Recap of Today’s COVID-19 News and Updates

— from Emergency Operations Center, Camp Murray —

Numbers: As of May 12, there are 17,512 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Washington state, an increase of 182 cases in the last 24 hours. Visit  the Department of Health’s website for cases by county, demographics, and more.  

Statewide Response Updates 

2020 Wildland Fire Season & COVID-19 Telebriefing: Warm, sunny days have arrived for the state of Washington. This weather also marks the beginning of the wildfire season as the grasslands and forests begin to dry out. The COVID-19 pandemic is an evolving situation that has not been encountered before in wildland fire management. This telebriefing will cover ongoing planning efforts and considerations for this wildfire season from state and local natural resource, forestry, and wildland fire officials. Register here.

Updated risk assessment dashboard: The state’s COVID-19 Risk Assessment Dashboard was updated today. Most of the factors being tracked statewide are holding fairly steady. Daily testing numbers are holding steady around 6,000 per day on weekdays, but adequacy is mixed regionally with high positivity rates in some hot spot areas indicating potentially inadequate testing. The state is on track to train 1800 personnel to support the case and contact tracing investigation program announced by Gov. Jay Inslee yesterday. You can view additional updates on the dashboard here.

COVID-19 Telebriefing for May 12: Speakers include Vice Admiral (Ret.) Raquel Bono, MD, COVID-19 Health System Response Management; Kathy Lofy, MD, State Health Officer, Department of Health; Charissa Fotino, MD, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Health Care Authority; Reed Schuler Senior Advisor to the Governor; David Postman, Chief of Staff, Office of the Governor. Click here to watch.  

Guidance for partially resuming limited in-store retails and manufacturing: Gov. Jay Inslee issued guidance today for partially resuming limited in-store retail and manufacturing operations for counties granted variance under the Safe Start Phase 2 recovery plan laid out last week. 

For counties granted variance to move to Phase 2, in-store retail operations may resume with limitations, effective May 12. This builds on guidance that Inslee issued yesterday, and requires that any sit-down, in-store food and beverage services must follow all Phase 2 restaurant requirements. For more information:  Memo: Partially Resuming Limited In-Store Retail Operations and Limited In-Store Retail Operations COVID-19 Requirements 

Inslee also released guidance today regarding additional manufacturing operations which may resume, effective May 12.  For guidance and additional information:  

Memo: Resuming Additional Manufacturing Operations and Phase 2 Manufacturing Facility COVID-19 Requirements 

Click here for a full list of guidance for all current businesses. 

Statewide News Items 

Farmworker housing emergency rules increase worker safety during pandemic:New emergency rules adopted today regarding temporary farmworker housing will help increase worker safety and reduce the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). The rules detail specific steps required at farms where temporary workers live in licensed temporary housing facilities. The emergency rules, a joint effort between the state departments of Labor & Industries (L&I) and Health, take effect on May 18.  

Under the emergency rules, employers must provide occupants of temporary worker housing with cloth face coverings and ensure physical distancing at housing sites, which includes all cooking, eating, bathing, washing, recreational, and sleeping facilities. 

Farms are required to frequently clean and disinfect surfaces in housing, and must identify and isolate workers with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19. 

During the rules process, the agencies received and considered more than 500 comments on the draft rules. Click here if you would like to learn more.  Here is a link to the final rules adopted today 

Inslee issues directive to freeze hiring, personal service contracts and equipment purchases: Gov. Jay Inslee issued a directive to executive and small cabinet agencies today to freeze all hiring, personal service contracts and equipment purchases. The directive aims to mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Washington’s economy and financial outlook. 

Exemptions from the directive will be granted if needed for filling vacancies in critical areas or personal service contracts or equipment purchases are necessary to continue critical service or operations. The governor also calls upon higher education institutions, boards and commissions, and other separately elected officials to impose similar restrictions. The directive is effective May 18, 2020. Read the directive here. 

Resources  

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.