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By Kathi O Shea May 12, 2021 9:58 am
KGMI Dave Walker
BELLINGHAM, Wash. Whatcom County’s COVID-19 infection and hospitalization rates remain above the state’s metrics for remaining in Phase 3 of the re-opening plan.
Health Department Director Erika Lautenbach told a Tuesday news conference that younger people are being hospitalized.
She said the median age in our region of those hospitalized for COVID-19 went from 67 years old in January to 52, a drop of 15 years.
PeaceHealth St. Joseph Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sudhakar Karlapudi says that all COVID patients they’ve admitted so far have not been vaccinated.
He said the vaccine essentially prevents people from getting the severe form of the disease, and he thinks that has been manifested in Whatcom County based on their experience with the fourth wave and the vaccination status of patients admitted with COVID.
Who s getting vaccinated in Whatcom County? New data shows these racial and age differences
The Bellingham Herald 4/29/2021 David Rasbach, The Bellingham Herald (Bellingham, Wash.)
Apr. 29 Whatcom County residents who identify as Hispanic are being vaccinated for COVID-19 at a rate about half the rest of the county, according to data released by the Washington State Department of Health. Hispanics are underrepresented in the vaccinated population in nearly all counties, compared to their percent of the county s population, according to the COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage by Race and Ethnicity in Washington State Counties report released last week.
The report, which included data through Aug. 21, went on to state that the gap varies by county, and showed in Whatcom County that the rate was nearly half that of most other races, which is close to what the rest of the state is seeing.
By Kathi O Shea April 27, 2021 6:34 am
Dave Walker
BELLINGHAM, Wash. A local health official has been honored for her leadership skills and willingness to jump into the fray during the pandemic.
The Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce recognized Whatcom County Health Department Director Erika Lautenbach, who began her role as director just as the pandemic began.
As part of the Chamber’s “Toast of the Town” series, Lautenbach was honored for her “willingness to jump into the midst of chaos.”
The Chamber also recognized Lautenbach for her leadership skills as she served as a point person for the county’s COVID-19 response and the local connection to regional and national efforts.
Covid Battle Pivots to New Tactics to Get Shots to All Americans Bloomberg 2 hrs ago Angelica LaVito and Drew Armstrong
(Bloomberg) Having made its way through those who lined up eagerly to get vaccinated for Covid-19, the campaign to inoculate every American is now slowing down with surplus supply and open appointments appearing in pockets nationwide.
While 3 million shots a day are being administered, that’s down from a peak of 3.4 million. And only 75% of about 28 million doses being shipped out weekly will be used at the current pace. All of this suggests the vaccine effort is evolving, from the megasites that inoculated thousands a day toward a slower grind designed to reach the half of Americans who haven’t yet received a dose.