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Communicable Disease

Director: Jennifer Johnson

Page Updated 3-17-20 1:30pm

Novel Coronavirus Outbreak (COVID19) | Español

Community transmission of COVID-19 is occurring in Skagit County. Now is the time to follow Health Officer Recommendations and protect our community.

SKAGIT COUNTY SERVICES IMPACTED BY THE CORONA VIRUS
Current schedule changes, cancellations, and updates to services, events, and meetings.

DOH Hotline: If you have questions about what is happening in Washington or how the virus is spread, please call 1-800-525-0127. Phone lines are staffed from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

Without insurance? The Washington Health Benefit Exchange has opened a limited-time special enrollment period for qualified individuals. This special enrollment period runs through April 8, 2020. Call 1-855-923-4633; TTY: 1-855-627-9604, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, or a local certified broker or navigator.

Skagit Regional Health is providing free telehealth for anyone in Washington State seeking COVID-19 screening. Learn more at www.skagitregionalhealth.org/myeclinic

If you are uninsured or undocumented and concerned about your symptoms, you may call Community Health Plan of Washington’s 24/7 Nurse Helpline at 1-866-418-2920.

SOCIAL DISTANCING

NEWS UPDATES
News updates from Skagit County can be found here.
Sign up for Press Releases from Skagit County here.

News updates from Washington State can be found here.

Download the poster

Social distancing measures are the only tool we have to combat COVID-19 and protect our loved ones. If the community does not take these measures seriously, our health care system will be overwhelmed and not able to care for those who need it.
The Skagit County Health Officer urges the public to do their part to prevent the spread of COVID-19:

People who are sick should self-isolate except to seek medical care.
People at higher risk of severe illness should self-isolate now. This includes physical isolation from non-household family members, including grandchildren.

People at higher risk include people over 60 years of age; people with underlying health conditions including heart disease, lung disease or diabetes; people with weakened immune systems; and pregnant women.

Everyoneshould limit activity outside the home to essential activities only. However, outdoor activities such as walking, running, biking, and hiking are encouraged. If you go with another person, maintain 6 feet of distance.
The community should postpone ALL non-essential events and gatherings – both informal and formal. Fundraisers, weddings, lunchroom gatherings, retirement parties, and other social activities are considered non-essential. Please contact Skagit County Public Health for guidance at 360-416-1500 if you plan to hold any gathering outside of your immediate household members.
Employers should maximize telecommuting options for as many employees as possible; urge employees to stay home when they are sick and maximize flexibility in sick leave benefits; consider staggering start and end times to reduce large numbers of people congregating at the same time.
Parents should not arrange large playdates, sleepovers, or parties and keep their kids home. Kids should play outside to stay healthy and active. If other kids are present, kids should maintain 6 feet of distance.
Call ahead and do not go to the emergency room unless seriously ill. Emergency rooms need to be able to serve those with the most critical needs. If you have symptoms like cough, fever or other respiratory problems, contact your regular doctor by phone first.
Practice excellent personal hygiene habits, including frequent handwashing with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds; coughing into tissue or elbow; avoiding touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands. Clean and disinfect frequently touched/used surfaces.

Additionally, by order of Washington Governor Jay Inslee, Skagit County residents, businesses and organizations must observe the following social distancing requirements:

On-site consumption of food or beverage services are temporarily prohibited, including but not limited to:

Restaurants
Food courts
Bars and taverns
Wine, beer and spirits tasting venues
Doughnut shops and ice cream parlors
Coffee shops
Sit-down airport restaurants and bars

Take-out, delivery and drive-thru food and beverage services are not banned under the proclamation.
On-site food service and other related activities are permitted for childcare services and school-based food programs for K-12 schools.
Grocery stores and pharmacies will remain open.
Certain recreation, entertainment, and leisure services are temporarily prohibited, included by not limited to:
- Theaters
- Bowling alleys
- Gyms and fitness centers
- Non-tribal card rooms
- Museums
- Art galleries
- Tattoo parlors
- Barbers, hair salons and nail salons
All other retail businesses must ensure adequate environmental cleaning of stores and must designate an employee or officer to implement a social distancing plan.
All gatherings – informal and formal – over 50 people are banned.
All gatherings with under 50 participants are prohibited unless certain public health criteria are met. Please contact Skagit County Public Health for guidance at 360-416-1500 if you plan to hold any gathering outside of your immediate household members.

COVID-19 CASES IN SKAGIT COUNTY RESIDENTS

Skagit County Public Health has reviewed information from confirmed cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), community calls to Public Health, and the science on this pandemic. From our review we would like Skagit County residents to be aware that community transmission of novel coronavirus is occurring in Skagit County. Confirmation of cases through laboratory screening is not able to keep pace with ongoing community transmission.

Please be advised that Skagit County Public Health only tracks COVID-19 cases of Skagit County residents, to avoid duplication in reporting. Facilities in our community may be caring for patients who are from another county.

