By Zachary Stieber, EPOCH TIMES 10.1.23
A nurse holds a syringe that contains a dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in Seattle, Wash., on June 21, 2022. (David Ryder/Getty Images)
Officials in Washington state recorded jumps in post-vaccination infections, hospitalizations, and deaths in mid-2021, according to newly disclosed internal emails.
Fifteen percent of COVID-19 cases and 25 percent of COVID-19 hospitalizations from July 1 to July 20, 2021, were vaccinated—up from 2 percent between February and June that year, Chris Spitters, the health officer for the Snohomish County Health District, wrote in one of the messages. A fifth of the deaths attributed to COVID-19 were vaccinated.
Spitters also detailed a COVID-19 outbreak in a long-term care facility with over a dozen breakthrough, or post-vaccination, cases.
Dr. Yuan-Po Tu, of The Everett Clinic, responded by saying that about 20 percent of people testing positive in the clinic were fully vaccinated. “ALL 3 vaccines are breaking through,” Tu wrote.
Dr. James Cook, chief medical officer at the Providence Regional Medical Center Everett, told Spitters and Tu that some hospitalized patients were vaccinated and the majority of workers who were testing positive were fully vaccinated.
“I don’t think any have been hospitalized but I’m not 100% sure,” Cook wrote.
The emails, all sent on July 30, 2021, were obtained and published recently by Ari Hoffman, a 570 KVI radio host and an editor for The Post Millennial. They were reviewed by The Epoch Times, which confirmed their authenticity.
The emails were sent after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a study showing that 74 percent of COVID-19 cases from an outbreak in Massachusetts occurred among fully vaccinated people, undercutting claims from top health officials that the vaccinated would not get infected. The outbreak investigation prompted the agency to recommend vaccinated people wear masks indoors, a reversal from about two months prior.
Spitters said in his missive that the outbreak study provided “sobering news” and predicted a “rocky road ahead.”
“We really need to reframe our public education approach to emphasizing vaccination along with the other prevention measures rather than the faded illusion of vaccination instead of other prevention measures. The stellar individual protection afforded by vaccination is no longer, nor is the dream of getting out from under COVID on July 1,” he said, referring to President Joe Biden declaring that COVID-19 “no longer controls our lives” and that the country had achieved “independence from COVID-19” thanks to vaccination.
“Effectiveness is still good compared to many other vaccines and higher coverage would still do us a lot of good, but the vaccine effectiveness is clearly no longer what it was just a couple of months ago and folks should manage themselves accordingly,” Spitters added.
Snohomish County officials had said in June 2021 that the county’s COVID-19 metrics were dropping “thanks in large part to the growing number of people getting vaccinated.” Spitters had said that “relief is on the horizon.”
Just weeks later, with metrics rising, the county’s health agency acknowledged that people who were vaccinated could still become infected, but described breakthrough infections as “occasional” and the vaccinated as better off when it came to illness, hospitalization, and death.
“Local public health officials were publicly discussing breakthrough infections in summer 2021, as were many healthcare professionals, researchers, and scientists. Throughout the COVID-19 response, local public health has consistently been in communication about the best disease prevention measures to keep our communities healthy,” Dr. Dennis Worsham and Dr. James Lewis, now the top two health officials in the country, told The Epoch Times via email in response to a query about the internal messages.
“It is not a surprise to have breakthrough infections. Even vaccines that work very well are not a 100% guarantee against infection, and we don’t expect them to be. What we continue to see, though, is that fully vaccinated (and now boosted, particularly with the new bivalent booster) individuals are much less likely to require hospitalization or die of COVID-19 related complications,” they added.
Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, in August 2021 imposed COVID-19 vaccine mandates for public workers, healthcare workers, and teachers, claiming that the mandates would be crucial in “defeating this deadly disease.” When the vaccines first rolled out, experts hoped the shots would work well enough to drastically diminish or even eliminate the virus, or reach herd immunity. But by the end of 2021, with the vaccines performing worse than expected, they were acknowledging that may not be possible.
Other Emails
In another jurisdiction in Washington state in July 2021, Lewis flagged the rising number of breakthrough infections in a separate email chain.
Lewis, at the time an epidemiologist with Seattle and King County’s health department, told colleagues he’d been speaking with contact tracers who “are hearing stories all day from people who are vaccinated and getting COVID.”
One example, he said, was a party to celebrate vaccination that forced attendees to provide proof of vaccination to enter.
Tracers identified at least nine people who attended the party who had tested positive, Lewis said in an email.
The Facebook listing for the event called it “Operation Inoculation: A Critical Community Vaccination Celebration” and said 258 people registered to go.
