News & Information
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. HOLIDAY: Kitsap Public Health will be closed in observance of MLK Day, Monday, Jan. 18. COVID-19 testing results will not be reported and there will not be a Coronavirus Update published on Jan. 18. Updates will resume on Tuesday, Jan. 19.
COVID-19 Testing Results Update for Kitsap County as of 11 a.m. Jan. 16
* View the COVID-19 Risk Assessment Dashboard for the latest data and additional details about this report.
To learn about community-based COVID-19 drive-through test sites, open six days per week at locations across Kitsap County, and to pre-register, go to kcowa.us/covidtesting.
For the latest updates and information on COVID-19 vaccination planning, visit the Kitsap County Public Health site at kcowa.us/vaccine and the Washington State Department of Health page at COVIDVaccineWA.org.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
On Monday, January 18, we will honor the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., his leadership in the civil rights movement and overall contributions to our country. While the third Monday in January officially became a federal holiday celebrating Dr. King in 1986, it wasn’t until 1994 when Congress designated the holiday as a national day of service. The “day on, not a day off” is an opportunity for all Americans to honor Dr. King by helping in their community.
Even though COVID-19 has interrupted our daily lives, there are still many ways people in Kitsap County can celebrate Dr. King and the national day of service, while still following COVID safety guidelines. There are also ways to include children and teach them the importance of service to the community. Some ideas include:
- Running an errand for a housebound neighbor or friend
- Sending or delivering a card to someone needing encouragement or support
- Walking around your neighborhood and picking up trash
- Planting a tree
- Donating needed household items and food to a shelter or food pantry
The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service is also a good time to commit to longer-term volunteering. There are many opportunities to volunteer for non-profits throughout the county. Additionally, Kitsap County Department of Emergency Management has a variety of volunteer positions that include assisting at COVID-19 quarantine and isolation centers or joining amateur ham radio operators and county search and rescue groups. Opportunities through KCDEM can be found here while other volunteer opportunities available through Kitsap County can be found here.
To learn more about the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service, visit the AmeriCorps website.
The new federal legislation that expands and changes CARES Act provisions includes an extra $300 per week for eligible claimants who are receiving benefits from any unemployment program. The extra payment is called Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), which began this week. Claimants who are eligible for benefits from the week ending Jan. 2, to the week ending March. 13, will receive the extra amount.
Go to the Washington State Employment Security Department website and see their COVID-19 frequently asked questions for more information.
Texts speed COVID-19 exposure notification across the state
The Washington State Department of Health will now text a verification code to every person in Washington state who tests positive for COVID-19. The goal is to help WA Notify exposure notification users alert fellow users faster if they’ve been exposed.
Washington Exposure Notifications (also known as WA Notify) is a new tool that works through smartphones, without sharing any personal information, to alert users if they may have been exposed to COVID-19. It is completely private, and doesn’t know or track who you are or where you go.
People who test positive for COVID-19 will still receive notification from their health care provider or testing facility, but everyone who tests positive will now also receive a text. That text includes a link to activate a verification code within WA Notify, and anonymously alert users they may have been exposed.
Read more about the new WA Notify feature here.
To learn more:
• Visit WANotify.org to see how easy it is to add WA Notify to your smartphone.
• Information about WA Notify is available in multiple languages: WANotify.org/languages.
• View a video that describes how WA Notify works.
|
Useful Links
|
.png)