(upbeat music) - I'm Paris Jackson in the Crosscut KCTS 9 Newsroom.
Washington state health experts say while the pandemic may not be over, the region is in a much better situation when it comes to COVID-19.
But that doesn't mean we can take our masks off and stop worrying about vaccines and testing.
With new vaccines anticipated for the fall and a much improved understanding of COVID, health experts say COVID will be part of our lives for years to come.
Hospitalizations and deaths are on the decline, but have not disappeared completely.
(upbeat music) Seattle King County public health officials fear moving forward the public will forget what we've learned during the pandemic and dismiss COVID as an ongoing threat.
(upbeat music) Officials urge people planning to get one of the new vaccines this fall to check their vaccine status now and make sure they're up to date for the summer.
As summer travel intensifies, so do potential opportunities to contract and spread viral infections.
(upbeat music) I'm Paris Jackson, find nonprofit Northwest News every day on crosscut.com.
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