With the report of six new cases last Friday, Wahkiakum County's tally of covid-19 cases hit a total of 155, with 37 of those potentially active.

A news release from Wahkiakum County Health & Human Services (WHHS) Operations Manager Duncan Cruickshank said the cases had no connection with the Wahkiakum School District or St James Family Center.

According to the Washington Department of Health, five patients from the county have been hospitalized, and one county resident has died of covid-19. The department's website says that 3,386 covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the county.

Cowlitz County has had 6,445 cases and 85 deaths, and Pacific County has had 992 cases and 13 deaths.

"We continue to have incoming case reports which we follow up with and announce only if they are confirmed with a PCR test, commented Duncan Cruickshank, WHHS operations manager. "The disease is swirling and dipping down in to younger and ‘healthier' people. Caution is still really appropriate for us all.

"I remind people that if you are exposed, contacted by a contact tracer, and not vaccinated, then you are to isolate for that period of time explained by the contact tracer; if vaccinated, you don’t need to isolate unless you become symptomatic. We have had breakthrough cases locally (people vaccinated who are unlucky enough to get COVID-19 after vaccination.)"

Free vaccines are available to anyone 12 and older in Wahkiakum County, and WHHS encourages people who have not already been vaccinated to contact the health department at 360-849-4041, or call their personal medical provider to get scheduled for a vaccine.

"Please let health department know if there are groups who would like us to come to them for vaccination or let us know of people who cannot get to us for their shots," Cruickshank said.

Cruickshank has recommendations for people seeking online information about covid-19 issues.

"I’d encourage people to look to the CDC for their information. Or Washington’s DOH ww.doh.wa.gov," he said. "Readers who don’t trust Washington should look to a trusted state of their choice or even a country of their choice. The information is almost invariably the same in these sites.

"Why? These sites publish based on the science which changes as more is learned about COVID-19. People would also be wise to look at fact checking sites when they have questions about information or the source of the information. Here is a good one: healthfeedback.org.

"People may well want to sign up with MyIRmobile.com It’s an app that allows people to access their vaccination record (and what vaccines you are behind on like your tetanus shot). If people have trouble with the app they can call 833-VAX-HELP.

"Parents are asked to schedule their children’s appointments for return to school physicals and routine vaccinations before the late summer rush. Those things are necessary for the health of our children and may have been missed due to pandemic challenges. Please don’t wait to set this up.

"Hang in there. Do something nice for someone else. Be kind."