COVID-19 BULLETIN

Recap of Recent COVID-19 News and Updates

Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022

Contact: 

Public Information Desk
doh-pio@doh.wa.gov

Statewide Response Updates

Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 1,257,918 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 25.* There have been 10,580 COVID-19 deaths in Washington.

*Data note: Effective Jan. 24, DOH will update the COVID-19 data dashboard on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. As of Jan. 25, we're no longer updating the dashboard on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

For the most recent number of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit the Department of Health's dashboard.

Three flu-related deaths reported in Washington as flu activity rises. Flu activity across Washington has risen to moderate levels and, for the first time in roughly two years, the state is reporting multiple flu-related deaths. Read the full news release.

Updated DOH guidance documents 

The following general public guidance documents have been updated to align with recent isolation and quarantine recommendation updates from CDC, with additional considerations from DOH:

The following school document has been updated to reflect a DOH policy decision made to further support in-person learning while also maximizing constrained COVID-19 testing supplies:

  • K-12 COVID-19 requirements for summer 2021 and the 2021-2022 school year

    Schools/districts will now be required to:

    • Test high-contact sport athletes the day of competition only and exclude those who test positive. Testing of asymptomatic athletes three times a week is no longer required. By way of reminder, a student athlete does not need to test if they have tested positive and recovered from COVID-19 in the last 90 days.

    • Ensure universal masking of all athletes during all practices/training for these high-risk sports. Coaches, trainers, and staff will not be required to be tested but MUST wear masks during all practices/training AND competitions.

Case investigation and contact tracing metrics for DOH centralized investigations. This weekly report shows the timeliness of reaching COVID-19 confirmed and probable cases and their contacts for case investigations and contact tracing activities. Read the full Jan. 26 report.

COVID-19 cases among children and youth in Washington. This weekly report provides information on COVID-19 in all children and youth, ages 0 to 19 years. Cases are broken down by educational service district (ESD) regions and age. Read the full Jan. 26 report in English and in Spanish.

COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths by vaccination status. This weekly report provides a brief overview of confirmed or probable COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths among those who are not fully vaccinated in Washington state. Read the full Jan. 26 report.

DOH SARS-CoV-2 sequencing and variants report. This weekly report summarizes genome sequencing coverage of Washington SARS-CoV-2 specimens from multiple laboratories from across the United States and our state. It provides a statewide view of sequencing capacity and data, including breakouts by county and demographics. Read the full Jan. 26 report.

SARS-CoV-2 vaccine breakthrough surveillance and case information resource. This weekly report provides data and criteria on fully vaccinated people who test positive with SARS-CoV-2 and may or may not develop COVID-19 symptoms. Read the full Jan. 26 report.

COVID-19 morbidity and mortality by race, ethnicity, and spoken language in Washington state. This bimonthly report provides an overview of confirmed or probable COVID-19 case, hospitalization, and death rates by race and ethnicity at state and regional levels. It also provides counts and percentages of confirmed or probable cases and hospitalizations by primary language spoken. Read the full Jan. 25 report. 

COVID-19 long-term care report. As of Jan. 24, a total of 3,350 COVID-19 cases and 31,773 deaths have been identified as associated or likely associated with a long-term care facility (such as nursing home, assisted living facility, or adult family home). These cases include residents as well as employees and visitors. Read the full Jan. 25 report.

Resources

Get a vaccine, exposure notifications, COVID-19 testing, and proof of vaccination. Use the DOH vaccine locator to help end the pandemic. Next, get WA Notify so you’ll know if you’ve been near another person who later tests positive for COVID-19. To get quickly and easily tested anywhere in Washington, visit the DOH COVID-19 testing locations page. For K-12 students, staff, and parents/guardians, learn more about our partnership that helps schools provide easy COVID-19 testing on site. Once vaccinated, you can provide your vaccination status using WA Verify.

Latest COVID-19 reopening guidance for businesses and workers. See a full list of current reopening guidance from the Governor's Office.

Guidance and resources for employers and business owners. Sign up for the Economic Resiliency Team business and worker newsletter.

The state COVID-19 Assistance Hotline is a general information line related to COVID-19. If you need information or have a general question, call 1-800-525-0127, then press # or text 211-211 for help. New hours of operation are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday, and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and on observed state holidays. You can also text the word “Coronavirus” to 211-211 to receive information and updates on your phone wherever you are. You will receive links to the latest information on COVID-19, including county-level updates, and resources for families, businesses, students, and more.

Washington Listens helps people manage stress and anxiety they may be experiencing because of COVID-19. If you or anyone you know is having difficulties managing stress, call the Washington Listens support line at 1-833-681-0211. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. TTY and language access services are available by using 7-1-1 or their preferred method. See resources and self-help tips from Washington Listens.

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CHA Washington