Pierce County Sees 80% Dip In Outbreaks As COVID Wave Levels Out

TACOMA, WA — The state is primed to loosen COVID-19 safety regulations and lift the mask mandate over the weekend It couldn't have come at a better time for Pierce County, where COVID-19 cases have taken a steep dive over recent weeks.

According to an update from the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department Wednesday, the county has seen outbreaks decline 80 percent in less than two months— shrinking from a high of 221 active outbreaks to just 30 last week. Outbreaks in local schools have also declined from 50 to just four.

And the good news just keeps rolling in: Case counts have also dropped so dramatically that Pierce County has fallen from a "high-risk" to a "medium-risk" county by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID-19 safety metrics. That's notable because, under federal guidelines, it means the CDC would no longer recommend requiring residents to wear masks.

According to the latest available data, Pierce County's 14-day case rate per 100,000 residents was 223.6 between Feb. 13-26, a 59.8 percent decrease from the two weeks prior. The county's hospitalization rate also dropped 38 percent in that same time frame.

While residents await the lifting of the mask mandate and the county health department celebrates lowering case counts, health leaders are still urging any remaining holdouts to consider getting vaccinated against COVID-19 to continue the trend of improvement.

"Our COVID-19 cases, case rates, hospitalizations and outbreaks are declining. State and local mask restrictions will end March 12. We have reasons to celebrate, even as we still have more work to do," writes Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department Community Assessment Manager Naomi Wilson. "We must continue to improve our vaccination rates to prevent infections and reduce severe illness and death in our community. Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself and those around you."

>> Learn more about the declining case counts from the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.