Other News
Apr 25, 2025: New Daily Service Schedule, Growing Ridership & Other Insights on County’s Pilot Transport Services
Apr 24, 2025: Building and Land Use Permits, Long-Range Planning Projects, & Staff Recruitments: DCD Leadership Provides Spring Update
Apr 4, 2025: 2025 Comp Plan Update: Transportation Element, Plan Intro, & Administration Piece Ready for Review
Mar 19, 2025: San Juan County Establishes Interim Inter-Island Transportation Services as RFP Process Continues
Mar 7, 2025: 2025 Comp Plan Update: Climate Element and Draft Official Map Amendments Available for Review
Mar 6, 2025: Governor Ferguson announces plan to restore Washington State Ferries to full service by this summer
Mar 4, 2025: Public Meeting: Land Bank Using Prescribed Fires to Manage Wildfire Risks & Restore Ecosystems
Feb 19, 2025: San Juan County Seeks Proposals from Transportation Service Providers for Pilot Project
Feb 12, 2025: Call for Candidates: Three-Day Special Filing Period for Lopez Metropolitan Park District Commissioners
Jan 19, 2025: Four districts, six unions, three PTAs, and county leadership all agree: legislators must take action to fully fund education no
Dec 19, 2024: San Juan County Parks and Fair Announces New Camping Software; Delaying Reservation Availability
Dec 10, 2024: County Council Considers Extending Agreement with Lopez Solid Waste to Allow for More Collaboration
Dec 5, 2024: San Juan County to Consider Updated Interlocal Agreement with Lopez Solid Waste Disposal District
Dec 2, 2024: San Juan County Council Sets Public Hearing for Cultural Access Sales Tax at Dec. 10 Meeting
Nov 25, 2024: San Juan County Celebrates Completion of Lopez Skate Park and Calls for Inaugural Skaters
Nov 7, 2024: How Has Extreme Weather Impacted You? Participate in the County’s Climate Resilience Planning Effort
Nov 1, 2024: UPDATE: Sea Wall Repairs Temporarily Close MacKaye Harbor Dock and Boat Ramp on Lopez Island
Oct 22, 2024: DRAFT North Shore Preserve Stewardship and Management Plan Now Open for Public Comment
Oct 21, 2024: Reminder: You’re Invited to Attend Open Houses for the 2025 Comp Plan Update This Fall
Oct 1, 2024: LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE SAN JUANS SPONSORS OCTOBER COUNTY COUNCIL VOTER FORUMS ON SJI, ORCAS, AND LOPEZ
Sep 24, 2024: County Hosts Community Meeting on Lopez Island to Discuss Public Safety during Hunting Season
Sep 24, 2024: SJC Reviews Shoreline Habitat & Infrastructure Adaptation Strategies in the face of Sea Level Rise
Sep 23, 2024: DRAFT Watmough Bay Preserve Stewardship and Management Plan Now Open for Public Comment
Aug 29, 2024: San Juan County’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging Survey Sets Baseline for Ongoing Change
Aug 27, 2024: 2024 San Juan County WSU Master Gardeners Gardening Workshop Series, October 15-24, 2024
Aug 27, 2024: County Representatives Discuss Solutions to Ferry Service Disruptions with Governor Inslee
Aug 21, 2024: County Council’s Request to Governor for Relief from Ferry Service Disruptions Not Fulfilled
Aug 20, 2024: San Juan County Certifies Primary Election Results & Celebrates Highest Primary Turnout in Years
Aug 13, 2024: WSF Commits Additional Crews to Interisland Route to Ensure Service During County Fair Week
Aug 13, 2024: Ferry Data from Staff and Local Partners Shapes Council Request for ‘Executive Relief’ From WA State
Aug 5, 2024: The Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival returns to Lopez for its 27th Summer Concert Season
May 2, 2024: WA State Governor and Assistant Secretary of WSF Talk Ferry Service & Solar Power with SJC Officials
Apr 11, 2024: Community Meeting: Sea Level Rise Adaptation for Outer Bay and Agate Beach Areas on Lopez Island
Mar 11, 2024: Queers in Unexpected Places: Searching for (and Finding) Gender and Sexual Non-Conformity in the Rural and Early PNW
Mar 7, 2024: DRAFT Richardson Marsh Preserve Stewardship and Management Plan Now Open for Public Comment
Dec 5, 2023: County Council Member Jane Fuller and Senator Liz Lovelett to Host Public Meeting on Lopez
Nov 3, 2023: County and Town Send Open Letter to State Officials Regarding Impacts of Poor Ferry Service
Sep 29, 2023: Conservation Land Bank Announces Special Meeting to Discuss Watmough Bay Preserve Addition
Sep 14, 2023: The mobile dental van is coming to Lopez! // ¡La camioneta dental móvil ya llega a López!
