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As the most recent numbers show, the Snohomish Health District has continued to receive more than 60 new cases each day this week. It is anticipated that the reported case rate will again increase significantly in next Monday’s update.
There are 25-30 Snohomish County residents hospitalized due to COVID. That represents a slight increase over the last week, but numbers are currently stable. Out of those hospitalized, roughly 1 in 6 individuals have required a ventilator.
Snohomish County has flattened the curve before, and we can do it again. It is essential that everyone is consistently:
- Wearing a mask, even with people you see regularly and in your smallest social circles and anytime you are using shared transportation, including while in your own vehicle with other people.
- Keeping gatherings small and holding them outside whenever possible.
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Avoiding any social gatherings indoors, but if you must participate, wearing a mask and ensuring windows and doors are open to maximize ventilation.
- Washing or sanitizing hands often and not touching your face.
- Staying home if you’re sick or if you’ve been exposed to COVID-19.
Reminders about Halloween
Earlier this month, the Health District released tips for celebrating Halloween safely. With the continued increase in cases throughout Western Washington, it is even more important to keep your ghosts and goblins close to home this year.
“As tough as it is, we need to skip some of the fun traditions now so that we can protect our vulnerable populations, help keep younger kids in school, and support the businesses that are trying to stay afloat, provide service, and keep people employed,” said Dr. Chris Spitters, Health Officer for the Health District. “Trick-or-treating this year could have costs for individuals and the community that we are not willing to bear. Please keep your kids at home on Halloween and enjoy a safe family holiday.”
To help celebrate Halloween safely, the Health District has created a number of coloring pages and other fall fun for download: www.snohd.org/activities.
Read the full release here.
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Drive-thru testing schedule
The Snohomish Health District will continue drive-thru testing at the 3900 Broadway site in Everett next week, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday thru Friday. With daylight hours decreasing, and testing volumes seen earlier in the day, the Health District no longer offers evening testing appointments.
In addition to the Everett site, the Health District will also be offering testing at the Lynnwood Food Bank on Tuesday, October 27. Appointments will be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 5320 176th St SW.
Testing remains strongly encouraged for individuals that fit the following criteria:
- Anyone with any of the following COVID-19 symptoms (fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headaches, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea); or
- Close contact of a confirmed case; or
- Anyone who lives or works in a congregate setting; or
- Work in healthcare, EMS, law enforcement or other fields where work settings have a higher risk of catching or spreading COVID-19; or
- Part of a family or social network that has had a case.
Registration is now open at www.snohd.org/testing. Insurance information is collected and the lab will bill insurance. There are no co-pays for COVID-19 testing through the Health District. If you do not have insurance, the test will be provided at no charge.
A phone line is available for test registration help, particularly those without internet access or needing language interpreter services. That number is 425.258.8425, with calls returned from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday. This number is not for checking on test results.
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Governor Jay Inslee took to social media Thursday to highlight the state having passed 100,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
“As we transition into fall, cases are again on the rise in Washington,” Inslee wrote on Facebook and Twitter. “Spending time indoors with people outside your household is just too risky right now. We all need to commit to having fewer, shorter, safer interactions – especially as the weather keeps us inside more often. Each time cases have risen, hospitalizations have followed. We’re beginning to see that same trend now. The risk COVID-19 presents is very real.”
See the full Facebook post and Twitter thread.
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A summary sheet about what parents or guardians can expect if there is a COVID-19 case in a school setting is now available in seven languages. The sheet includes information on what happens if there is a confirmed case at school, if a child is sick but has not tested positive or if a child is a close contact, as well as medical privacy reminders and details on when students or staff can return to school after illness or exposure. The info sheet is available in Arabic, Chinese, English, Korean, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese, and can be shared as a link or downloaded and printed.
Find the info sheets under “Additional Reopening Guidance” at www.snohd.org/533/COVID-19-Info-for-Schools-and-Child-Care, or on the respective language pages at www.snohd.org/covid-languages.
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The Washington State Department of Health submitted its interim vaccination plan for COVID-19 vaccine distribution to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by the stated deadline of October 16, 2020.
This plan is Washington state’s response to the request from the CDC for state and territorial health departments to answer questions and outline preliminary plans for vaccine distribution. It describes how the department will approach the work of planning for and distributing an U.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA) approved safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine once available. It also describes how crucial lessons learned from the H1N1 pandemic vaccine distribution in 2009 informed our COVID-19 vaccine plan.
For more information, see the full press release.
The Snohomish Health District and Snohomish County DEM also are working on vaccination planning efforts in coordination with the state, other public health agencies, first responders, healthcare providers, human services, and other partners. We know people have a number of questions. Several vaccine candidates are in clinical trials, and some details may not be available until those trials are complete. People should expect a phased approach to rolling out a COVID-19 vaccine, with early phases to include healthcare workers, first responders and high-risk groups.
While vaccine planning continues, don’t forget that we can all help reduce the spread of COVID-19. The tools we already have – masks, distancing, handwashing, avoiding gatherings, staying home when we’re ill, disease investigation and contact tracing – go a long way in helping keep our community healthy.
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Initial unemployment claims in Snohomish County decreased from 2,528 to 1,725, down 32% from the week before, according to the Employment Security Department.
During the week of October 11-17, there were 16,890 initial regular unemployment claims statewide (down 24.3% from the prior week) and 491,241 total claims for all unemployment benefit categories (up 3.0% from the prior week) filed by Washingtonians, the state reported.
Initial regular unemployment claim applications are 172% above last year’s weekly new claims applications. That’s a reflection of the upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
See the full press release for more information.
