 COVID-19 BULLETIN
Recap of Recent COVID-19 News and Updates
Thursday, April 8, 2021
Statewide Response Updates
Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 348,431 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on April 7. There have been 5,316 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 Roadmap to Recovery Metrics dashboard.
April 7 COVID-19 media briefing. Washington State Secretary of Health Umair Shah provided an update on the state's COVID-19 response. He was joined by Lacy Fehrenbach, deputy secretary of health; SheAnne Allen, COVID-19 vaccine director; Scott Lindquist, acting state health officer; and Dan Laster, Vaccine Command and Coordination System (VACCS) director. View the briefing here.
Gov. Jay Inslee's April 8 press conference. The governor gave updates on the state's COVID-19 pandemic response and the 2021 legislative session. He was joined by Penny Sweet, mayor of Kirkland; Lisa Janicki, chair of Skagit County Board of Commissioners; Lacy Fehrenbach, DOH deputy secretary of health; and Nick Streuli, executive director of external affairs, Office of the Governor. View the press conference here.
COVID-19 data show concerning increases in disease activity. DOH released the latest statewide situation report on COVID-19, which shows increasing transmission and daily case counts. The trends highlight the need to continue prevention measures like wearing masks and maintaining physical distance while vaccination efforts continue. Read the full news release here [to be posted soon].
COVID-19 vaccine distribution update from DOH. As of April 5, more than 3,798,746 doses of vaccine have been given across the state, which is nearly 85% of the 4,477,920 doses that have been delivered to our providers and long-term care programs. Washington is currently averaging 59,592 vaccine doses given each day. Read the full news release here.
Public Health Week in Washington continues. Join a discussion Friday, April 9, at 11 a.m. on Re-imagining public health: Current and future challenges. The panel will include Secretary of Health Umair Shah and other public health experts.
Inslee updates travel restriction proclamation. Gov. Jay Inslee's updated proclamation clarifies that, in addition to requiring compliance with CDC restrictions related to international flight travel, all other types of travel, including intrastate travel, should also follow CDC guidance and requirements. Read the full proclamation here.
DOH SARS-CoV-2 sequencing and variant report. This weekly report summarizes genome sequencing coverage of Washington SARS-CoV-2 specimens from multiple laboratories from across the U.S. and our state. It provides a statewide view of sequencing capacity and data, including breakouts by county and demographics. Read the full April 8 report here.
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 April 7 report here.
COVID-19 long-term care report. As of April 5, 2021, a total of 19,347 COVID-19 cases and 2,588 deaths have been identified as associated or likely associated with a long-term care facility (such as nursing home, assisted living facility, or adult family home). These cases include residents as well as employees and visitors. Read the full April 6 report here.
April 9 deadline for Working Washington Grants: Round 4. This state Department of Commerce program focuses on brick-and-mortar for-profit small businesses, especially those that were required to close due to public health and safety measures. Grant awards will be up to $25,000. Get more information here.
WSDA COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Grants for ag-related sectors. The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) is offering grants to small agriculture-related businesses in sectors that have suffered economically due to the coronavirus pandemic, but have been left out of earlier relief programs. The two-week application period begins April 9. Get more information here.
Small Business Administration's Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program launches this week. The Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program includes over $16 billion in grants to shuttered venues, to be administered by SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance. The application portal opened April 8. Get more information here.
Resources
Latest COVID-19 reopening guidance for businesses and workers. A full list of current reopening guidance from the Governor's Office is available here.
Find a COVID-19 testing location near you. To make it easier to find a test near you, the DOH has created a webpage to help people find COVID-19 testing locations throughout the state.
Guidance and resources for employers and business owners. Sign up for the weekly Economic Resiliency Team business and worker newsletter here.
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 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. Resources and self-help tips are available on walistens.org.
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