The San Juan islands, as you’d expect, were the safest place to be during the pandemic.
Protected by isolation, cooperative residents, an early mask mandate, and a high vaccination rate, the islands experienced no Covid-19 deaths until January 2022, and only 2 total deaths,* both unvaccinated people. That translated to a death rate of 11.2 per 100,000 population. (* The state Department of Health’s database lists 3 deaths.) San Juan County also benefited from a vigorous contact tracing effort using volunteers.
As you’d also expect, the highest death rates were in Trump country with Ferry County — Loren Culp’s home turf — logging 413.8 deaths per 100,000 (30 deaths); close behind is Columbia County with 405.1 deaths per 100,000 (16 deaths). Ferry County voted 63% for Trump, Columbia County 70% (see county-by-county results here).
Culp, who ran for governor in 2020 and Congress in 2022, and was squashed like a bug in both races, is a promoter of quack Covid remedies (see story here). He used to be a one-man police department in Ferry County, and had the state’s most dishonest drug-sniffing dog (100% hits, see story here).
Blue and red does seem to make a difference; you’re safer among Democrats. The Puget Sound counties were under 200 deaths per 100,000; most of eastern Washington was above 200. See story here and data chart here.
With death rates varying significantly among Washington’s 39 counties, the implication is that masking, social distancing, contact tracing, avoiding crowds, and vaccinations saved lives. I’m not saying residents of red counties, who voted for Trump and died of Covid-19 at higher rates, are stupid; there could be other possible explanations, e.g., maybe God likes liberals better.
I’m still being careful, and you should be too, because another Covid wave is coming (see story here). I still wear a mask in stores, social distance, have had all the recommended shots, and don’t mingle with crowds. Even if you don’t end up in a hospital or morgue, from what I hear, getting sick with this virus is no fun.