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Gov. Jay Inslee has issued updated guidance for religious and faith-based organizations, new safety guidance for higher education institutions, and announced a new grant program for immigrants. Summaries and links are below:
Updated guidance for religious and faith- based organizations
Gov. Jay Inslee announced updated guidance for religious and faith-based organizations as part of Washington's Safe Start phased reopening plan. For more information, see the full press release.
Proclamation establishing higher education safety guidelines
Gov. Jay Inslee issued a proclamation establishing safety guidelines for higher education institutions and living facilities. The proclamation builds on health guidance previously issued for institutions of higher education by adding additional safety measures to address significant increases in COVID-19 infections that have occurred particularly in congregate living areas, like Greek houses, and large social gatherings of students.
COVID-19 Immigrant Relief Fund now open for applications
The Washington COVID-19 Immigrant Relief Fund will provide $40 million in federal funds allocated by the state to assist Washington workers who miss work due to COVID-19, but are unable to access federal stimulus programs and other social supports due to their immigration status. While the fund is operational, eligible recipients will receive $1,000, with a limit of $3,000 per household.
For the Washington COVID-19 Immigrant Relief Fund, applications are open at immigrantreliefwa.org from Oct. 21 through Dec. 6. Benefits will be disbursed by Dec. 28.
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The Washington State Department of Commerce reminds businesses that the deadline to apply for the Small Business Resiliency grant is Wednesday, Oct. 28th at noon. $5 million in federal CARES Act funds has been allocated to this grant program. Successful grant applicants will be eligible for up to $10,000. A business owner with more than one business may apply, but each business application requires a unique state UBI number or Tribal Letter/Certification. Grant awards cannot be used to reimburse personal expenses (i.e., home mortgage, personal utilities), pay state or federal taxes or lobbying expenses/activities. More information on the program and eligibility.
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The Joint Information Center has received a number of questions about case rates. Here’s a video that takes a look at how the rate is calculated.
More important than crunching numbers, though, is the steps we take to get those numbers down. Remember to mask up, wash your hands, keep distance from others, and stay home when you feel ill.
Updated rolling two-week case rates for Snohomish County are posted on Monday afternoons at www.snohd.org/casecounts.
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Cold temperatures are starting to roll in and cold weather shelters across Snohomish County are preparing to shelter those that need a warm place to sleep. If you would like to volunteer or donate to any of the Snohomish County Cold Weather Shelters, visit www.snohd.org/cold for more information.
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The City of Arlington is offering funds for nonprofit agencies that are providing health and human services to vulnerable populations in and around the Arlington that are experiencing impacts from COVID-19. Application open October 26, 2020 and will be accepted through November 9, 2020. Application at https://arlingtonwa.seamlessdocs.com/f/nonprofitgrant
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Snohomish businesses with less than 10 employees affected by COVID-19 are eligible. The City of Snohomish will open a one-week window to apply for up-to $5,000 in grant funding for qualifying small businesses that have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
The application is available here.
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Save the date for Monroe Chamber of Commerce's annual downtown trick or treating, October 31st from 3-6 p.m. This event is intended to allow little ones the opportunity to safely and responsibly trick or treat. Masks are required and social distancing guidelines must be followed.
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Mukilteo Recreation Department and Mukilteo Chamber of Commerce will host drive-thru trick or treating at Mukilteo Lighthouse Park on Sat. Oct. 31st from 1-3 p.m.
Decorate your car and wear your costumes! Rosehill Staff, the Mukilteo Chamber of Commerce and local business will be decked out and ready to give away some treats!
Please RSVP on this event so attendance can be estimated.
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Running a household, no matter its size, is harder than ever.
Are you washing your cloth masks? Are you thanking the person who does? The little details deserve recognition, too.
More on how to care for your face covers here.
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The state Department of Health (DOH) is releasing new data about how many cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) are occurring statewide. So far there have been 15, including two reported in Snohomish County. This report will be published monthly and include county-level counts of MIS-C cases.
“While rare, MIS-C is a serious complication that appears to be associated with COVID-19. Children who suffer from MIS-C can become critically ill and some can even die.” said Dr. Kathy Lofy, State Health Officer. “That’s why it’s important that children also take measures to decrease their risk of COVID-19 like masking, hand washing, and social distancing. These are the best ways to limit the spread of COVID-19.”
Read the full news release here, and the first report here.
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the antiviral drug Veklury (remdesivir) for use in adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older and weighing at least 40 kilograms (about 88 pounds) for the treatment of COVID-19 requiring hospitalization. Veklury should only be administered in a hospital or in a healthcare setting capable of providing acute care comparable to inpatient hospital care. Veklury is the first treatment for COVID-19 to receive FDA approval.
“The FDA is committed to expediting the development and availability of COVID-19 treatments during this unprecedented public health emergency,” said FDA Commissioner Stephen M. Hahn, M.D. “Today’s approval is supported by data from multiple clinical trials that the agency has rigorously assessed and represents an important scientific milestone in the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the FDA’s Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program, the agency will to continue to help move new medical products to patients as soon as possible, while at the same time determining whether they are effective and if their benefits outweigh their risks.”
Read the full release here.
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In response to COVID-19, Washington has launched Washington Listens, a support program and phone line to help people manage elevated levels of stress due to the pandemic. Callers will speak with a support specialist and get connected to community resources in their area. The program is anonymous.
The support line is available from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
CALL 1-833-681-0211
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Case counts as of October 23, 2020.
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ESSENTIAL LINKS AND PHONE NUMBERS FOR UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION
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