Thurston County Reports 67 New COVID-19 Cases Tuesday, No First-Dose Clinics This Week

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Thurston County reported 67 COVID-19 cases Tuesday as vaccine supply will limit first-dose clinics this week.

The added cases brings the county's total number of cases to 6,928, according to Thurston County Public Health and Social Services data released Tuesday. No new deaths have been reported since Jan. 31, leaving the death total at 63.

The county also reported that 5.7% of COVID-19 tests returned positive results the week of Jan. 19, the last week with available data.

Since the county reported the first case in March 2020, 337 people have been hospitalized at some point in their illness and 6,402 have recovered or are recovering, the data show. The county has seen 47 outbreaks in congregate care settings, including eight that are ongoing as of Tuesday.

Vaccine supply this week

Public Health and Social Services Director Schelli Slaughter said the county will not receive any new doses of COVID-19 vaccine this week and just 300 doses the following week. The limited supply means first-doses will not be available this week, Slaughter said during a board of county commissioners meeting Tuesday.

"Most of the vaccination supply that has come to Thurston County for this next week is going to support secondary doses," Slaughter said.

The state Department of Health announced Friday that vaccine supply will be extremely limited this week because it is focusing on providing second doses. Slaughter said those who are due for their second dose should have had their appointment scheduled when they got their first dose and they can expect email or phone call reminders.

So far, about 10% of all Thurston County residents have gotten their first dose, and 2.55% are fully vaccinated, Slaughter said. Of the 70,000 people that are currently eligible for the vaccine, she said, 33,155 residents have been vaccinated.

Despite the limited supply, Slaughter said the county is still planning to host mass vaccination sites in the near future. So far, the county is planning to open such sites at South Puget Sound Community College and the Thurston County Fairgrounds.

"We're also very grateful that the City of Lacey has offered the Regional Athletic Complex as a potential site for us to explore and our team is working on that," Slaughter said. "We're also working with community partners to hold other clinics, outreach events, mobile events and pop-up clinics in our community."



In the region

— Pierce County reported 54 new cases and three deaths Tuesday, bringing its totals to 34,989 cases and 432 deaths.

— As of Friday Grays Harbor County reported 3,225 confirmed and probable cases and 41 deaths as of Friday.

— Lewis County Public Health & Social Services reported 26 new cases of COVID-19 Tuesday, bringing the county's total to 3,135. No additional deaths were reported. The death toll remains is at 42.

— Mason County reported 10 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday, bringing its total to 1,654 cases with 22 deaths.

— Pacific County has reported a total of 689 confirmed and probable cases with nine deaths as of Friday.

In the state, nation and world

The state Department of Health reported 1,699 new COVID-19 cases and 34 deaths Tuesday, bringing the totals to 328,047 confirmed and probable cases and 4,709 deaths.

In the U.S., over 27.7 million cases had been reported as of Tuesday with 488,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

Globally, more than 109.5 million cases had been reported and over 2.41 million people had died as of Tuesday, the data show.

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