Covid is on the rise at King County nursing homes

The number of Covid-19 outbreaks in long-term care facilities in King County rose significantly heading into fall, according to public health officials.

The county saw an increase in Covid-19 coming out of the summer, as virus season began to set in.

That uptick in the general community has been mirrored in long-term care settings, where many older and more vulnerable adults reside.

Many of these facilities were hit hard by the virus early on in the pandemic.

This summer, during the May through July period, an average of seven outbreaks were reported per week in settings like nursing homes, according to Public Health — Seattle & King County.

Since August, that number has almost doubled.

“There has been an increase of Covid-19 outbreaks reported across long-term care facilities recently compared to the summer months. Since August, an average of 12 new outbreaks reported per week,” a public health representative said in an emailed statement.

Public Health — Seattle and King County continues to provide recommendations and guidelines to help curb the spread when outbreaks occur, the statement said.

According to leaders at the Washington Health Care Association, long-term care providers who are contacting the group about outbreaks say they’re following the guidance from local, state, and federal health bodies.

“When outbreaks occur, our providers report they are masking and using necessary [personal protective equipment] and respirators,” Carma Matti-Jackson, president and CEO of the Washington Health Care Association, said in a statement.

However, Matti-Jackson said her organization has not heard of any facilities going back to universal masking requirements at this point.

State mandates for universal masking in health care and long-term care settings have long since expired.

Masking has largely become optional in most of those facilities.

For people who are at high risk of severe outcomes from Covid — like older adults and those with underlying health conditions — and for family, friends, and workers who are often in contact with highly vulnerable individuals, health officials say staying up to date with vaccines remains a key tool in protecting against hospitalization and death.

The updated covid vaccine is increasingly available across Washington.