WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. – The Whatcom County Health Department is echoing the governor and the CDC in advising everyone to wear masks indoors in public places regardless of vaccination status. The health department also recommends everyone wear masks in crowded outdoor settings due to the spread of the highly transmissible delta variant.

SEATTLE — The Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA) held a briefing Monday to discuss COVID-19 vaccines and the impact of the now-dominant delta variant on the state’s strained health care system. The briefing was led by WSHA CEO Cassie Sauer, who was joined by Dr. John Lynch of UW Medicine and Florence Chang, executive vice president and COO of MultiCare Health System.

Aug 2 (Reuters) - The U.S. states of Florida and Louisiana were at or near their highest hospitalization numbers of the coronavirus pandemic on Monday, driven by the still-spreading Delta variant, as one doctor warned of the "darkest days" yet. More than 10,000 patients were hospitalized in Florida as of Sunday, surpassing that state's record. Louisiana was expected to break its record within 24 hours, prompting Governor John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, to order residents to wear masks again indoors.

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Gov. Jay Inslee says we should start masking up again in public indoor spaces.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was expected to backpedal Tuesday on its masking guidelines and recommend that even vaccinated people wear masks indoors in parts of the U.S. where the coronavirus is surging, a federal official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to discuss details of the new policy. The CDC was expected to make an announcement later in the day.

CNN — The US could see nearly four times the current rate of Covid-19 cases in the next four to six weeks as the Delta variant spreads and the population hits a wall on vaccinations, a former director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told CNN. That warning comes as the CDC is expected to change its masking guidance Tuesday – by recommending that vaccinated people in certain parts of the country resume wearing masks, and that everyone in K-12 schools wear masks regardless of vaccination status – according to sources familiar with the decisions.

The Washington state Department of Health reported 3,073 new COVID-19 cases and 11 deaths Monday. Statewide totals from the illness caused by the coronavirus are 469,308 and 6,089 deaths. Those numbers are up from 466,235 cases and 6,078 deaths as of Friday. The case total includes 39,971 infections listed as probable. DOH revises previous case and death counts daily.

The situation is much the same all around Puget Sound. Providence Medical Center in Everett is operating at capacity. Harborview Medical Center is as well. As the region's level one trauma center, Harborview is receiving patients from other states -- people with serious burns and complex injuries. Ambulances have been forced to wait up to 90 minutes, at times, to unload their patients.

The eruption of COVID-19 last year caused the proportion of people working from home in the U.S. to nearly double, with the shift most pronounced among college graduates and workers in such fields as finance and professional services.

Demand for COVID testing is seeing a major uptick for the first time in months. Many more people are testing positive for COVID too, with most of the cases caused by the Delta variant. The surge in demand is also leading to slower turnaround for test results at some locations. The city of Seattle’s website says: “We are currently experiencing longer turnaround times than usual that will continue through the weekend. Expect results in 24-48 hours.”

OLYMPIA, Wash. — The upswing in COVID-19 cases around Washington and the increased danger from the variants is causing some of the state's health leaders to mask up, including those who are fully vaccinated because of breakthrough cases that are being reported.

In Arkansas, which has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the nation, cases are surging, officials said. In Los Angeles County, where the vaccination rate is slightly above the national average, officials warned about a possible new wave of infections, especially given the rapid spread of the Delta variant.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said Wednesday that fully vaccinated people are "safe" from the current variants and do not need to wear masks, doubling down on CDC guidance as some others call for a return to mask wearing. But Walensky said that the CDC's guidance has not changed and that fully vaccinated people do not need to wear masks, echoing other health experts who note that the vaccines are highly effective even against the delta variant.

From mask rules to where you can go around town, Crosscut answers your questions about what life without COVID restrictions may look like.

Some states are making great strides in vaccinating their residents against Covid-19, but the ones that are not may soon be contending with a more transmissible variant, experts say. About 45.1% of the US population is fully vaccinated against Covid-19, CDC data showed, and in 16 states and Washington, DC, that proportion is up to half. But some states -- such as Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Wyoming -- have fully vaccinated less than 35% of residents.

