Is 2 weeks enough? Experts say Washington’s ‘stay-at-home’ order may need to continue to slow coronavirus
When Gov. Jay Inslee on Monday shut down many businesses, banned gatherings and ordered Washingtonians to stay at home, he said the restrictions will remain in place for at least two weeks. But public health experts say there’s nothing particularly significant about a two-week interval — and that it will likely take longer to slow the spread of the new coronavirus in a meaningful way. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Elaine Thompson)

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Digital divide challenges Washington districts seeking equity in at-home learning
The coronavirus pandemic is posing some tough questions for school districts in Spokane and the rest of the nation. One of the biggest: How many lessons will be lost by the children who need them most? Because of COVID-19, the learning curve just got a lot steeper for children who have the furthest to climb. As the crisis deepens, so too does the digital divide that isolates tens of thousands of Washington students who lack internet connections, devices and the means to obtain them. Continue reading at The Spokesman-Review. (Dan Pelle)

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Hospitals gear up for ‘uncertain times’
With cases of COVID-19 predicted to double this week and possibly skyrocket over the next month, hospitals are gearing up for a multifaceted problem: A steep influx of patients, stressed staff with limited resources and a severe decline in revenue. Current predictions from the Washington State Hospital Association show that cases could double by Friday, Island Hospital CEO Charles Hall said at an emergency board meeting Monday. Those numbers will keep climbing, he said. Continue reading at The Skagit Valley Herald. (PhotoCredit)

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