“Our COVID-19 BA.5 wave appears to have crested in King County,” said King County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin at a recent briefing.
“They do remain higher than all past peaks — except the [winter] omicron wave — when you consider unreported cases, which are particularly high in the current outbreak,” Duchin said.“Hospitalizations and deaths are decreasing or stable, but still at substantial levels. Our current overall hospitalization rate is comparable to our average peak seasonal influenza rate,” Duchin said. “And the greatest impact is on older adults and those who are not up-to-date on vaccinations.
That last part is a a problem in King County. While 87% of people 5 years old and older got their initial round of vaccines, fewer than half — 44% — are up-to-date with recommended boosters.the CDC recommendsThe new booster doses coming out this fall will target the omicron variant, including the BA.5 subvariant responsible for the current wave.
Staying up-to-date on vaccines — along with wearing tight-fitting masks indoors and in crowds, ensuring rooms are well-ventilated, and testing if you have symptoms, will be key to mitigating the severity of COVID as new variants cause future waves, Duchin said.