KING COUNTY, Wash. — King County Public Health announced a major milestone in COVID-19 vaccination rates on Tuesday, bringing an end to the countywide mask directive by the end of the month. Tuesday marked a big day for King County, as 70% of residents ages 16 and older received their final dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Now that vaccination rates have gone up, the mask directive is set to come down — in two weeks, that is.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now calls the Delta variant of the novel coronavirus, also known as B.1.617.2, a "variant of concern." The variant of concern designation is given to strains of the virus that scientists believe are more transmissible or can cause more severe disease. Vaccines, treatments and tests that detect the virus may also be less effective against a variant of concern. Previously, the CDC had considered the Delta variant to be a variant of interest. The CDC said the Delta variant, which was first identified in India, shows increased transmissibility, potential reduction in neutralization by some monoclonal antibody treatments under emergency authorization and potential reduction in neutralization from sera after vaccination in lab tests.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today additional aid to agricultural producers and businesses as part of the USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative. As part of the Pandemic Assistance initiative announced in March, USDA pledged to continue Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) payments and to provide aid to producers and businesses left behind. Implementation of the assistance announced today will continue within 60 days to include support to timber harvesters, biofuels, dairy farmers and processors, livestock farmers and contract growers of poultry, assistance for organic cost share, and grants for PPE.

COVID-19 positivity rate is lowest among those who always wore a mask

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Washington is set to reopen fully on June 30, or when the percentage of residents age 16 and older who have initiated vaccination reaches 70%, whichever comes first. The Washington State Department of Health said on Thursday that 63% of eligible adults have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah said he hopes the new incentives Gov. Inslee announced on Thursday will help push the state closer to the 70% reopening goal.

Local agencies can verify vaccination status for employees and visitors by asking to see a copy of a vaccination record, having a person sign a form saying they are vaccinated, or allowing a person to just tell them they’ve been vaccinated and 'checking a box.' For employees, make sure your process complies with the requirements on pages 13-14 of DOSH Directive 1.70. However, be aware of medical privacy laws; only ask for the minimum information you need (vaccinated or not — or have an exemption) to decide whether to provide services in person or by some other method. Don’t keep a copy of a medical record if you don’t have a good business reason to do so — just have staff ask to see the document and document that you’ve seen it.

NESPELEM — The Colville Business Council has lifted all public safety measures instituted last year to protect the community from COVID-19. A resolution first passed March 25, 2020, imposed multiple public safety measures to stop the spread of COVID-19, including the closure of the Colville Indian Reservation and limits on gathering sizes. The measures were extended on multiple occasions as the pandemic continued to remain a threat. The tribe announced May 21 that all restrictions were lifted immediately.

Hesitancy to get vaccinated against the coronavirus has justifiably drawn considerable attention because some counties and neighborhoods are lagging far behind in the campaign to stamp out COVID-19. Less often do you hear about the COVID-19 vaccination overachievers. In recent weeks, pockets of the Pacific Northwest have exceeded the threshold for community immunity. But the variability of inoculation rates across the region limits the protection earned, according to health officials.

Labor and Industries is responsible for keeping the workplace safe. Their guidelines say employers must confirm the vaccination status of employees before allowing them to take off their masks and no longer socially distance. While the employer doesn’t need to keep a copy of the vaccination card or an attestation letter, they do need to keep a record that it was checked, and use the same method for all employees.

SEATTLE - King County's top public health official issued a directive Thursday strongly urging residents to keep wearing a face mask in indoor public settings, whether or not they are vaccinated against COVID. The directive also recommends that businesses who serve the public continue policies to ensure customers and employees wear masks indoors.

STEVENS COUNTY, Wash. — With nearly six million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine already given in Washington, the state is on the way back to normalcy. But in some rural areas, vaccine hesitancy remains an issue. Even as communities within Stevens County have seen a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases recently, the number of vaccines being given isn’t going up, and many residents are hesitant to get the shot.