	Positive*	Hospitalized	Deaths
Skagit County Residents	9	2	0

Positive Case Details

Female in her 80s, investigation ongoing
Female in her 30s, currently hospitalized
Male in his 70s, in isolation at home
Female in her 60s, in isolation at home
Male in his 40s, in isolation at home
Male in his 30s, hospitalized and then discharged to home isolation
Male in his 20s, in isolation at home
Female in her 30s, in isolation at home
Female in her 40s, in isolation at home

*Total confirmed and presumptive positive cases, including deaths. A presumptive positive means that a private lab has reported a positive COVID-19 test result, which we expect to be confirmed by the Washington State Department of Health.

Note: This data is changing rapidly as labs conduct tests and discover new cases.

IF YOU ARE SICK

Healthcare providers with limited testing capacity need to prioritize testing for people with highest risk. Be advised that COVID-19 testing is for patients exhibiting symptoms only. Our hospital and clinical partners are not testing patients without symptoms at this time. Testing is occurring according to CDC and State guidelines. Many people will have mild to moderate symptoms of novel coronavirus and will not have laboratory confirmation of illness.

Symptoms of novel coronavirus include fever of 100.4 degrees or higher and cough.
People with symptoms of novel coronavirus need to isolate themselves at home for at least 7 days or 72 hours (3 days) after fever and other symptoms resolve, whichever is longer. The end of symptoms must be marked from the time after you have stopped fever reducing medication. Having a positive test result does not change that advice. It is essential that all people with symptoms of novel coronavirus follow these isolation recommendations.

Do not go to the hospital or ER for testing unless your symptoms require emergency medical care.
We need to assure that our medical system is available to care for people with serious illness, including symptoms such as shortness of breath. People experiencing shortness of breath or other serious symptoms need to seek medical consultation. Call your provider, urgent care, or emergency department first before going in.

If you are enrolled with Apple Health and do not know who your medical provider is, you can call your health plan directly for assistance. Nurse Helplines are available 24/7.

Enlarge image

If you are uninsured or undocumented and concerned about your symptoms, you may call Community Health Plan of Washington’s 24/7 Nurse Helpline at 1-866-418-2920.
Skagit Regional Health is providing free telehealth for anyone in Washington State seeking COVID-19 screening. Learn more at www.skagitregionalhealth.org/myeclinic

SKAGIT COUNTY SENIOR PROGRAMMING

The Washington Insurance Commissioner has posted important information on Medicare coverage and COVID-19.

Skagit County takes the Health Officer’s recommendations seriously and is adapting its senior services programming as follows based on the most recent guidance.

Meals on Wheels

There are currently no changes to the Meals on Wheels Program. Skagit County Public Health will continue daily hot meal delivery, Monday through Friday, and frozen weekend meals for Meals on Wheels clients as long as staffing and volunteer capacity allows.

Congregate Lunch Program

The congregate lunch program will be closed until further notice. Frozen meals are available for pick up. Please call your local senior center for details.

Mount Vernon Senior Center, 360-416-1585, Kristl Hobbs or Nickie McNulty
Sedro-Woolley Senior Center, 360-855-1531, Ellen Schweigert or Merrilee Komboukos
Burlington Senior Center, 360-755-0942 or 360-755-0102, Jackie Cress or Cheryl Kaufman
Anacortes Senior Activity Center, 360-293-7473, Amanda Miller or Annette Saling

Senior Center Programs and Activities

All Senior Center programs and activities are discontinued until further notice. This includes after hour use of the Mount Vernon Senior Center. All groups and activities will be cancelled.

Public Health understands that these changes have significant impacts on community members. They are designed to protect the health of those at serious risk from complications due to COVID-19. Public Health is committed to ensuring seniors are able to access nutritious food during this very difficult time.

WHAT IS PUBLIC HEALTH DOING?

Since the first case of 2019 novel coronavirus was confirmed in the United States, Skagit County Public Health staff have been monitoring this outbreak and taking steps to prepare and protect our community.

Our first actions were focused on screening and monitoring travelers or others with high-risk exposures to try to contain the outbreak. We regularly communicate with our hospitals and clinics on screening and preparedness, and have staff available 24/7 on call to answer questions from health care providers. As the situation evolves, we are increasing our focus on community preparedness and response.

In the coming weeks, we will continue to work closely with hospitals, health care clinics, EMS, neighboring health departments, and our county emergency management. We will also work with schools, childcare facilities, senior centers, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities to plan best practices to slow and mitigate serious impacts from the outbreak.

HOW TO PREPARE AND RESPOND

On March 13th, Governor Inslee expanded to the entire state the prohibition of social, spiritual and recreational gatherings of more than 250 people. Practicing social distancing is the best way to reduce the risk of catching or spreading illness. Washington State and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have released guidance for individuals and organizations on COVID-19 preparedness and response. These trusted sources of information are the best way to stay informed on the novel coronavirus:

DOH has specific guidance for different sectors, such as employers, event planners, faith-based organizations, and many others. It is especially important that employers, schools, parents, childcare providers, healthcare providers, travelers, and people in high-risk groups stay informed on the latest guidance and resources from DOH and CDC.

INSURANCE

Without insurance? The Washington Health Benefit Exchange has opened a limited-time special enrollment period for qualified individuals. This special enrollment period runs through April 8, 2020. Call 1-855-923-4633; TTY: 1-855-627-9604, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, or a local certified broker or navigator.

The Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner has additional important insurance information.

SCHOOLS

On March 13th, Governor Inslee announced a state-wide school closure beginning no later than Tuesday, March 17th and lasting through April 24th. This applies to all schools - K-12 plus 2-year, 4-year, community and technical schools. Social distancing measures, such as school closures, are the best tool we have to prevent the rapid spread of COVID-19 in Skagit County.

Closing schools now will help significantly reduce the negative impacts of COVID-19 on our residents’ health. Although children are not likely to become seriously ill from COVID-19, they can spread it to others who are at high risk, like teachers, grandparents, and coaches. Additionally, as the number of COVID-19 cases in our community increases, it will be very difficult for schools to ensure adequate staffing levels.

Because our elders are at high risk of severe disease from COVID-19, please be respectful of people over age 60 trying to isolate themselves at home, even if they are begging to provide childcare. For the health and safety of the loving grandparents, consider whether it’s possible for your family to find an alternate source of backup childcare. Reach out to teenagers you trust, who are also out of school, and see if they are interested in helping out.

It is important that students and families continue to monitor communications from their local school districts.

The Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has released additional guidance for schools.

FOR BUSINESSES

The COVID-19 outbreak across the globe has - and will continue to have - significant health, social, and economic impacts on our community. We understand this impact will fall heavily on the business sector. Your business is an important part of our community.
Employers should:

Maximize telecommuting options for as many employees as possible
Urge employees to stay home when they are sick and maximize flexibility in sick leave benefits
Stagger start and end times to reduce large numbers of people congregating at the same time
Abide by the latest guidance for disinfection and cleaning

Resources for businesses, workers and employers are being made available every day.

General Information

Financial and Benefits Resources

Facilities Resources

Public Health - Seattle & King County has provided resources and facility-based guidance. In the interest of maximizing staff time for response efforts, we are sharing what our peer local health jurisdiction has recommended, rather than recreating materials or guidance.

FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS & SENIORS
Persons who are older or who have underlying health conditions are at higher risk to develop complications from this virus. Your health and the health of those you care about are important, and it is recommended that you try to stay at home and away from other people during this time. Preparing for this requires some planning.

Make sure you can contact your regular healthcare provider when you need advice. Some clinics use the “patient portals” to communicate and most of them will have staff who can take your calls to give advice. Please keep in mind that they will likely be very busy, so try to anticipate your needs.
Make a list of medicines that you need regularly and ask the pharmacy or your healthcare provider if you can have an extra supply or prescription. Mail order is a good option to help avoid going to the store.
Talk with your neighbors and plan for ways you can help take care of one another. Ask for support and help if you need it.
Consider stocking up on extra food or personal hygiene supplies. Call your local stores and national chains to see if they have a curbside pickup or home delivery option available. This will help you avoid going into the store where there are lots of people. If you are trying to avoid public places and have to go to the store, consider your ability to go during times when it is less busy.
Practice good health habits, including washing your hands frequently with soap and water, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying home when you don’t feel well.

FOR TRAVELERS

Countries worldwide are reporting increasing numbers of cases. Those who have traveled to affected areas or have been in close contact with someone who has a confirmed case of COVID-19 are at higher risk of becoming ill.

There are travel alerts for multiple countries. The list of countries with coronavirus-related alerts may grow and change quickly, and people are encouraged to check CDC travel alerts. Returning travelers from affected countries are advised to self-monitor for 14 days and, if they develop symptoms like a fever, cough or difficulty breathing, to self-isolate and seek medical guidance by calling their health care provider.

CARE FACILITIES

This is an especially difficult time for those living in long-term care facilities and for those with loved ones housed in these facilities. Individual facilities may implement different protocols, but some statewide measures have already been put in place to protect vulnerable seniors who are more at risk for severe complications from COVID-19.

On March 10th, Governor Inslee issued new rules to protect residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities. On March 13th, he expanded these rules to include adult family homes, as well. The governor’s rules require that:

Visitors must be adults and the visit must take place in the resident’s room. This does not apply to end-of-life situations.
All visitors must follow COVID-19 screening and follow reasonable precautionary measures. Precautionary measures include, but are not limited to, wearing personal protective equipment, social distancing, or visiting in designated locations.
All visitors must sign into a visitor’s log. Owners and operators must retain that log for 30 days.
Employees or volunteers must be screened for COVID-19 symptoms at the start of each shift.
People who live in nursing homes or assisted living facilities and who test positive for COVID-19 must be isolated from other people.
Owners, operators, staff and volunteers are prohibited from disclosing protected and confidential health information, except as otherwise provided by law or with the resident’s consent.

Your loved one’s facility may have implemented stricter protocols based on guidance from the Washington State Department of Health. You can learn more about that guidance here.

CHILDCARE

Information about child care options for essential workers continues to evolve.
For those who are in need of child care, please call the Child Care Aware Family Center at 1-800-446-1114 or go to their website.

If you are a health care provider or first responder, you can also check with your School District to see if they are offering District-specific resources. Some have information posted already; others are still working on this. Your employer may also have information about other options.