…and the latest COVID news from State Health Department

||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH |||

Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 474,342 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 18. There have been 6,330 COVID-19 deaths in Washington.

For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit the Department of Health’s dashboard and the state’s Washington Ready and COVID-19 Risk Assessment Dashboard. 

COVID-19 transmission and hospitalizations at a new all-time high. These upward trends are likely to continue in the coming month due to the delta variant. With hospital staff and capacities strained statewide, both masking and vaccination are now crucial to control and manage disease transmission. Read the full news release here.

Statewide updated mask order goes into effect Monday, Aug. 23. State Secretary of Health Umair A. Shah, M.D., MPH, amended Order 20-03 requiring face masks for everyone over five years of age in most public indoor settings regardless of vaccination status. Read the full news release here.

Inslee announces educator vaccination requirement and statewide indoor mask mandate. Gov. Jay Inslee announced a vaccination requirement for employees working in K-12, most childcare and early learning, and higher education, as well as an expansion of the statewide mask mandate to all individuals, regardless of vaccination status. Read the full news release here, and watch the press conference here.

New DOH guidance document. COVID-19 Infection Prevention Best Practices for Memory Care Units contains suggested best practices based on memory care facility-specific experiences during the pandemic and includes recommendations that may not be regulatory requirements.

Statewide COVID-19 outbreak report. This weekly document provides an overview of reported COVID-19 outbreaks in our state, based on information in DOH’s Washington Disease Reporting System (WDRS). Read the full Aug. 18 report here.

Case investigation and contact tracing metrics for DOH centralized investigations. This weekly report shows the timeliness of reaching COVID-19 confirmed and probable cases and their contacts for case investigations and contact tracing activities. Read the full Aug. 18 report here.

COVID-19 cases, death, and hospitalizations in persons who are not fully vaccinated. This weekly report provides a brief overview of confirmed or probable COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths among those who are not fully vaccinated in Washington state. Read the full Aug. 18 report here.

DOH SARS-CoV-2 sequencing and variants report. This weekly report summarizes genome sequencing coverage of Washington SARS-CoV-2 specimens from multiple laboratories from across the United States and our state. It provides a statewide view of sequencing capacity and data, including breakouts by county and demographics. Read the full Aug. 18 report here.

Resources

Latest COVID-19 reopening guidance for businesses and workers. A full list of current reopening guidance from the Governor’s Office is available here.

Find a COVID-19 testing location near you. To make it easier to find a test near you, the DOH has created a webpage to help people find COVID-19 testing locations throughout the state.

Guidance and resources for employers and business owners. Sign up for the weekly Economic Resiliency Team business and worker newsletter here.

The state COVID-19 Assistance Hotline is a general information line related to COVID-19. If you need information or have a general question, call 1-800-525-0127, then press # or text 211-211 for help. New hours of operation are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday, and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and observed state holidays. You can also text the word “Coronavirus” to 211-211 to receive information and updates on your phone wherever you are. You will receive links to the latest information on COVID-19, including county-level updates, and resources for families, businesses, students, and more.

Washington Listens helps people manage stress and anxiety they may be experiencing because of COVID-19. If you or anyone you know is having difficulties managing stress, call the Washington Listens support line at 1-833-681-0211. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. TTY and language access services are available by using 7-1-1 or their preferred method. Resources and self-help tips are available on walistens.org.