Recap of recent COVID-19 news, updates

||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH |||

Newest numbers. The Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 312,828 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on Feb. 15. There have been 4,709 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.

Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, data note: Negative test results data from Nov. 21-30, 2020, are incomplete. Thus, negative test results and percent positivity (Testing tab) for that period should be interpreted with caution. Otherwise, the incomplete time frames presented in the dashboard are correct and up to date. The Epidemiologic Curves tab is the most accurate representation of COVID-19 activity and is updated daily as new cases are identified.

DOH expands school testing initiative to encourage more in-person learning. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH), in partnership with the Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and Health Commons Project, is expanding its COVID-19 testing service for school and adding voluntary testing options to its toolkit for school districts. This is part of the ongoing effort to expand in-person learning to more Washington students. Read the full news release here.

South Central region hospital misreports COVID admissions; Department of Health moves region into Phase 2. DOH announced that a hospital in the South Central region of the Healthy Washington Plan misreported data, which led to a determination that the region remain in Phase 1 of Gov. Jay Inslee’s Roadmap to Recovery phased reopening plan. When the region did not move to Phase 2, it was brought to the attention of DOH that a hospital in the region appeared to be incorrectly reporting its hospital admission data. Read the full news release here.

Updated: Mass vaccination sites prioritize second doses after more than 40,000 get first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. During the week of Feb. 14, many of DOH’s mass vaccination sites will focus primarily on second doses to ensure Washingtonians are fully vaccinated. Read the full news release here.

Washington state to focus on second doses of COVID-19 vaccine this week. Appointments to get a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine will be extremely limited in Washington state the week of Feb. 14 as DOH focuses on second doses. Read the full news release here.

Major milestone: 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered across the state. DOH is thrilled to share that more than 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been given to people across the state since distribution began in mid-December of 2020. Read the full news release here.

Roadmap to Recovery update: Additional regions to move into Phase 2. DOH released updated data to support Gov. Jay Inslee’s Roadmap to Recovery phased reopening plan. Read the full news release here.

Updated guidance for farmers markets, food pantries, grocery stores, restaurants, and other food establishments. This guidance is now combined into one document for all Food Workers and Establishments (PDF). The individual links on DOH’s Resources and Recommendations page for farmers markets, food pantries, grocery stores, and restaurants will soon be redirected to the Food Workers and Establishments document. For additional requirements in this sector, please also see the governor’s COVID-19 reopening guidance for businesses and workers site for Restaurants, Taverns, Wineries, Breweries and Distilleries; and a new FAQ on Outdoor and Open-Air Structures. Updated guidance has also been posted by DOH for Transient Accommodations (Hotels, Motels, B&Bs, etc.) (PDF) to include information outlined in the governor’s Healthy Washington – Roadmap to Recovery plan.

Gov. Inslee’s Feb. 16 press conference. The governor discussed the state’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including school testing programs and returning to in-person learning. He was joined by Lacy Fehrenbach, deputy secretary for COVID response, Department of Health; Shaun Carey, superintendent, Enumclaw School District; and Sarah Sutton, project manager, Health Commons Project. View the press conference here.