Recap of today’s COVID-19 news and updates

Statewide Response Updates

— from Emergency Operations Center, Camp Murray —

Numbers. As of May 19, there are 18,971 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Washington state, an increase of 160 cases from the previous day. Visit the Department of Health’s website for cases by county, demographics, and more.

Hospitalization data update. On May 20, DOH added hospitalization data for confirmed cases of COVID-19 to the data dashboard. The new format allows you to view hospitalizations in several tabs of the dashboard. You can view hospitalization numbers for confirmed cases by county, by hospital admission date (both new admissions per day in the epidemiologic curves tab and total cumulative number in the cumulative counts tab), and by demographics.

Additionally, the hospitalization data in the summary data tables below the dashboard has been updated to reflect a change in reporting. Hospitals are now reporting the total number of COVID-19 patients intubated rather than the total number of COVID-19 patients in the ICU. This aligns the data hospitals submit to DOH with the data they’re required to report to federal agencies.

How does the state collect and report COVID-19 death data? The Washington State Department of Health collects, maintains, and publicly releases data about death in our state. The process for identifying, recording, and registering COVID-19 deaths is complex and involves multiple data systems. The numbers provided on our website represent the best information available from our multiple data systems and are current as of the day prior to release.

Still have question about death data?
Telebriefing tomorrow at 1 pm. Washington State Department of Health epidemiologists will present on how the state collects, maintains, and publicly releases data about COVID-19 deaths. Media outlets register here. 

If you would like to ask a question, you must register and log in to the teleconference via WebEx, and send an email to WAJIC@mil.wa.gov with subject line Briefing Question. You do not need to include your question in the email. We will call on and unmute individual reporters for questions, and will not open the phone line or take questions submitted by chat. We will prioritize questions from Washington state press. For ideal audio quality, download the WebEx Meetings Application.

Inslee press conference on COVID-19 Thursday, May 21 at 11:30 am. Gov. Jay Inslee will address media tomorrow via streaming video and telephone to talk about restarting faith-based services and will speak to health care providers on the importance of seeking urgent medical care amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the conversation, the governor will be available for questions from the media. The press conference will be live streamed by TVW. Register here.

Inslee issues additional guidance for real estate and fitness operations in Phase 2. For counties granted variance to move to Phase 2, real estate operations and fitness and training operations may resume, effective May 19. 

• Memo: Phase 2 Real Estate Requirements
• Phase 2 Real Estate COVID-19 Requirements

• Memo: Resuming Fitness and Training
• Phase 2 Fitness and Training Restart COVID-19 Reopening Requirements

Resuming non-elective medical and dental procedures. In case you missed it, on Monday, Gov. Jay Inslee released a new proclamation for resuming non-elective medical and dental procedures across the state’s health care system. The proclamation relies on providers to exercise their clinical judgment to determine the need to deliver a service while maintaining a 20 percent surge capacity in hospitals and continuously monitoring personal protective equipment, ventilators and other supplies in the presence of ongoing COVID-19 infection. The state, health care leaders and labor unions partnered closely to determine how to safely reopen the health system. The full proclamation is available here.

Case and contact tracing program continues to expand. Washington state expands capacity to track and prevent spread of COVID-19 The Washington State Department of Health is rapidly training personnel to support case investigations and contact tracing. As of May 19, 723 National Guard personnel and 769 Department of Licensing personnel have been trained to help local health jurisdictions with this work as needed.

Some people with medical emergencies are not calling 911 when they need it.  EMS leaders are reporting that people seeking help are significantly sicker because they are waiting longer to call 911, especially those experiencing cardiac events or strokes. Some people with medical emergencies are not calling 911 when they need it because they are worried about getting exposed to COVID-19 in an ambulance or hospital. Unfortunately, that has led to an increase in the number of people dying at home—often unnecessarily. If you have a medical emergency, call 911. Our emergency medical responders are doing everything they can to make it safe for you. To help keep patients and crews safe during the COVID-19 response, they are wearing additional protection, including gowns, masks, and face shields. Ambulances were previously disinfected after each patient, and now they are getting even more decontamination. There is no need to be concerned about calling for help when you need it.

Inslee letter affirms support for Cascade Care. Yesterday, Gov. Jay Inslee reiterated his support for Cascade Care Care – Washington state’s public option health insurance plan – in a letter to Washington State Health Care Authority Director Sue Birch and Washington State Health Benefit Exchange CEO Pam MacEwan. The letter reads, in part:

“I fully recognize the challenges of introducing such a bold program and understand that this will be a multi-year journey. Our current situation has tested the mettle of our state’s entire healthcare system. While Cascade Care may take a preliminary approach in its initial year, we fully expect it to flourish in future years.”

Last year, the governor signed the landmark health care legislation creating Cascade Care, the nation’s first public option health insurance plan. This came after several years of hard work to expand and protect healthcare under the Affordable Care Act.

Background: Washington state to launch first-in-the-nation health care option for all and new long-term care program.

Resources

Practice compassion.  May 17-23 is EMS Week! Now, more than ever, we thank these brave men and women who are there for us, often on the worst day of our lives. Please thank the EMS heroes in your community by sending your best wishes for their safety and health.

The Do’s and Don’ts of cloth face coverings. Washington State Department of Health published a blog with information on what to know about face coverings here

Washington 211 COVID-19 Call Center. Do you need information or answers to your questions and concerns about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19)? You can call 1-800-525-0127 or text 211-211 for help. 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. 

Interested in volunteering during disasters and significant events like COVID-19? Register with the Washington State Emergency Registry of Volunteers (WAserv) to partner with public health and others who need assistance in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic.