Dear Neighbors,

I wanted to update you with information that the Washington State Department of Health and Public Health – Seattle & King County are providing about how you can keep yourselves and your loved ones healthy and help slow the spread of coronavirus.

If you have a fever and respiratory distress, call your doctor – don’t go to the clinic or hospital. A doctor will make an assessment about next steps and contact public health officials if a test is needed.

If you are in King County and believe you were exposed to a confirmed case of coronavirus but don’t have a doctor to call, stay home and contact the King County novel coronavirus call center at 206-477-3977.

Symptoms to watch for:

  • fever
  • cough
  • shortness of breath

The best way to prevent infection is with a few simple yet effective actions:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds. (Singing the happy birthday song twice.)
  • Cover your coughs and sneezes with your elbow, sleeve or tissue.
  • Bump elbows with friends rather than hugs or handshakes.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces such as doorknobs, tabletops, and kitchen areas.
  • Use hand sanitizers when unable to wash your hands.

The Washington State Department of Health has also established a call center to address questions. Given the high call volume, it is best to research general questions online if you can. If you need advice about what to do if you have symptoms, you can call 1-800-525-0127 and press #.

You can stay informed at these pages:

You can find information about how the situation affects school closures here.

Thank you to the first responders from the Kirkland Fire Department who selflessly put themselves in harm’s way to keep us safe. To those who responded, including the more than two dozen who are quarantined, you have our deepest gratitude.

We are fortunate to have an excellent and expert public health system in King County and Washington state that is fully mobilized to slow the spread of the virus and treat those who are affected. We are in good hands.

What we are doing in Olympia

The Senate passed an operating budget last week that dramatically increased funding for coronavirus response with an additional $10 million for public health.

Much more funding is on the way. New legislation to transfer $100 million from the state’s Rainy Day Fund into the state disaster response account has passed the House, and we passed it the Senate today (HB 2965).