Despite Vaccine Delays, King County Sees Coronavirus Progress

SEATTLE — A nationwide delay in coronavirus vaccine shipments prompted a weekend closure of mass vaccination sites in King County, but health officials Friday reported more progress in knocking down case counts and gains in overall immunization efforts.

Dr. Jeff Duchin, King County's health officer, hosted his weekly coronavirus briefing Friday afternoon, leading off the discussion with some positive news.

"The trend of cases has been decreasing in the past month, which is very gratifying, and it represents a transition from CDC's high-risk to their substantial risk category," Duchin said.

Over the last seven days, King County's average fell to 128 cases diagnosed each day, with roughly one-third recorded among people ages 18 to 35. Duchin noted that lab-confirmed illnesses represent just a fraction of those that are likely occurring but continued declines in hospitalization and death rates help bolster evidence that overall transmission is trending in the right direction.

"It's still a tremendous relief to see these numbers continue to fall over the past several weeks," Duchin said. "We are 80 percent of the way back to where we were during September, before the fall and winter surge."

The welcome news does not come without a caveat, as health officials urge the public to stay vigilant for months to come while the more infectious B117 variant gains ground. Health experts believe the strain doubles about every 10 days and estimate it will become dominant across the United States by late March. Keeping up the fight, Duchin said, could make all the difference against a fourth wave.

"Our falling COVID numbers show that we can change the course of this epidemic when we limit our activities, wear well-made and well-fit face masks, and we take other COVID-19 precautions," Duchin said. "It's critical not to become overconfident or complacent. Although we've slowed it, there's plenty of virus out there and plenty of opportunities for it to spread."

While the B117 variant appears to spread easier, health officials recommend the same best practices to prevent infection: Proper and consistent mask use, limiting social activities, improving indoor ventilation, maintaining distance and doing as much as possible outdoors.

Related: CDC, WA Health Officials Share Tips For Effective Mask Use

"If we all hang in there for a few more months and finish strong, there's a good chance we'll be through the worst of this outbreak as more of us get vaccinated in the coming months," Duchin said.

To that end, Duchin reported positive immunization trends in the last week, despite a nationwide delay in shipments amid extreme winter weather. On Thursday, the Washington State Department of Health said it had yet to receive more than 90 percent of the weekly allotment.

"Despite delays, and despite relatively limited supply, [I'm] encouraged by the progress we have been making," Duchin said. "Over 400,000 doses have been administered to King County residents, including about 65,000 in the last week."

According to county data, 119,000 King County residents are now fully vaccinated, representing about 1 in 16 living in the state's most populous county. Duchin noted new strides in reaching the oldest, most at-risk adults, with 52 percent of those 75 and older having now received at least one dose, up from 44 percent the week before.

The county is still working to correct inequities in the vaccine rollout, with eligible recipients particularly underrepresented in Black, Hispanic and Asian communities. Disparities are also apparent by geography, with much lower rates seen in south King County — a gap the mass vaccination sites in Kent and Auburn are designed to address.

However, this week's shipment delays forced the county to reschedule appointments at both sites starting Friday afternoon and lasting through at least Monday.

One silver lining to this week's delays is a much higher number of vaccines expected next week, as late deliveries add to the more than 260,000 doses allocated for next week. Duchin said King County's providers are well-equipped to expand administration and will continue work to catch up on administering second doses, in line with the state's priorities. Until then, the availability of appointments for first doses will be limited.

Duchin said he was hopeful that increasing supplies over the next couple of weeks will help expand availability for future appointments. The county is still working to set up an easier system to connect people with vaccine appointment opportunities.

The federal government now provides states with three-week allocation forecasts, which show a gradual increase in Washington through the first week of March. In an exclusive Patch op-ed published Feb. 19, President Joe Biden highlighted a 50 percent increase in vaccine supplies to states since his inauguration and reiterated a pledge to have enough doses for 300 million Americans by late July.

Learn more about local vaccination efforts on the King County website.