PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – People in six Washington counties should begin wearing masks indoors in public and on public transportation again, according to recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The latest information from the CDC shows that Lewis County, Pacific County, Thurston County, Grays Harbor County, Garfield County and Spokane County all have COVID-19 community levels rated “high,” meaning they have had 200 or more new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people in the last seven days, or they’ve had more than 20 new COVID-19 admissions per 100,000 people within a seven-day period.
The numbers below show the most recent data the CDC has from each county and why they qualify as having high COVID-19 community levels.
- Lewis County: 211.88 cases per 100,000 people
- Pacific County: 418.32 cases per 100,000 people
- Thurston County: 227.85 cases per 100,000 people
- Grays Harbor County: 213.16 cases per 100,000 people
- Garfield County: 314.61 cases per 100,000 people
- Spokane County: 207.35 cases per 100,000 people
- These community levels were calculated on June 23, 2022.
With COVID-19 levels this high, the CDC says anyone at risk for severe illness in these communities should consider taking additional precautions besides simply wearing a mask, like staying 6 feet away from others, avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces, and washing their hands often.
Pacific County Public Health & Human Service posted to social media Wednesday acknowledging its COVID-19 community level is high.
“We strongly recommend wearing face coverings for indoor settings and public transportation to help reduce the potential spread,” the county health department wrote.
Pacific County residents can pick up N95 masks and at-home test kits for free at any Timberland Library or health department in the county.