Our health advisories have the latest information.
Closely monitor health advisories for updated guidance, situational awareness and resources for providers and patients.
To report, call the reporting line at 800-535-5016 ext. 541.
Vaccine
Everyone 6 months or older is eligible to get ta COVID-19 Vaccine. For the latest information, visit our COVID-19 Vaccine Information for Providers page.
Learn more about COVID-19 vaccine planning, development and safety standards from DOH and CDC.
Testing
People with COVID-19 report a wide range of symptoms, from mild to severe. Symptoms may appear 2 to 14 days after exposure and include:
- Cough.
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
- Fever.
- Chills.
- Muscle pain.
- Headache.
- Sore throat.
- Loss of taste or smell.
People with mild to moderate illness can test at home or go to a COVID-19 test site in our community. Emergency departments are not for routine COVID-19 testing unless the patient needs emergency care.
Follow Washington State Department of Health’s (DOH’s) updated testing criteria. For more information, view:
If a patient tests positive using an at-home test have them report their result to Washington State Department of Health at (800) 525-0127.
- Updated testing criteria—DOH.
- Overview of Testing for SARS-CoV-2—CDC.
- Instructions for collecting specimens for testing—CDC.
Teach your patients
- How to access, use and interpret at-home COVID-19 test kits.
- They must report positive test results to Washington State Department of Health (DOH) at (800) 525-0127.
- How to care for their mild to moderate illness at home and when to go to the emergency department.
Treatment
For information about pre-exposure and post-diagnosis COVID-19 therapeutics, view our COVID-19 Treatment Information for Providers page. There may be test to treat options available through DOH regardless of insurance.
Considerations for special populations
Immunocompromised
Pregnant or breastfeeding
- Care for breastfeeding people, CDC.
- COVID-19 frequently asked questions (FAQs) for obstetricians and gynecologists, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Long-Term care
- Interim guidance for transferring residents between long-term care and other healthcare settings, DOH.
Healthcare workers
- COVID-19 information for healthcare providers, CDC.
- Interim guidance for managing healthcare personnel with SARS-CoV-2 infection or exposure, CDC.
Children and teens
- Case definition and guidance for multisystem inflammatory system in children (MIS-C), CDC.
- Clinical considerations: myocarditis and pericarditis, CDC.
Personal protective equipment
- PPE when caring for patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19—CDC.
- How to conserve PPE and what to use when supplies are low.
- Video instructions for donning and doffing PPE—Providence.
Additional Guidance
- Guidance on discontinuing transmission-based precautions in healthcare facilities—CDC.
- Return-to-work guidance for healthcare workers—DOH.
- Interim guidance for long-term care facilities—admitting a resident with COVID-19 from a hospital—DOH.
- Guidance on discontinuing transmission-based precautions in healthcare facilities—CDC.
- Case definition and guidance for multisystem inflammatory system in children (MIS-C)—CDC.
Patient instructions
- What to do if you may have been exposed to a person with COVID-19.
- What to do if you have confirmed or suspected COVID-19.
Resources
- National news and case counts—CDC.
- State news and case counts—DOH.
- Testing guidance—CDC.
- Our latest health advisory guidance.
Guidance
- Long-term care facilities
- For schools and healthcare providers—DOH.
- For healthcare providers—CDC.
- For travelers—CDC.
For more general information, visit our COVID-19 Information page.
Additional Resources
- Novel Coronavirus Outbreak 2020 (DOH)
- Guidance for Healthcare Providers (CDC)
- Preventing Transmission in Homes and Communities (CDC)
- Guidance for Travelers (CDC)
- 2019 Novel Coronavirus and Schools – Information for School Nurses and Administrators (DOH)
- COVID-19: Information for Schools Page
- COVID-19: Information for Human Services Providers