By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
As Sitka’s rolling case average of COVID cases topped 20 today, SEARHC provided an update on priorities and resources while continuing to stress vaccinations as “key in protecting Southeast communities.”
“The safety of patients and healthcare workers is SEARHC’s top priority, and strategies from the Consortium’s surge plan have been deployed to address the increased need for care and emerging challenges of coronavirus variants in the community,” the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium said in a news release today.
The release said Sitka is experiencing the “highest volume of COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic” and testing data indicates the presence of Delta and Gamma variants, both of which “have been shown to be highly transmissible and cause more severe symptoms in those that are unvaccinated.”
“SEARHC is experiencing fully vaccinated individuals testing positive for COVID-19 and unvaccinated populations being hospitalized at higher rates with COVID-related medical issues,” the news release said.
Dr. Elliot Bruhl, SEARHC senior vice president and chief medical officer, said the health consortium has prepared for this surge.
“In addition to connecting with public health officials and community leaders through Incident Command, screening at all facilities and requiring employee vaccinations, we have ample tests, vaccines and personal protective equipment to support our communities,” Bruhl said.
The announcement said SEARHC is responding to the uptick in cases that started three weeks ago, when the community went from “low” to “high” risk in a week.
The number of new positive tests daily has been as high as 37 and as low as four in the last week. Sitka is on the New York Times map as one of the “hot spots” for COVID in the country. Other communities in Alaska are seeing huge increases as well by percentage, but don’t come close to Sitka’s daily average by population.
The 14-day rolling case average was reported today as 20.57.
Officials posted 25 new positive tests Monday, including at least five on residents age 0-9, too young to be vaccinated. There are currently 255 active cases in Sitka. By press time today, 13 positive tests were added for the day.
Bruhl stressed the effectiveness of the vaccines in preventing hospitalization for any of the variants.
“It’s more important than ever to get vaccinated and take precautions in the presence of COVID-19 variants,” he said, “Data show that COVID-19 vaccines are 97 percent successful in preventing hospitalization. SEARHC medical teams are doing an outstanding job caring for our communities, and we need residents and visitors to do their part as well to help slow the spread.”
Sitka’s vaccination rate is going up slowly in the community’s 12-and-up population of 7,385. Of this segment of the population 5,594 (76 percent) are partially vaccinated and 5,199 (70 percent) are fully vaccinated.
“Get vaccinated, encourage others to make a vaccine appointment and wear a mask in public and when in close proximity to others,” today’s message from SEARHC said.
The healthcare provider said free tests are available without appointment 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the walk-up and drive-through site across the street from the Mt. Edgecumbe hospital entrance.
The Sitka city government has updated local mitigation guidance recommendations for various risk levels at cityofsitka.org with recommendations on social distancing, restaurants, travel, large gatherings and bars.
City Administrator John Leach has been tracking infection rates in three categories of the local population over 12: vaccinated, unvaccinated and general public.
Infection rate of vaccinated (breakthrough cases) – 2.81%
Infection rate of non-vaccinated – 12.63%
Total cumulative community infection rate – 8.07%
“You are about four times more likely to contract COVID if you are unvaccinated,” Leach said.
