Category: Infectious Disease
When should you get tested for COVID-19? How do you get tested?
Seattle & King County public health officials recommend that anyone who has COVID-19 symptoms or close contact with someone who has COVID-19 be tested right away.
Washington state launches contact tracing initiative
Contact tracers will reach out to people who may have been exposed the virus.
UW Hospital Workers Complain of Minimal Disclosure After COVID Exposures
Workers at the University of Washington Medical Center are complaining hospital authorities are not notifying them when they may have been exposed on the job.
Coronavirus: what is convalescent plasma therapy?
Convalescent plasma treatment involves using plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19 and infusing it into patients who currently have the disease.
King County urges people to wear masks in indoor public settings, outdoors where social distancing is difficult
The directive, effective on May 18, strongly urges all individuals at indoor or confined outdoor public settings to use face coverings over their nose and mouth.
We Knew The Coronavirus Was Coming, Yet We Failed 5 Critical Tests
COVID-19 has provided a stress test to the U.S. health care system, and our grade isn’t pretty. A number of other countries have done much better..
What needs to go right to get a coronavirus vaccine in 12-18 months
Vaccine development is a long and complicated. Only about 6% of vaccine candidates are approved for public use. On average, process takes 10.7 years.
COVID-19 transmission rate may be increasing in King County, Western Washington
After dropping in March and into the first part of April, the transmission rate of COVID-19 is no longer falling and may be rising again in Western Washington,
Positive COVID-19 tests decline in Seattle, state, UW study finds
Early and aggressive physical distancing measures enacted in Washington state appear to have blunted the COVID-19 pandemic in the region, the study suggests.
Child vaccination rates drop in Washington state
Providers in Washington’s Childhood Vaccine Program report they give 30% fewer vaccines to 0-18 year olds in March than they usually do.
Reopening In The COVID Era: How To Adapt To A New Normal
Should you go to the beach? What about the hair salon? A sit-down restaurant meal? Visit Mom on Mother’s Day?
Tips for staying safe outdoors as more recreation lands reopen
More public lands are reopening for limited use following closures to slow the spread of COVID-19. King County is offering guidelines for safely enjoying parks, trails, and natural areas.
Health Officials Wanted to Close a Meatpacking Plant, but the Governor Said No
Health officials in Grand Island, Nebraska, wanted the JBS meatpacking plant closed. But Gov. Pete Ricketts said no. Since then, cases have skyrocketed.
Don’t let COVID-19 keep you from seeking emergency care
Serious symptoms, like those associated with a heart attack or stroke, are still urgent during the COVID-19 pandemic, and rapid treatment is critical.
To understand the danger of COVID-19 outbreaks in meatpacking plants, look at the industry’s history
Packing plants from Washington state to Iowa to Georgia have temporarily suspended operations, although President Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act in an effort to quickly restart these facilities.