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County Public Health Report ~ 1/03

The following is a summary of the presentation during the Public Health briefings at this week’s Board of County Commissioners meeting made by Jefferson and Clallam County Public Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry. Also Willie Bence, Director, Director of Emergency Management, gave a report. The summary below was provided by and used with the permission of Jefferson County Government.

During the public health update this morning at the BOCC meeting, County Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry said COVID-19 has been rising dramatically though the nation and in the region. In Jefferson County, there is a significant rise in cases. Our current case rate is 416 per 100,000. As of today, we have 1,589 diagnosed cases. Dr Berry said it is reasonable to assume that if you are diagnosed with COVID-19 in Jefferson, it is most likely Omicron. That is the majority variant in our region now. “What we know about the Omicron variant is that it is incredibly infectious,” Dr. Berry said. “It’s very, very transmissible and is a little bit less severe than the Delta variant but not as mild as many people are making it out to be.” She explained that Omicron is 20% less severe than the Delta variant, and the Delta variant was 50% more severe than the original COVID-19 virus. If you are unvaccinated, the Omicron variant is actually more severe than the original COVID-19 virus. “It is not the cold, it is not the flu,” she said. Dr. Berry said for those who are vaccinated, Omicron has a low rate of severe disease. But if you are unvaccinated, it can still be incredibly severe and can lead to hospitalization and death given how how transmissible it is. She said we are very likely to see our hospital system being overwhelmed again. Jefferson Healthcare CEO Mike Glen, along with Tracie Harris, MD and Tina Toner MD, told Commissioners that the hospital is experiencing staff vulnerabilities. And moving patients from one hospital to the other has been critically impaired. The emergency department has increased patient load from 200 to 250 last month. And the Express Clinic normally sees 150 patients; currently it’s 225.

Submit your Public Health questions to Dr. Allison Berry and Willie Bence by emailing contactus@kptz.org. Note: The weekly deadline for these to be submitted is on Fridays at noon, to be answered at the following Monday’s BOCC meeting.

Give Love ~ Give Hope ~ Give Jefferson!

KPTZ joins United Good Neighbors to proudly support the nonprofits, staff, and volunteers dedicated to providing basic human needs for the residents of Jefferson County. In 2021, as many COVID-19 response programs and safeguards are ending, our community faces new challenges. UGN’s annual Give Jefferson campaign ensures that food, shelter, healthcare, and education are made available to folks you interact with everyday. To all who are weathering uncertainty and recovering from crisis, Give Jefferson offers hope and the reassurance that we are not alone. Now, more than ever, friends and neighbors need everyone’s generosity in support of UGN’s steadfast network of 32 local nonprofit partners, as are contributions to Jefferson Community Foundation.

Brewocracy Now with John Mauro ~ 12/30

Today on Brewocracy Now, guest host Taylor Clark and City Manager John Mauro discussed the following topics: The City’s response to recent snowy road conditions; the completion of the Mill Agreement and what it means to upgrades to the water system; and upcoming projects and opportunities for community participation in 2022.

Email your questions in advance to JMauro@cityofpt.us.

Nature Now #547
Carla Stehr

(Reprise airdate: December 29, 2021) Can Art and Science inspire each other? Nan Evans and retired fisheries biologist and fiber artist Carla Stehr explore this topic on Nature Now in this reprise from December 2019.

Nordland Store New Year’s Splash

(Airdate: December 27, 2021) This week on Attention Please! host Steve Evans sits by the gas stove in their boathouse and talks with Nordland General Store owners Tom and Sue Rose about building back from the fire that destroyed the iconic business a little more than a year ago and, most importantly, about plans (or the lack thereof) for the traditional Polar Plunge that happens each New Year’s day off of their Mystery Bay dock opposite the store.

Through Science to Health ~ 12/24/21

In this year-end edition of Through Science to Health, Dr. Joseph Mattern, Chief Medical Officer for Jefferson Health Care, joins KPTZ Host Chris Bricker for an informed discussion that helps us navigate the information overload surrounding COVID-19 and the Omicron variant. He emphasizes the Common Good when it comes to being mindful over the holidays, and gives us some optimistic encouragement as we roll responsibly through the next few months.