have ever been in Washington state, which is terrible news to report,” Sauer said.
Officials with the Washington State Department of Health say the prevalence of COVID-19 has nearly quadrupled between July 8 and Aug. 6. As of Aug. 6, one in 156 Washingtonians has an active COVID-19 infection.
The blood supply is also dire, Sauer encourages you to donate blood to ensure anyone who is hospitalized has blood to survive.
Fortunately, the number of county confirmed cases seems to be stabilizing at 265, with the bulk of those on Orcas and San Juan Islands. Unless the county health department is somehow not reporting new cases on its Covid web site, this is welcome news. From my outsider’s perspective, they seem to be getting the recent outbreak(s) under control. I look forward to the weekly report, due out tomorrow (Friday).