Another day, more COVID-19 news and updates

— from Emergency Operations Center, Camp Murray —

Newest numbers. For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit the Department of Health’s dashboard and the state’s COVID-19 risk assessment dashboard.

Long-term care facility data. As of August 3, a total of 5,694 COVID-19 cases (10% of total cases) and 898 deaths (56% of total deaths) have been identified as associated with a long-term care facility (LTCF) (i.e., nursing home, assisted living facility or adult family home). Read the full report here. 

• These cases include residents as well as employees and visitors.
• Not all of these cases were exposed at a LTCF. Many cases visited multiple places during their exposure period, and some individuals may have visited a LTCF facility after disease onset.

New report highlights outbreak data across the state. DOH released a new report today -that helps illustrate which types of businesses and facilities experience the most COVID-19 outbreak activity. These state-level data are aggregated from all counties that report data to DOH, and the report contains both healthcare and non-healthcare related data. These outbreak data are not collected by DOH directly. Local health jurisdictions (LHJ) use information from case interviews and other means, such as voluntarily reports from businesses and facilities, to identify clusters of cases. If an LHJ confirms an outbreak, they report it to DOH.

As of 08/01/2020:

• A total of 411 non-healthcare associated COVID-19 outbreaks have been reported.
• 459 long-term care facility (LTCF) COVID-19 outbreaks have been reported in settings including nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and adult family homes.
• A total of 53 non-long-term care healthcare associated COVID-19 outbreaks have been reported in settings including hospitals, outpatient settings (dental clinics, etc.), behavioral health facilities, supported living facilities, home healthcare, dialysis centers, and independent senior living facilities.

The numbers represent outbreaks, not people impacted. DOH will update this report weekly on its COVID-19 page here.

Inslee extends two proclamations related to COVID-19. Gov. Jay Inslee today announced the extension of two proclamations in response to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. The extensions were approved by the Legislature in a July 30 letter. Both proclamations are extended to September 1, 2020. 

Garnishments – 20-49.7 – Protects CARES Act stimulus payments, as well as state and federal unemployment payments, from bank account garnishments for consumer debt.

Temporary Licensing – Dental and Pharmacy Graduates – 20-59.3 – Extends the previous waiver/suspension of legal requirements that allows recent dental, dental hygiene and pharmacy graduates to obtain their temporary licenses and begin working if certain conditions are met. It has been amended from the July 31 extension to include denturists to the list of professional graduates who may obtain their temporary licenses.

COVID-19 is real. Not everyone experiences COVID-19 the same, as evidenced by this story of a couple from Bainbridge Island. But the stories of those such as Anna King, a news correspondent for Northwest Public Broadcasting, help us all understand just how scary and dangerous this virus can be. Watch and share the state’s newest public information ad that reminds us all: COVID-19 is real. We can keep each other safe by simply wearing a mask, staying six feet apart and washing our hands.