Pierce County reports more than 200 new COVID-19 cases on Friday
Pierce County reported 218 new COVID-19 cases Friday with no new deaths.
The county’s totals are now 45,624 cases and 535 deaths since the first confirmed coronavirus case was reported in March 2020.
On May 4, Gov. Jay Inslee announced a pause in taking action based on the state’s Roadmap to Recovery metrics after a plateau of cases was observed in the state’s overall numbers over the weekend. All counties will remain in their current phase, which, for Pierce, means Phase 2. Pierce was one of three counties rolled back in April.
Ferry County also voluntarily rolled itself back to Phase 2 based on its case rate.
The 14-day case rate per 100,000 for Pierce County was 372 as of May 5 with an eight-day reporting delay, according to the state’s Roadmap to Recovery metric. Phase 2 allows for 200-350 cases per 100,000.
New hospitalizations per 100,000 over seven days also need to stay between 5-10 in Phase 2. Pierce County was at 11.1 as of May 5.
The next evaluation comes May 18. Counties must stay within at least one metric to retain a phase. If a county fails both, it slides back one phase. Counties that meet both metrics of a higher level phase can advance one phase.
Testing is available at various places. Local libraries in Tacoma and Pierce County also offer test kits available for curbside pickup. More information on testing is available on the health department’s website.
GEOGRAPHIC TOTALS
Friday’s cumulative geographic totals with previous day’s reported totals in parentheses:
▪ Bonney Lake: 1,306 (1,297)
▪ Central Pierce County: 2,058 (2,049)
▪ East Pierce County: 2,149 (2,129)
▪ Edgewood/Fife/Milton: 1,840 (1,829)
▪ Frederickson: 1,698 (1,684)
▪ Gig Harbor area: 1,428 (1,423)
▪ Graham: 1,516 (1,507)
▪ JBLM: No longer reported
▪ Key Peninsula: 410 (no change)
▪ Lake Tapps/Sumner area: 1,747 (1,740)
▪ Lakewood: 3,672 (3,662)
▪ Parkland: 2,195 (2,187)
▪ Puyallup: 2,594 (2,582)
▪ South Hill: 2,621 (2,610)
▪ South Pierce County: 1,483 (1,475)
▪ Southwest Pierce County: 653 (646)
▪ Spanaway: 2,150 (2,132)
▪ Tacoma: 12,394 (12,342)
▪ University Place: 1,462 (1,456)
▪ Unknown: 2,248 (2,247)
VACCINES
As of May 3:
▪ About 563,395 total doses given to Pierce County residents, according to the health department. More than 5.64 million have been administered statewide.
In the county, 34.88 percent of the total population has initiated vaccination, and 25.34 percent are fully vaccinated, compared with 43.99 percent in the state initiating vaccines, and 31.60 percent fully vaccinated, according to state DOH.
You can view vaccine participation by census tract on the health department’s website.
Go to tpchd.org/vaxtothefuture or the county’s FindYourCovidShot.com website for information on local sites offering vaccines and for vaccine registration. As of April 30, walk-up vaccine sites in the county run by the county and TPCHD no longer require an appointment. Those younger than 18 still need parent or guardian approval. Locations of individual vaccine sites also can be found on the state’s vaccine finder: vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov.
▪ The health department’s call center to help those seeking vaccines is 253-649-1412.
▪ Pierce County also has a call center to help those searching for vaccines. Residents who need assistance signing up for an event can contact the call center at 253-798-8900 or email pcvaccine@piercountywa.gov for help.
