The following is a summary of the presentation made by Dr. Tom Locke, our local Public Health Officer and Willie Bence, Director, DEM, Jefferson County, during the Public Health briefings at this week’s Board of County Commissioners meeting. The summary was provided by and used with the permission of Jefferson County Government.
County Health Officer Dr. Tom Locke reported that the Jefferson County COVID-19 infection rate has seen a drop in positive cases, with 11 in the past 2 weeks. There have not been any Gamma or Delta variants reported in Jefferson County. For those 12 and older, 73.3% of the eligible County population have received one dose of the vaccine, while 70.1% have been fully immunized. Jefferson is bested only by San Juan and King counties.
Dr.Locke said that cold viruses are beginning to circulate in Jefferson County and that wearing a mask if you are sick is “incredibly effective for source control.” It protects others from you. Consider wearing one.
Director of Emergency Management Willie Bence told Commissioners that a special pop-up vaccination clinic will be held for veterans during the Veteran Stand Down event at the Elks Club in Port Townsend, July 26 from 10am to 2pm. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be available. No other pop-ups are being scheduled at this time, although DEM stands ready to activate if events warrant. Vaccines continue to be provided through local pharmacies and Jefferson Healthcare’s Express Clinic. Emergency Management’s COVID-19 Call Center will continue to operate. For information, call 360-344-9791.
Next week’s Monday, July 12 BOCC meeting will be held in-person at the Courthouse in the Commissioners’ Chambers beginning at 9am. If you plan to attend, please leave plenty of time to check in at the basement entrance. Be prepared to show your vaccination card, sign an attestation, or wear a mask if you are not fully vaccinated. The meeting also will be live-streamed through the county website at www.co.jefferson.wa.us, with links to Zoom or phone. The Chambers has a 49-person occupancy limit. This is the first live BOCC meeting in the courthouse since the beginning of the pandemic.
