Oregon is reporting a fourth consecutive week of surging COVID-19 cases and more people being admitted to hospitals with the illness.
Walla Walla County officials report fourteen new cases and no new deaths on Tuesday.
Walla Walla and Umatilla counties will host COVID-19 vaccine clinics this week.
Mass COVID-19 vaccination clinics in Walla Walla will be winding down, officials announced, as demand for immunization slows and regional cases remain low.
Umatilla County Public Health reported nine additional COVID-19 cases Thursday. No new or active cases were reported in Columbia County.
“As an essential worker at a vet clinic, I’ve been worried about working the counter this past year,” said Sophie Fish, 19. Fish was among many Walla Walla teens and young adults who signed up for vaccination on the first day eligibility expanded to all Washington residents 16 and older.
Almost a quarter of Washington residents have been completely vaccinated against COVID-19.
The mass vaccine clinic at the Walla Walla County Fairgrounds from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, April 14, is still planned but will instead offer the Pfizer vaccine with a pause in use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine announced in Washington.
Walla Walla County is safe, for now, from going backward into phase 2 of the state’s “Healthy Washington” pandemic recovery plan, Gov. Jay Inslee said in announcement Monday, April 12. Washington counties will be reviewed for metrics again on May 3.
The Walla Walla County Department of Community Health reported seven new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday and Monday. The county's test positivity rate for the county is at 1.2%.
Vaccine availability lower this week as COVID-19 cases stay steady in Umatilla, Walla Walla counties
Statewide and local COVID-19 death tolls were showing signs of declining this weekend, although case counts continued at their normal pace in Walla Walla and Umatilla counties. Meanwhile available vaccines will be fewer in number, agencies announced.
With an uptick in COVID-19 cases across Washington state, some counties face being moved back to Phase 2. Walla Walla and Columbia counties, however, are stable for now, public health officials said.
FEATURED EVENTS
State officials reminded people no vaccine is 100% effective and that COVID-19 safety measures continue to be important tools to mitigate the effects of the coronavirus.
Walla Walla County reported six new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday, April 7, with no new deaths.
Leaders with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation are opening their federal supply of COVID-19 vaccine doses to all Umatilla County residents at a vaccination clinic next week.
Umatilla County Public Health reported nine additional COVID-19 cases with one new death. The county’s case total is 7,892, with 83 deaths.
Concerning variants of the COVID-19 virus have been detected in Walla Walla County. Across the state line in Umatilla County, declining case rates mean the risk category will be lowered to "moderate" on Friday, April 9.