“You did it! You’ve survived one of the worst pandemics and presidencies in U.S. History. There’s no question we’ve only yet begun to deal with the fallout, but thanks to all of you who have fulfilled your Civic Responsibility to get vaccinated, we’re on the road to recovery, and we think that’s something to celebrate. If you’ve had your shots, join us for a good old-fashioned, party-like-it’s-2016 Burner Party,” the listing stated.
“Sorry for the bad news,” Lewis wrote, adding that the tracers wanted to know what guidance on masking and quarantining they should give to vaccinated people.
Another set of messages released by Hoffman showed Worsham, at the time the interim director of the Seattle and King County Public Health, reporting a spike in metrics to then-Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, who asked for more information on how many breakthrough cases were happening and what the severity of the disease was like in the vaccinated. Worsham asked health workers for information.
“We do have information and are working on talking points for Jeff—should be ready tomorrow,” Sargis Pogosjans, one of the workers, wrote. “I think the context is extremely important—an increased proportion of fully vaccinated cases should be expected since the vaccine is not 100% effective against infection and now, the population of fully vaccinated residents outnumber unvaccinated residents.”
“I agree with you Sargis—we are being clear in our conversations that we do expect people who are vaccinated to become infected with COVID,” Worsham replied. “As our population becomes more vaccinated—we do anticipate we will see more given that more people are vaccinated AND that vaccines are not 100% effective in protecting you from the virus.”
The talking points were not included in the emails.
Dr. Jeff Duchin, the health officer for Seattle and King County, told The Epoch Times via email that breakthrough infections were discussed nationally in the summer of 2021 and that the county communicated publicly about the trend.
“The fact that breakthrough infections occur does not mean vaccines do not work or provide important protection against serious COVID-19 infections. Vaccines provide substantial protection against serious COVID-19 even though protection against transmission is lower, and vaccination plus other layered protections are most effective at preventing transmission,” Duchin said, pointing to studies from the CDC and a study from Nature that estimated vaccines reduce transmission.
Clinical trials have not shown that vaccines reduce transmission and a Pfizer executive recently acknowledged that was not studied.
The papers from the CDC and other researchers have also shown that the vaccines provide little protection—the effectiveness even turns negative after time—against infection, and worse shielding against severe illness, since the Omicron variant emerged in late 2021. Observational data indicate the latest boosters, authorized and recommended in late 2022, protect poorly against infection and solidly against hospitalization.
Zachary Stieber is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times based in Maryland. He covers U.S. and world news.
This is a must read article in Newsmax of all places:
It’s Time for the Scientific Community to Admit We Were Wrong About COVID and It Cost Lives
Very surprising to read something such as this article in Newsweek, though it does not go far enough, it is a good place to begin a conversation which, again, should have been had over two years ago.
What the Covid just happened?
As Today’s VRBPAC Meeting Ended, CDC Dep. Dir. Tom Shimabukuro Admits COVID Vaccines Are Causing “Debilitating Illnesses”:
This admission comes two years and millions of affected lives too late. This is not something which they came to realize last week, last year or even in the months after the vaccine rollout over two years ago. They have known of this since the EUA testing as they were complicit in the coverup of Brook Jackson’s Whistleblower report when they arranged her to be fired for making the confidential report (actually made to FDA). They knew as they had ready access to all the Pfizer reports containing thousands of vaccine injuries across numerous pages which they tried to keep hidden for 75yrs. They knew as they were aware of the Israeli research data of which we all have come to know. They knew as they were responsible for confirming the validity of the details claimed in the VAERS reports.
THEY ALWAYS KNEW – AND YET THEY GASLIT THE VICTIMS, SENT THEM FOR MENTAL EVALUATION, AND CENSORED THEIR TRAUMA AND THEIR LOSS!
In fact, these medical bureaucrats don’t know what the etiology of the multiple disease presentations might be, precisely because they were too busy hiding the existence of these disease presentations from the public so that the unsuspecting public might still be beguiled into continuing to inject themselves endlessly with these toxic shots. If this is an example of the CDC taking vaccine safety seriously, well, I think I have some shots at the local pharmacy ready for the CDC members who have been reported to overwhelmingly to have not taken the shots themselves, likely because of their ability to be aware of the very vaccine injuries which they hid from the public.
There are no words which can remedy this vaccine betrayal. In fact there is no remedy which might even be offered to victims of this government treachery, not even to the victims of these crimes who are still living. There is, however, retribution, and the pursuit of this needs to begin today!
Ardern Out: Tearful New Zealand Prime Minister Unexpectedly Announced Resignation
The Vaccine Fascist Princess is resigning on the eve of reelection. Is it to revive the party or in anticipation of some soon to break story? Either way, the end of her Vaccine despotism is very welcome news.
