New cases in counties cross the 100 per 100,000 threshold
At the reflector
The number of recent COVID-19 cases in Clark County continues to rise as some area health officials say they will require employees to be vaccinated.
During its weekly update on Aug. 5, Clark County Public Health reported that the county’s total number of recent COVID-19 infections in the past 14 days was about 120.8 per 100,000 residents, up from 74.5 cases per 100,000 the previous one Week.
Between July 29 and August 5, 604 new cases were reported in Clark County. Of these, 477 were confirmed COVID-19 cases and 127 probable cases, which are cases based on antigen testing.
The Washington Department of Health announced it added 6,000 new cases nationwide to its list on Aug. 3, following a July 30 backlog.
The new cases bring the county’s number to 25,728 since the outbreak began. As of August 5, there were 653 active COVID-19 cases in Clark County that are still in isolation.
Two new confirmed deaths and one suspected death from COVID-19 were recorded in the previous week. A woman over 80 and a man over 70 with existing health problems died. The alleged death was a man over 80 with unknown health.
With the reported deaths, the total number of deaths in the county now stands at 296, including 263 confirmed and 33 suspect.
In the latest report from Clark County Public Health, 3.2 people per 100,000 were hospitalized with COVID-19 in the past seven days, compared to 3.2 per 100,000 on July 29.
Local health workers must be vaccinated
Some local health organizations are now requiring their employees to be vaccinated.
On August 6, both the Vancouver Clinic and PeaceHealth and their Vancouver medical center announced the need for vaccines for their employees. Hospital officials note that the delta variant of COVID-19 has made its way through the state and is now making up a significant number of cases.
“The Delta variant put our patients, doctors, employees and families at increased risk,” said Alfred Seekamp, chief medical officer of the Vancouver Clinic, in a press release. “We know that vaccinations and masks are the best protection against the Delta variant. As a (health) organization owned and run by doctors, we have a key responsibility to protect our patients, our families and each other. “
The Vancouver Clinic has already vaccinated 80 percent of its employees, the statement said. Those who have not yet been vaccinated have until September 15 to do so as it is “a condition of employment,” the statement said.
“We value each of our employees and this decision has been carefully considered,” Seekamp said in the press release. “We believe this is the right thing to do for the health and safety of our employees, our patients and our community.”
PeaceHealth’s deadline for vaccinations is August 31, although employees can continue to work without them if they undergo regular checkups, according to a statement from the provider.
At the end of the month, those who refuse the vaccine who work for the medical group will undergo “regular COVID-19 testing, as well as additional masking, potential reallocation to non-patient care facilities, and other safety protocols,” explains the release.
PeaceHealth’s chief medical officer Doug Koekkoek said his group had vaccination rates similar to the Vancouver Clinic’s 80 percent.
“We believe that all healthcare workers who are medically capable should receive a COVID-19 vaccine to protect themselves, our patients and our communities,” Koekkoek said in the press release. “Doing this is part of our (m) mission to promote personal and community health and (v) our mission to ensure that each person receives safe, compassionate care.”
PeaceHealth noted that its decision was supported by a number of organizations including the Catholic Health Association, the American Hospital Association, the American Medical Association, the American Nurses Association, and others.
“New variants of COVID-19 pose a critical threat to those who cannot be vaccinated, including children and the medically vulnerable,” said Bob Pelz, medical director for infection prevention at PeaceHealth, in the press release. “It is our moral obligation not to cause any harm first and to act for the common good. COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to be the best way to protect ourselves and reduce the chance of harming others. “