Most recent statewide COVID guidance, response updates

||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH |||

Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 417,318 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on July 7. There have been 5,986 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. 

Updated DOH guidance documents:

• These two guidance documents align with the amended secretary’s mask order, L&I directives for workplaces, and governor’s proclamation. More comprehensive updates will be developed in the coming weeks.
  • K-12 Schools 2021-2022 Requirements
  • Child Care, Youth Development, and Day Camps During COVID-19

• Long-term care facility updates:
  • What to do if you identify a COVID-19 case in your Long-term Care Facility provides a suggested framework for responding to COVID-19 in a long-term care facility.
  • L&I and DOH Respirator and PPE for In-Home Care Agencies: Employer responsibilities for respiratory protection program and provision of personal protective equipment includes updates to section #4 regarding fit-tested respirators.
  • L&I and DOH Respirator and PPE Guidance for Long-term Care: Employer responsibilities for respiratory protection program and provision of personal protective equipment includes updates to section #4 regarding fit-tested respirators.

• DOH will begin removing outdated sector-specific guidance on our Resources and Recommendations webpage this week.

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 July 7 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 July 7 report here.

SARS-CoV-2 vaccine breakthrough surveillance and case information resource. This weekly report provides data and criteria on fully vaccinated people who test positive with SARS-CoV-2 and may or may not develop COVID-19 symptoms. Read the full July 7 report here.

COVID-19 long-term care report. As of July 5, a total of 20,727 COVID-19 cases and 2,666 deaths have been identified as associated or likely associated with a long-term care facility (such as nursing home, assisted living facility, or adult family home). These cases include residents as well as employees and visitors. Read the full July 6 report here.

ICYMI: FEMA amends COVID-19 funeral assistance policy. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) amended their COVID-19 Funeral Assistance policy to assist with COVID-19-related fatalities that occurred in the early months of the pandemic. 

This policy change will allow applicants to submit a statement from the death certificate’s certifying official, medical examiner, or coroner attributing the death to COVID-19 fatalities that occurred between Jan. 20 and May 16, 2020. It provides flexibility to attribute a death to COVID-19 without amending the death certificate, as well as flexibility with documentation for the period before the CDC’s spring 2020 COVID-19 death certificate guidance.

Read more about COVID-19 funeral assistance, including FAQ.