Pierce County sees more than 60 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday
Pierce County reported 68 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday, with four additional deaths.
The deaths involved:
▪ A Gig Harbor-area man in his 80s.
▪ A Spanaway man in his 50s.
▪ A Tacoma woman in her 70s.
▪ A Spanaway woman in her 50s.
Three of the deaths occurred between April 2020 and February 2021 and were recently discovered during the health department’s review of death certificates of Pierce County residents.
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department no longer assigns underlying condition status to individual deaths it reports and instead counts underlying conditions as part of a percentage of the total number of deaths, which as of March 30 was 77.5 percent.
The county’s totals are now 39,116 cases and 510 deaths since the first confirmed coronavirus case was reported in March 2020.
The 14-day case rate per 100,000 is 157.5, with six-day data lag, up from 129 on March 22. That data point offers the most reliable look at COVID-19 disease burden in Pierce County, according to health officials.
An estimated 3,500 cases remain active in the county.
Testing is available at various places. More information on testing is available on the health department’s website.
GEOGRAPHIC TOTALS
Tuesday’s cumulative geographic totals with previous day’s totals in parentheses:
▪ Bonney Lake: 1,055 (1,054)
▪ Central Pierce County: 1,793 (1,791)
▪ East Pierce County: 1,763 (1,759)
▪ Edgewood/Fife/Milton: 1,572 (1,569)
▪ Frederickson: 1,416 (1,414)
▪ Gig Harbor area: 1,226 (1,224)
▪ Graham: 1,309 (1,306)
▪ JBLM: No longer reported
▪ Key Peninsula: 359 (no change)
▪ Lake Tapps/Sumner area: 1,434 (1,431)
▪ Lakewood: 3,211 (3,208)
▪ Parkland: 1,937 (1,934)
▪ Puyallup: 2,253 (2,246)
▪ South Hill: 2,206 (2,197)
▪ South Pierce County: 1,270 (1,269)
▪ Southwest Pierce County: 572 (570)
▪ Spanaway: 1,835 (1,833)
▪ Tacoma: 10,925 (10,912)
▪ University Place: 1,275 (1,273)
▪ Unknown: 1,705 (1,700)
VACCINES
As of March 29:
▪ About 303,264 total doses given in Pierce County, according to the state Department of Health’s dashboard.
Among county residents, 21.37 percent of the population has initiated vaccination, and 12.78 percent are fully vaccinated, according to state DOH.
More than 3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been given throughout the state, and 81.86 percent of all doses received in the state have been administered. The current seven-day average is 48,455 vaccines a day, compared to the goal of achieving 45,000 per day. About 25.74 percent of the state population has initiated vaccination, with 14.84 percent fully vaccinated.
▪ As of March 17, the state opened vaccines for those in Phase 1B Tier 2, including high-risk critical workers who work in certain congregate settings: agriculture; fishing vessel crews; food processing; grocery stores; corrections; prisons, jails or detention centers; public transit; remaining first responders. Also included: People 16 years or older who are pregnant or have a disability that puts them at high risk for severe COVID-19 illness.
▪ On March 31 distribution will open to people 16 years or older with two or more co-morbidities or underlying conditions; all people 60 years and older; people, staff and volunteers in certain congregate living settings: correctional facilities; group homes for people with disabilities; settings where people experiencing homelessness live or access services; high-risk critical workers in certain congregate settings: restaurants, food services, construction and manufacturing.
▪ On May 1, vaccine access will be open to all ages 16 and older in the state with no qualifying conditions required. President Joe Biden on March 29 announced that as of April 19, 90 percent of all adult Americans will be eligible for vaccines at sites within five miles of their home as more vaccines are rolled out.
Go to tpchd.org/vaxtothefuture for information on local sites offering vaccines. Or, go to the state’s vaccine finder: vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov.
Starting March 31, the state’s Phase Finder tool is no longer required as part of vaccine enrollment. People should still check DOH’s online prioritization guidance to see when they are eligible to get vaccinated, with the state’s expectation that you only seek an appointment if you qualify.
▪ The health department’s call center to help those eligible now for vaccines is 253-649-1412.
▪ Pierce County has launched a call center to help those searching for vaccines. Residents who qualify within the WA State Phase Finder and need assistance signing up for an event can contact the call center at 253-798-8900 or email pcvaccine@piercountywa.gov for help.
PHASE 3
All counties in the state moved to Phase 3 in the state’s reopening plan as of March 22. Counties will be re-evaluated individually every three weeks with the next metrics released April 12.
Pierce County must meet two metrics to remain in Phase 3:
▪ Fewer than 200 new cases per 100,000 over two weeks
▪ Fewer than five new hospitalizations per 100,000 over one week.
Additionally, if the statewide intensive care unit capacity reaches greater than 90 percent, all counties will revert to Phase 1.
In the new plan, the county will no longer be a part of the three-county Puget Sound Region with King and Snohomish counties.
