||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH |||
Newest numbers. The Department of Health reported a total of 231,724 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on December 28. There have been 3,369 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 COVID-19 risk assessment dashboard.
Weekly COVID-19 response media briefing tomorrow at noon. The weekly COVID-19 response media briefing with leaders from the state COVID-19 response will be Wednesday, Dec. 30 at 12:00 p.m. TVW will livestream the briefing here.
Corrections receives limited COVID-19 vaccine for prioritized patients and staff in Phase 1A. As of December 28, 2020, the Washington State Department of Corrections has received limited COVID-19 vaccine doses and started vaccinating staff and a limited number of incarcerated individuals, according to the approved Phase 1A dosing prioritization. This process will occur over a period of several weeks based on the vaccine supply availability.
The Phase 1A vaccine recommendation is that workers in healthcare settings, who are most at risk for becoming infected, such as those working in units that care for people with COVID-19 as well as residents of long-term care facilities, be offered the first available doses of the vaccine. Read the full press release here.
Update on federal stimulus and state pandemic relief payments. On Dec. 27, Gov. Jay Inslee announced a one-time payment of $550 to many recipients of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). Later, on the same day, President Trump signed the bill that changes and extends federal CARES Act unemployment benefits. The Employment Security Department is working to deliver Washington’s Pandemic Relief Payment (PRP) program this week and the newly extended federal benefits, which begin the week of Jan. 3.
Read the full alert here.
Commerce invests record $97 million in affordable housing projects serving thousands of people statewide. The Washington State Department of Commerce announced Tuesday $97 million in grants and loans for affordable housing projects in communities across the state. These funds will help provide an estimated 1,404 multifamily rental units/beds, 121 homes for first-time homebuyers, 86 units of modular housing, and 74 units in cottage-style communities. $85.3 million of funding comes from the state’s Housing Trust Fund, with $11.7 million provided through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) HOME and National Housing Trust Fund programs, also managed by Commerce in Washington state.
Read the full news release here.
