As mask mandate returns, delta variant now makes up 98% of state’s COVID cases

By Nick Bowman

August 19, 2021 at 10:27 am

[de-facto] Gov. Jay Inslee announced a new statewide indoor mask mandate this week, set to take effect Aug. 23. While several factors played into that decision, the largest concern for health officials continues to be the highly contagious delta variant.

According to state Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah, an estimated 98% of Washington’s recent COVID-19 infections can be traced back to the variant strain, having doubled in prevalence every seven to 10 days since it first appeared.

“This is a game changer,” Dr. Shah cautioned during Wednesday’s press conference announcing the new mask directive. “Delta variant is here and we need to do whatever we can to slow things down.”

That’s seen Washington’s seven-day rolling average for COVID cases reach similar levels to what the state saw during the peak of last winter’s surge, currently sitting around an estimated 2,700 new cases per day. Hospitalizations have trended up in kind — at the peak of the winter surge, the state’s rolling daily average topped out around 115 per day. As of early August, Washington had reached 107 and has continued to climb since.

The hope is that by bringing back indoor masking rules, the state can slow this trend in time for more people to get vaccinated, which he points out is still “the long term solution.”

'anon's note: 421 days this so-called 'mask mandate' has been going on, that was supposed to reduce the spread. it clearly hasn't, and all the so-called increase in numbers have been due to people being 'vaccinated' all because of the fake tests. this garbage has to stop

https://mynorthwest.com/3098568/delta-variant-98-percent-washington-covid-cases/