COVID-19 Update
Dear Friend,
The news of the coronavirus outbreak in our area has been distressing for many, including me, so I wanted to provide you with an update on where you can get information, and what you can be doing to protect yourself and your family.
It should be said that, right now, the risk for serious illness in most people remains low, although the risk for community spread is increasing. This virus will be serious for certain populations, which we are already seeing in Washington. You can take simple steps right now.
- Wash your hands often. Wash them long enough to sing "Happy Birthday" twice and make sure you get the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and your thumbs
- Don't touch your face or eyes
- If you are sick, stay home
- Distance yourself from people who are sick
- If you can, have at least one month's worth of prescription medication
This is an evolving situation and it is likely that we will see further school or workplace closures as more cases become public. As testing becomes more available, we do expect to see the number of cases rise.
What to do if you think you may have the virus
CALL your healthcare professional if you feel sick with fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, especially if you have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19, or if you live in or have recently traveled from an area with ongoing spread of COVID-19. Your healthcare professional will work with your state’s public health department and CDC to determine if you need to be tested for COVID-19.
Some people with flu-like or cold symptoms have asked to be tested. However, there are limited test kits at this time, and unless you are very ill, this knowledge of whether you have it would not change health care recommendations. Stay home if you are sick with any respiratory illness. Of course, if you have shortness of breathing or more severe symptoms, call or see a health care provider.
Resources
Make sure that you get your information from trusted sources, like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and your local health department. This week the House will be voting on a spending package that will begin to cover the costs incurred by health departments and facilities who are testing and treating patients.
My staff and I will be keeping our website updated with the latest information and resources here: https://schrier.house.gov/coronavirus-outbreak
The Washington state Department of Health has set up a hotline for people looking for more information or if you have coronavirus concerns. You can call them at 800-525-0127 and press #.
Washington state Department of Health is keeping this website updated with COVID-19 information and resources: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/Coronavirus
King County has an updated resources website here: https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/communicable-diseases/disease-control/novel-coronavirus.aspx
Kittitas County Department of Public Health's phone number: 509-962-7515 and website: https://www.co.kittitas.wa.us/
Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department: http://tpchd.org/coronavirus
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
CDC What You Need to Know Fact Sheet: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/2019-ncov-factsheet.pdf
CDC Guidance on symptoms: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/symptoms.html
This will get worse before it gets better. Taking simple steps today, like washing your hands, and staying home when you are sick, will slow the spread.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to my DC office at 202-225-7761, my Issaquah office at 425-657-1001, or my Wenatchee office at 509-850-5340 with any questions. To receive regular updates about what I am working on, sign up here: https://schrier.house.gov/contact/newsletter
More soon.
Sincerely,
Kim Schrier, M.D.
Member of Congress |