Covid-19 cases described as an “uptick”

There have been 12 recent cases of Covid-19 in Point Roberts, all of which have been asymptomatic or mild, according to SuperTrack’s Dr. Sean Bozorgzad. Speaking at the Point Roberts hospital district’s regular monthly meeting on August 11, Dr. Bozorgzad told commissioners that the clinic was having Northwest Laboratory run tests to see if any of the cases were due to the Delta variant.

“We are going to assume that it is Delta and you have to be quite aggressive in contact tracing,” he said, adding, “We are not out of the woods with this pandemic. We are not going to let our guards down.”

Fire chief Christopher Carleton addressed the issue earlier in the day at the fire district’s monthly commission meeting as well. “I think it’s ok, it’s an uptick,” he said. “We have new people coming into the Point so I’m not surprised. The public needs to understand that the aim of the vaccine is not to prevent all disease but to avoid getting very ill or hospitalized. You can get the flu vaccine but still get the flu.”

All but two individuals were fully vaccinated; one who wasn’t had already had Covid-19 and didn’t think he needed to be vaccinated as he was already protected, according to fire commissioner Virginia Lester.

Carleton said the district had assisted people who were in quarantine and mentioned a grocery run for a couple to help them remain in isolation. “It was quite a list,” he said.

Whether or not the recent cases were due to the Delta variant is not yet known, he told commissioners. “It will take weeks to get variant confirmation unless it goes to the state which doesn’t share that information,” he said. “Why, I don’t know.”

Carleton sought to reassure the public about getting billed for Covid-19 testing. “If someone gets invoiced, don’t worry about it. The majority of bills go to the state for payment. If people get a diagnostic bill from Northwest Laboratory and they don’t have U.S. medical insurance, call up the lab and they’ll work with you. The state will pay for Point Roberts testing until September 30. Call the number on the invoice,” he said.