More than 100 new cases of COVID-19 reported Thursday in Pierce County
Pierce County reported 120 new COVID-19 cases Thursday, with two additional deaths.
The latest deaths involved:
▪ An East Pierce County man in his 80s.
▪ A Central Pierce County woman in her 90s.
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 39,382 cases and 513 deaths since the first confirmed coronavirus case was reported in March 2020.
The 14-day case rate per 100,000 is 156.2, 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 3,600 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
Thursday’s cumulative geographic totals with previous day’s totals in parentheses:
▪ Bonney Lake: 1,070 (1,067)
▪ Central Pierce County: 1,797 (1,796)
▪ East Pierce County: 1,787 (1,777)
▪ Edgewood/Fife/Milton: 1,584 (1,577)
▪ Frederickson: 1,431 (1,427)
▪ Gig Harbor area: 1,235 (1,232)
▪ Graham: 1,318 (1,315)
▪ JBLM: No longer reported
▪ Key Peninsula: 363 (361)
▪ Lake Tapps/Sumner area: 1,464 (1,456)
▪ Lakewood: 3,225 (3,220)
▪ Parkland: 1,943 (1,938)
▪ Puyallup: 2,269 (2,260)
▪ South Hill: 2,227 (2,217)
▪ South Pierce County: 1,278 (1,274)
▪ Southwest Pierce County: 576 (572)
▪ Spanaway: 1,845 (1,841)
▪ Tacoma: 10,966 (10,944)
▪ University Place: 1,278 (1,276)
▪ Unknown: 1,726 (1,724)
VACCINES
As of April 1:
▪ About 349,460 total doses given in Pierce County, according to the health department’s data dashboard.
Among county residents, 22.57 percent of the population has initiated vaccination, and 14.01 percent are fully vaccinated, according to state DOH.
More than 3.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been given throughout the state, and 83.02 percent of all doses received in the state have been administered. The current seven-day average is 55,894 vaccines a day, compared to the goal of achieving 45,000 per day. About 27.9 percent of the state population has initiated vaccination, with 16.9 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 opened to Phase 1B, Tiers 3-4, including 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 April 15, 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.
