TACOMA, Wash — The city of Tacoma canceled its annual fireworks show on the waterfront this year, but that's not stopping people from making other July Fourth plans despite a rise in COVID-19 cases.
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department has reported 497 new COVID-19 cases in the last two weeks with 66 new cases reported Friday and 47 new cases Saturday, July 4. It's one of the largest increases the county has seen in months. The total number of cases in the county now sits at 2,751 including 90 deaths, according to the health department.
But even with the rise in COVID-19 cases, people KING 5 spoke with on Friday said they plan to go forward with their holiday plans.
"It's super weird, definitely a little odd having no sort of formal celebration," said Andrew Snyder of Tacoma. "Now it's just hitting the beach and enjoying the nice weather and hopefully trying to stay distant from everyone."
Earlier this week, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department tweeted a warning to residents about the danger of large gatherings during the pandemic.
"Recently, a group of young people had an outdoor party in our area. Now, many are sick with COVID-19, and many others are in 14-day quarantine. Social gatherings are among the most common ways people spread COVID-19," the health department tweeted.
But despite that warning, some Tacoma residents said it doesn't bother them.
"We don't really care that much about it to be honest," said Raine Chrysostom, who plans to have a July Fourth barbeque with about a dozen other people and mask free. "For us, honestly we're not gonna mask up because we don't do that."
Pierce County remains in Phase 2 of the state's Safe Start plan.
