Recap of recent statewide COVID-19 news and updates

||| FROM STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT |||

Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 805,459 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 5. There have been 9,974 COVID-19 deaths in Washington.

For the most recent number of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit the Department of Health’s dashboard.

Jan. 6 COVID-19 response update media briefing. Secretary of Health Umair A. Shah provided an update on the state’s COVID-19 response. He was joined by Dr. Tao Kwan-Gett, chief science officer, DOH; Lacy Fehrenbach, deputy secretary, DOH; Michele Roberts, acting assistant secretary, DOH; Andrew Rose, COVID-19 incident commander, DOH; and Dr. Charissa Fotinos, acting Medicaid chief, deputy chief medical officer, Washington State Health Care Authority. View the briefing.

New report tracks risk of COVID-19 reinfection in Washington state. A new weekly report includes information on hospitalizations and deaths, demographics, trends over time, and vaccination status of people with a reinfection where DOH has information about both infection events. Read the full news release.

COVID-19 booster recommendation expands to everyone age 12 and older. Youths ages 12 to 17 should receive a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at least 5 months after completing their primary vaccination series. Read the full news release.

Gov. Jay Inslee’s Jan. 5 press conference. The governor discussed the state’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was joined by Lacy Fehrenbach, deputy secretary, DOH; and Nick Streuli, executive director of external affairs, Office of the Governor. View the press conference. 

Updated DOH guidance document on health care infection prevention. Donning and Doffing PPE is a graphic demonstrating best practices for putting on and taking off personal protective equipment (PPE) in health care settings.

COVID-19 cases among children and youth in Washington. This weekly report provides information on COVID-19 in all children and youth, ages 0 to 19 years. Cases are broken down by educational service district (ESD) regions and age. Read the full Jan. 5 report.

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 Jan. 5 report.

COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths by vaccination status. 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 Jan. 5 report.

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 Jan. 5 report.

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 Jan. 5 report.

Inslee announces additional resources for omicron variant. As the state experiences a dramatic rise in COVID-19 cases due to the omicron variant, Gov. Jay Inslee announced steps to contain the spread. Read the full news release.

Resources

Get a vaccine, exposure notifications, COVID-10 testing, and proof of vaccination. Use the DOH vaccine locator to help end the pandemic. Next, get WA Notify so you’ll know if you’ve been near another person who later tests positive for COVID-19. To get quickly and easily tested anywhere in Washington, visit the DOH COVID-19 testing locations page. For K-12 students, staff, and parents/guardians, learn more about our partnership that helps schools provide easy COVID-19 testing on site. Once vaccinated, you can provide your vaccination status using WA Verify.

Latest COVID-19 reopening guidance for businesses and workers. See a full list of current reopening guidance from the Governor’s Office.

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

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 on 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. See resources and self-help tips from Washington Listens.