Tanna why do you make statements which you do not back up with independent research. I showed you were printing very wrong information which if not challenged and exposed will lead others to pass on this wrong information.
Tanna, Ted and Peloni why do you ignore my links to the work of Dr.. Dan Wilson which I have linked to?
I think they are highly relevant.
Just asking…
@Tanna
Very. Well. Stated. A profoundly fair and insightful explanation and examination which all would benefit from reading.
@ Felix,
I am not meaning to show disrespect to what you have posted. Your earlier question to me I did not see. It is hard for me to keep up with all these post and dialogue.
You search for truth one way and I another. PH’d’s are not always the arbiters of truth, they have bias and agendas. They also have pay checks and lack of integrity. They are human, I suppose. I respect a PHD for their area of expertise. But for the one’s I have known they have never seemed to me to be well rounded with practical knowledge and wisdom. Although, I’m sure there is always and exception. PHD = 10,000 hours or more in a given field of study. And they are on each side of every debate.
If your house caught on fire and I as your neighbor came over to help. Everything, I did was a hindrance and in reality, made the situation worse. Would you honestly thank me, when your house burned to the ground or think, I was trying to help by my actions that increase the problem instead of solving it. What happened in the world, since 2020 was not natural. It defies logic to explain it. When accidents happen as some thank to the lab leak, people, governments ban to gather to work the problem. This was not the case. They worked together to do more harm! We as humans “Shirley” are not that stupid.
An article came up this morning about Myocarditis, which I have not read yet. If this is the truth and I believe it is. The data and the deaths and injuries will be so overwhelming, it will be hard for even the diehards to ignore in the near future.
I have never pushed vaccine misinformation. I believe in the past vaccines have done much good. I have had all my shots recommended by government and CDC. I took all the recommended rounds of vac’s. before going overseas. But, in my understanding the covid 19 vac is NOT a vaccine if you use the correct definition and Science standard that was applied up to 2019. I am not a doctor but I and not an idiot.
Many good people, many of those I know, and love took the shot. some out of fear, some out of ignorance and some trying to keep their job. Each one made their choice and I respect that. I pray for them. I think before this is over, I will stand at the graveside and cry for some of them.
Tanna I’m making it easy for you
Dr. Dan Wilson does a Debunk the Funk episode in his YouTube channel on Dr. Robert Malone. It is devastating I must say! The question now is will Malone reply?
https://youtu.be/xjszVOfG_wo
Tanna
I have strong reservations about Robert Malone. There’s a “Debunk the Funk” episode by Dr. Dan Wilson. It’s on YouTube. It is to the point, quotes from Malone, Wilson simply answers. Malone has not answered.
You yourself has pushed vaccine misinformation. I answered. You also did not reply. E.G. I Tanna was wrong!
Mr. Felix, Check this out.
https://rwmalonemd.substack.com/p/5th-gen-warfare-terms-and-tactics?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
As Isaac said to Joseph, I know, I know!
One good thing in the story, Mary’s vaccine lasted at least about 21 years.
@ Schutzer “ A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think now in hard words, and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said to-day. — ‘Ah, so you shall be sure to be misunderstood.’ — Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood.”
—?Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Self-Reliance”, Essays: First Series, 1841
Don’t underestimate the compulsive willful blindness of people who refuse to admit they were wrong.
@Felix Don’t know. Lots of experts and studies on both sides not to mention anecdotal evidence mixed up with statistical evidence and questions about how studies were done. I had the vaccine 3 times and have been fine.
My then 96 year old mother was one of the people trapped in one of Cuomo’s incommunicado – in person rehabs – in 2021. When the vaccine first became available to the elderly in January, they called me up asked me if they should give it to her and I said yes. 7 weeks later, she was diagnosed with Covid but was asymptomatic so they put her in the Covid Ward and with my permission, they gave her the cocktail of drugs that cured Trump in 3 days and within the week she was cured. She was home a week after that and I have been taking care of her in her home ever since.
She’s been fine ever since. I didn’t get her the flu shot because she’s never believed in that. Never had the flu either. I’ve had the flu shot. And gotten the flu. 😀
Before the vaccines were available, I had doubts but I have two first cousins with PhDs in the sciences and the malaria expert with a PhD in Physical Chemistry asked me if I was planning in never going outside again and the one with PhD in flow dynamics said the Oxford vaccine looked promising. So I took the plunge as soon as it was available to me in February 2021. Moderna.
I think I may have gotten Covid in the second week of January 2020. I didn’t have a thermometer but I had all the symptoms and was in agony. It lasted 3 weeks. The doctor said it was the flu. The 3rd week, I finally went out, to the doctor, a really good chiropractor, and an acupuncturist who is a famous Chinese Doctor of Chinese medicine recommended by a well-known dance therapist I know, a former ballerina herself, a friend of my mother’s.
