Key points from Dr. Kathy Lofy, the state health officer via Tacoma’s News Tribune:

+ Best for people to “stop socializing” altogether for the next few weeks.

+ People should limit social contacts to no more than five people outside their household per week, keep interactions short.

+ The state found that case counts and hospitalizations increased across the state from mid to late October in its latest situation report, released Tuesday [Nov. 10].

+ The rising cases are not due to an increase in testing, it’s a “real increase in disease.”

+ The “effective reproductive number” — how many other people a COVID-19 patient will infect — was 1.29 in western Washington on Oct. 24. The state’s goal is to keep that number “well below one,” meaning transmission is declining.

“‘Stop the gatherings:’ Washington health officials aim to slow accelerated COVID-19 transmission”

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From KING-5 TV News, Seattle:

“Over the last week, Washington broke two records for highest daily case count since the coronavirus pandemic began, according to Department of Health data.”

“Health officials in Washington state are warning of an increase in COVID-19 transmission in the coming months.

“Dr. Kathy Lofy, the state health officer, advises people to stop socializing so we can flatten the curve and prevent another economic shutdown.

“As cases continue to spike across the state, health officials are worried that the Thanksgiving holiday will create an even bigger spike in coronavirus cases.

“The safest Thanksgiving is the Thanksgiving celebrated within your immediate household,” said Lacy Fehrenbach, the Deputy Secretary of Health for COVID-19 Response.

“The Washington State Department of Health recommended a few creative ways to celebrate Thanksgiving:

• Host gathering outside
• Have only your immediate family with you
• Consider “skipping the big meal” and take a walk outside or sit around a fire pit
• Have a virtual Thanksgiving with loved ones
• Based on the latest projections from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Washington state could see a spike in the number of cases and deaths starting at the end of November, even with mask use.
• Based on the latest projections from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Washington state could see a spike in the number of cases and deaths starting at the end of November, even with mask use.

“Based on the latest projections from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Washington state could see a spike in the number of cases and deaths starting at the end of November, even with mask use,” by KING-5 TV News, Seattle. Read more

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Dire warnings from health officials as coronavirus runs wild in Washington: ‘Any in-person gathering is risky’

From The Seattle Times:

“As COVID-19 levels reach record highs in Washington, health officials from around the state warned Tuesday afternoon that “any in-person gathering is risky,” including Thanksgiving dinners.

“The message at Tuesday’s joint briefing: Unless people change their behavior — limiting gatherings, wearing masks and maintaining physical distance — the recent spike in infections could continue and could be followed by more hospitalizations and deaths.

“‘We are really concerned at this point with what we are seeing in the trends and believe that immediate action is needed now to flatten the curve,” said state Secretary of Health John Wiesman.

“Another stay-home order also appeared to not be off the table, although multiple health officials stressed a desire to avoid that option.” Read more