For most of the past week, coronavirus cases in Spokane County have risen again in three digits, although they are still well below the pandemic highs.
“We had a spring break. We had Easter, which is also usually a big party for a lot of people. And then we had the NCAA tournament, all at the same time, at a time when we were in phase 3, which means there are a lot more things open, ”said interim health officer Francisco Velazquez.
Spokane County will remain in Phase 3 for the time being. The governor announced this week that only three counties, including Whitman, have relegated to Phase 2 due to increases in case counts and hospitalizations.
“The Department of Health and the Governor’s Office will make that decision in three weeks. All I can tell you is that I hope we withdraw from where we are because if we don’t, I think the numbers will make the decision for us, ”he said.
The two-week case rate in Spokane County is above the state norm. Hospitalizations are near.
Velazquez hopes the opening of Covid vaccines on Thursday to all adults in Washington will generate a rush of people to get vaccinated and reduce the rate of infection. But the full benefits of the vaccination campaign will not be clear until a few weeks after a large majority of people receive their vaccines.