COVID-19 outbreaks in Yakima County are plenty, but smaller in magnitude | Local
For the most part, most COVID cases in Yakima County stem from community spread. When community spread is high, as it is now, there is a greater risk of outbreaks.
Health experts have a better understanding of how to respond to outbreaks and minimize spread compared to the start of the pandemic. And over time, the Yakima Health District has adopted best practices and procedures, such as dividing residents inside long-term care facilities, providing a more efficient response.
With notable exceptions, such as the outbreak at Costco in Union Gap, the team is mainly dealing with smaller outbreaks across a variety of facilities, said Lilian Bravo, director of community partnerships for the Yakima Health District.
“I think the impacts of outbreaks are not what they were,” said Brittany Morrison, the lead and supervisor for the outbreak team.
In contrast, there’s been relatively less transmission activity in schools, where guidelines and procedures are in place, and it’s easier for people to stay physically distant from one another. Most of the cases reported by schools are by staff and students who are infected outside the school.
“That’s not an area where we’ve seen outbreaks,” Morrison said.
