(SEATTLE) King County’s chief health officer, Dr. Jeff Duchin, said Friday that he’s recommending residents wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status, citing the fast-spreading delta variant as a concern, KOMO News reports.
“I’m recommending at this time that all people, regardless of vaccination status, once again voluntarily wear masks in indoor public settings as an extra layer of protection to help us all stay safe,” Duchin said during a meeting of the Washington Department of Health.
Duchin emphasized that his statement was not a mandate, but a recommendation.
“I think if we see our healthcare system being threatened, a large number of hospitalizations of illnesses, or trending in that direction, I don’t think we’re going to get there. The level of vaccination we have achieved in King County will protect us from a severe outbreak that would threaten our healthcare system. On the other hand, all of us need to be aware of the risk that the delta variant poses,” he said.
According to Duchin, the delta variant now accounts for 56% of all COVID-19 cases in King County.
U.S. health officials say the delta variant accounts for roughly 83% of the nation’s COVID-19 cases. This is a major increase from the week of July 3, when it accounted for around 50% of new cases.
The delta variant was first detected in India but has since spread to countries across the world. It’s a mutated coronavirus that is more transmissible than other variants.
“The best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 variants is to prevent the spread of the disease, and vaccination is the most powerful tool we have,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.