.
I do believe without any doubts whatsoever in the efficacy of knocking on wood. You could say, religiously, in fact. Naah. not really. My beliefs change weekly like clockwork. As soon as new paradigm-changing information comes my way. I’m like the shtetl rabbi whose wife says, “The can’t both be right!” and to whom he replies mildly, “You know, you have a point, too.” 😀
At least in this area. It doesn’t hit close to home for me like other issues.
My mother will be 99 in July. Knock on wood
Edgar this guy Dr. Dan Wilson has his Phys doctorate in the field.
The problem is not getting the experts
The problem is in those who poison the air with lies.
This is why Wilson is important as he answers the lies.
His work is therefore invaluable
This is his analysis on someone heavily promoted on Israpundit by Ted and Peloni
Dr Robert Malone
https://youtu.be/xjszVOfG_wo
Sebastien
I’m not totally understanding your point here. This study is not the central issue. Is Peloni correct or not?
Tanna.it took me less than a minute to find this
“When it comes to the measles vaccine, two shots are better than one. Most people in the United States are initially vaccinated against the virus shortly after their first birthday and return for a booster shot as a toddler. Less than 1% of people who get both shots will contract the potentially lethal skin and respiratory infection.”
https://www.science.org/content/article/measles-outbreak-traced-fully-vaccinated-patient-first-time
““Long Covid Symptoms Only Last A Few Months, Study Finds
Most people who had a mild Covid infection shouldn’t suffer loss of smell, brain fog or other persistent symptoms for more than a few months.
That’s according to an analysis of the medical records of nearly two million people who were tested for Covid in Israel between March 2020 and October 2021.
It’s one of the longest follow-up studies in patients with mild COVID-19 to date.
Researchers at the independent non-profit KI Research Institute, in Jerusalem, wanted to specifically address the clinical effects of long Covid a year after mild infection, and how they correlated with age, sex, vaccination status, and COVID-19 variants.
They compared the health of uninfected individuals with those who had recovered from mild COVID-19 for a year after infection.
They found that vaccinated people were at lower risk of breathing difficulties – the most common symptom after mild infection – compared with unvaccinated cases.
But both vaccinated and unvaccinated patients had a similar risk for different symptoms associated with long Covid.
Male and female patients showed only minor differences, while children had fewer symptoms than adults after being infected. Findings were also similar across the Alpha and Delta COVID-19 variants.
Patients who suffered badly and ended up in the hospital were excluded from the study.
“Our study suggests that mild COVID-19 patients are at risk for a small number of health outcomes and most of them are resolved within a year from diagnosis,” said the researchers.
“Importantly, the risk for lingering dyspnoea (shortness of breath) was reduced in vaccinated patients with breakthrough infection compared with unvaccinated people, while risks of all other outcomes were comparable.”
The findings were published in the peer-reviewed medical journal The BMJ.”
https://nocamels.com/category/news-briefs/
Felix,
The effectiveness of vaccinations has been studied and re-studied for decades, with remarkable evidence for vaccines that combat –
Measles
Tetanus
Chicken Pox
Polio
I wonder why we are not seeing break through infections here.
I think I understand perfectly that we are being lie too!
Tanna you seem to misunderstanding of rlole of vaccines
“Some fully vaccinated people will still get COVID-19 if they are exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19. These are called vaccine breakthrough infections.
People with vaccine breakthrough infections may spread COVID-19 to others. However, fully vaccinated people with a breakthrough infection are less likely to have serious illness with COVID-19 than those who are unvaccinated. Even when vaccinated people develop symptoms, they tend to be less severe than those experienced by unvaccinated people.”
https://www.mayoclinic.org/coronavirus-covid-19/fully-vaccinated
Could not agree more. currently have several friends and know of several others who have been vacxx.ed. and boosted and are currently dealing with the big C. How do I know this? cause the doctor tested them and they all where POSTIVE.
For anyone still caught in the misconception that this was ever about science read this article carefully. Rather than following the science, as many have been taught to mime, they ignored the science, drawn by the reality that the science demonstrated that their corruption was not only criminal, but lethal.
In fact, that monstrous sing song “we follow the science” does remind me of the tale of the hoard of sea lions following the lead lion as he leapt to his death at the top of a great ravine, never aware that they were all doomed till reality hit them at the end of their fall. Well, we are not at the end of the fall yet, so we will likely still have to endure people mindlessly singing that nonsense song a bit longer, but the end is coming and when it hits, the reality of what we have done to ourselves will be a crushing blow of realism to hit all at once – more for some than others, I believe.