Aug 22, 2023: San Juan County Adopts 32-Hour Work Week in the Name of Fiscal Health, Recruitment, and Islander Wellness
May 25, 2023: Recap of Lopez Neighborhood Meeting Regarding the Relocation of Public Works Facilities
May 23, 2023: District 3 Councilmember Jane Fuller Opens Office on Lopez and Hosts Community Conversation
Apr 17, 2023: Give Lopez Starts April 17th - A two week fundraiser benefiting 15 Lopez Island Non-Profits
Sep 22, 2022: Interim Watmough Preserve Addition Stewardship and Management Plan Now Open for Public Comment
Breakthrough Cases and the Continued Need for Vaccinations
Jul 20, 2021
By San Juan County
After more than a month of no new cases locally, San Juan County has three new cases of COVID-19.
There is one case on each of the following islands: Lopez, Orcas and San Juan. All three cases are breakthrough cases. This means that each person is fully vaccinated and it has been more than two weeks since the vaccine series was completed. All exposures came from outside the community and none of the recent exposures are related to another.
Health Officer, Dr. Frank James, stated, “While it will be three to five weeks before genetic tests can show whether the current cases are the Delta variant strain, the fact that all three are breakthrough cases in fully vaccinated people, as well as the severity of the symptoms, is consistent in what we would expect to see with the Delta variant.†He also reminded the community that, “The vaccines for COVID-19 are incredibly effective. However, no vaccine is 100% effective at preventing illness in vaccinated people. This is true of all vaccines for all diseases. There will be a small percentage of fully vaccinated people who will get sick, be hospitalized, or even die from COVID-19.†Asymptomatic infections among vaccinated people will also occur. Studies are still ongoing to understand the full scope of these possibilities.
The emergence of immunity-resistant variants of COVID-19, the relaxing of social distancing and masking and increased travel are all contributing to the national resurgence of the disease. In the last two weeks nationally cases have increased 126%, hospitalizations have increased 30%, and deaths have increased 23%. Unvaccinated individuals in the US are the primary driver for ongoing spread. Dr. James noted, “Vaccines remain the best way to protect against COVID, and even with breakthrough cases, vaccines reduce the severity of symptoms and hospitalizations. It is more important than ever for those who are not fully vaccinated to become so as soon as possible.â€
Vaccines are still being administered in the county. Please go to the link below to see the providers on Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan that are currently administering vaccines.
We know that this is not the good news that we have begun to grow accustomed to, but not unexpected. We anticipate ongoing sporadic cases will continue as islanders increase their activities. Therefore, even if you are fully vaccinated there are some precautions that we all can take to further protect yourself from infection:
- Limit travel. As we have seen with the recent cases, these exposures came from outside of the community. If you travel off island or host people from outside the community, understand that you are taking a risk.
- Limit socializing. The more people you are around the higher your exposure risk is. Although the masking ordinance has been lifted, if you are going to be around large groups of people consider masking up for your own safety and the safety of those around you.
- Do not expose yourself to those who are confirmed positive cases. If you know someone has been exposed to the virus or is a confirmed positive case, do not expose yourself until they are no longer infected.
We will reinstate weekly case updates until case trends change for the better. Be safe out there, islanders!
Health Officer, Dr. Frank James, stated, “While it will be three to five weeks before genetic tests can show whether the current cases are the Delta variant strain, the fact that all three are breakthrough cases in fully vaccinated people, as well as the severity of the symptoms, is consistent in what we would expect to see with the Delta variant.†He also reminded the community that, “The vaccines for COVID-19 are incredibly effective. However, no vaccine is 100% effective at preventing illness in vaccinated people. This is true of all vaccines for all diseases. There will be a small percentage of fully vaccinated people who will get sick, be hospitalized, or even die from COVID-19.†Asymptomatic infections among vaccinated people will also occur. Studies are still ongoing to understand the full scope of these possibilities.
The emergence of immunity-resistant variants of COVID-19, the relaxing of social distancing and masking and increased travel are all contributing to the national resurgence of the disease. In the last two weeks nationally cases have increased 126%, hospitalizations have increased 30%, and deaths have increased 23%. Unvaccinated individuals in the US are the primary driver for ongoing spread. Dr. James noted, “Vaccines remain the best way to protect against COVID, and even with breakthrough cases, vaccines reduce the severity of symptoms and hospitalizations. It is more important than ever for those who are not fully vaccinated to become so as soon as possible.â€
Vaccines are still being administered in the county. Please go to the link below to see the providers on Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan that are currently administering vaccines.
We know that this is not the good news that we have begun to grow accustomed to, but not unexpected. We anticipate ongoing sporadic cases will continue as islanders increase their activities. Therefore, even if you are fully vaccinated there are some precautions that we all can take to further protect yourself from infection:
- Limit travel. As we have seen with the recent cases, these exposures came from outside of the community. If you travel off island or host people from outside the community, understand that you are taking a risk.
- Limit socializing. The more people you are around the higher your exposure risk is. Although the masking ordinance has been lifted, if you are going to be around large groups of people consider masking up for your own safety and the safety of those around you.
- Do not expose yourself to those who are confirmed positive cases. If you know someone has been exposed to the virus or is a confirmed positive case, do not expose yourself until they are no longer infected.
We will reinstate weekly case updates until case trends change for the better. Be safe out there, islanders!