Covid 19 Seattle

In February, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) issued an announcement that COVID-19 vaccines will be distributed by the private market rather than by the federal government, a process known as commercialization. Since then, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has been working to standardize the purchase and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.  COVID-19 vaccines are expected to be …

Due to a lack of congressional funding, the federal financial support for free COVID-19 testing programs has been suspended, but the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) will continue to provide free at-home test kits through the end of 2022.   With respiratory illnesses like RSV and the flu in peak season, at-home test kits play an essential role in preventing …

The updated bivalent booster is specifically designed to combat the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron variants and offers better protection against COVID-19 now that omicron variants are the most widely circulating strains. Learn more about regional variant proportions here.   The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is encouraging all eligible people to get the bivalent booster to increase their protection against …

On September 14, 2022, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) shared a news release announcing upcoming COVID-19 vaccines clinics taking place on university campuses throughout Washington state. In partnership with the Power of Providers initiative, the DOH Care-A-Van program is providing vaccine and booster doses to university students, staff and faculty, as well as members of the public who are eligible …

This book was a project developed by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee Reference Group on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings (IASC MHPSS RG). The project was supported by global, regional and country based experts from Member Agencies of the IASC MHPSS RG, in addition to parents, caregivers, teachers and children in 104 countries. A global survey was distributed …

Knowing when you’ve been exposed to someone with COVID-19 allows you to test, isolate and protect those around you, ultimately reducing the spread of COVID-19.   The Department of Health (DOH) developed WA Notify, a tool that allows users to anonymously report and receive exposure notifications. WA Notify is free, completely private and does not track your personal information or location. …

The Washington State Department of Health COVID-19 Information Hotline can provide general COVID-19 information to callers throughout Washington. The call center operates from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Mondays and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and on observed state holidays. This hotline may be used to request Care Connect services, a program that provides food and other …

Based on data from June 23, 2022, The Seattle Times reported that six Washington counties—Lewis, Pacific, Thurston, Grays Harbor, Garfield and Spokane counties—had reached a COVID-19 community risk level considered “high.” Counties with a “high” risk level have 200 or more cases or 20 new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 people over a seven-day period.   According to the Centers for Disease …

With the launch of ForWArd—Washington’s long-term COVID-19 response plan—and the lifting of certain COVID-19 related mandates at the state and federal level, communities are evaluating what coexisting with COVID-19 looks like. Many tools are available to support the public in tracking COVID-19 and navigating life in the next season of the pandemic.   The Department of Health’s (DOH) COVID-19 Data Dashboard is a …

Several types of proof of COVID-19 vaccination are accepted in Washington State.   First is the vaccination card, which is specific to the COVID-19 vaccine and given to a patient when they receive their first dose. This is different than a vaccine record, which is a more comprehensive record of all immunizations a person has received.   A vaccine card is filled …