According to the Associated Press, the most densely populated county in Washington State said on Thursday that it will resume outdoor mask requirements for large-scale events in response to the surge in coronavirus cases from the Delta variant.
In addition, when it is impossible to maintain social distancing, people are encouraged to wear masks in other outdoor environments.
Public Health-Seattle and King County stated that starting September 7, outdoor activities for 500 people or more will again require masks, whether it is vaccinated or unvaccinated people over 5 years of age. It is recommended that people aged 5 and older use outdoor masks. Regardless of the vaccination status, it is impossible to maintain social distancing by maintaining a distance of 6 feet.
The health agency said: “With the high rate of disease transmission and the difficulty of our healthcare system to keep up, it is time to take additional measures to protect ourselves and our communities.”
The Associated Press said that state health officials reported that Washington’s intensive care unit had run out of beds, which is a reality for many states dealing with the surge in cases of the Delta variant. These cases are close to record highs in the first few months of the pandemic.
For more reports from the Associated Press, please see below.
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King County, including Seattle, has a population of approximately 2.2 million. Just last week, Sheriff Dow Constantine bragged that King County has one of the highest vaccination rates among all major U.S. counties. As of last week, more than 70% of people 12 years and older had at least one dose of COVID. -19 vaccine.
The county health agency stated in a statement that the number of vaccinated people in the area is high, but said that “about 750,000 people in Jin County are still unvaccinated and vulnerable to COVID-19.”
This number includes children under 12 who are not yet eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.
Health officials said that people who have been vaccinated have a “much lower” risk of contracting and spreading diseases than people who have not been vaccinated, “but the risk is not zero.”
This week, state health officials stated that the delta strain of the COVID-19 virus is entering hospitals at an “astounding” rate and continues to put pressure on medical staff. The state hospital now has approximately 1,500 COVID-19 patients.
Jinxian said: “Layered multiple prevention strategies, including wearing well-made and close-fitting masks in crowded outdoor places, are currently necessary preventive measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 and preventable cases, hospitalizations and deaths.” Health official Jie Dr. Fu Duchin.
As of last week, people in Oregon, whether vaccinated or not, have been required to wear masks in most public outdoor places.
Ted S. Warren, File/Associated Press Photo
