Covid cases up in local towns

An additional 25 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in local towns in just over a month.

There have been 48 COVID-19 cases in the Grand Coulee and Electric City areas of Grant County since the pandemic began over a year ago, with nine of those cases coming in the past month.

On May 19, when The Star last compiled an update on local numbers, Grant County Health District was reporting 39 cases in the Grand Coulee area.

Since then, GCHD has listed cases in the local area on May 27, June 3, and June 21. GCHD recently switched to only reporting new cases on Mondays and Wednesdays, rather than every weekday.

Okanogan Public Health counts 66 total covid cases in Coulee Dam since the pandemic began, including one case reported on June 18. Elmer City has seen 18 total cases, and Nespelem has seen 80, including one reported on June 19.

This shows an increase of 12 cases in Coulee Dam in the last month, along with four more cases in Nespelem, with Elmer City not showing an increase during that time.

No covid deaths have been reported in those cities.

Concerning vaccinations, the Washington Department of Health reports that as of June 9, in Grant County, 51.5% of people 16 and older have had at least one dose of a covid vaccine, while 46.7% have been fully vaccinated.

That number is higher in Okanogan County where out of the total population of people 16 and older, 60.5% have had at least one dose of a vaccine, and 55.5% are fully vaccinated.

In Lincoln County, 47.3% have had at least one dose, and 43.3% are fully vaccinated.

In Douglas County, 60% have had at least one dose, and 53.8% are fully vaccinated.

All of these counties’ vaccination numbers are lower than for the state as a whole, which has 65.6% of people with at least one dose, and 59.1% fully vaccinated.

Age gap

The older a person is, the more likely they are to have been vaccinated.

In Grant County, in ages 12-17, 6.1% of people have been fully vaccinated compared to 32.9% of 18-34 year olds; 38.2% of 35-49 year olds; 49.7% of 50-64 year olds; and 67.1% of people aged 65 and up.

Okanogan County shows a similar pattern, although still higher in each age demographic: 6.6% of 12-17 year olds have been fully vaccinated; 51.1% of those 18-34 years old; 52.2% of those 35-49; 48.2% of people 50-64; and 62.6% of those 65 and up.

Statewide, 25.5% of 12- to 15-year-olds are vaccinated; 37.5% of those 16-17; 47.1% of people 18-34; 57.9% of people 35-49; 63% of those 50-64; and 75.8% of people 65 and older.