Coronavirus Update

Frequently Asked Questions

What is COVID-19 and how is it different from the flu?

COVID-19, formerly known as coronavirus, is a virus spreading from person-to-person contact in the United States and abroad. While symptoms of COVID-19 – which may include fever, cough, and shortness of breath – are similar to those caused by a flu or cold, there appear to be some significant differences between a typical influenza virus and COVID-19 including incubation period, speed of transmission, and impact on vulnerable populations. As we continue to learn about this new virus, it is important to take it seriously and not dismiss it as one might dismiss a common cold. You can read more about COVID-19 at the CDC website.

Is it safe to attend large gatherings?

State and local officials have issued prohibitions on gatherings to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

How is the virus spread? What should I do to stay safe?

COVID-19 is most commonly spread from an infected person to others through droplets by coughing and sneezing, close personal contact (such as touching or shaking hands), and touching a surface with the virus on it and then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands.
To reduce your risk of catching or spreading the virus, practice excellent personal hygiene:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands. 
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick. 
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands. 
• Clean and disinfect commonly touched surfaces like doorknobs and light switches. 
• Stay at home and away from others if you are feeling ill. 
• Follow the recommendations of your local health department.

Please note that being Chinese or Asian American does not increase the chance of getting or spreading COVID-19. People – including those of Asian descent – who have not recently traveled to Asia or been in contact with a person who is a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 are not at greater risk of acquiring and spreading COVID-19 than other people.

According to the CDC, stigma and discrimination can occur when people associate an infectious disease, such as COVID-19, with a specific population or nationality, even though not everyone in that population or from that region has the disease and members of particular groups are at no greater risk for contracting it. In February, I joined my colleagues in the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) to dispel the stigma, misinformation, and conspiracy theories that are disparaging and negatively affecting the Asian American community in the United States and abroad.

What do we do if we have been exposed to the virus?

If you are in King County and believe you were exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19, or if you are a healthcare provider with questions about COVID-19, contact the King County novel coronavirus call center: 206-477-3977. The call center will be open daily from 8 AM to 7 PM PST.

If you do not live in King County or if you have general questions about COVID-19 or Washington State’s response, please call the Washington State Department of Health call center: 1-800-525-0127 and press #.

This is a time to practice social distancing to protect older or medically fragile friends and relatives. As noted above, you are encouraged to refrain from shaking hands, high fives, and hugs, and stand at least six feet away from other people out of an abundance of caution. You should also wash your hands frequently and thoroughly.

Will schools be closed?

All schools in Washington State are closed through at least April 24, 2020. Seattle Public School has an emergency food plan in place for all students. Please check the SPS Coronavirus 2019 Update webpage for new information.

The House-passed Families First Coronavirus Response Act includes more than $1 billion to provide food to low-income pregnant women and parents with young children, help local food banks, and feed low-income seniors. It also ensures that students who depend on schools and child care for free and reduced-priced meals continue to have access to nutritious foods during closures and provides women, infants, and children with the flexibility to access food and infant formula without having to make unnecessary or unsafe visits to clinics.

How are tests being administered?

Test availability is being rapidly expanded in Washington. Our State Department of Health currently has capacity to test 200 people per day. The University of Washington recently began offering testing as well, with a capacity to test 1500 people per day, and a number of commercial labs are also offering testing. 

Please remember that not everyone needs to be tested. If you begin experiencing symptoms, please contact your primary care doctor first. They can best advise you whether you require testing. Do not go to an emergency room unless essential as we need to preserve emergency room resources for those who need critical care.

If you are uninsured or are otherwise worried about the cost of testing, the State has taken specific measures to ensure that no one faces financial barriers to accessing the COVID test:

• Special enrollment period to sign up for health insurance if you are uninsured: In response to the potential growth of Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases, the Washington Health Benefit Exchange (Exchange) announced a limited-time special enrollment period for qualified individuals who are currently without insurance. This special enrollment period (SEP), that runs through April 8, 2020, will allow uninsured individuals 30 days to enroll in health insurance coverage through Washington Healthplanfinder. 

• Access to COVID testing: Washington State Insurance Commissioner Kreidler instructed health insurers to waive copays and deductibles for people needing testing for novel coronavirus, COVID-19, to ensure that cost is not a barrier for accessing the test. 

How can workers and businesses get support during this crisis?

The House-passed Families First Coronavirus Response Act includes:

• Paid Emergency Leave: Provides two weeks of paid sick leave and up to three months of paid family and medical leave for many workers. Unfortunately, in last-minute negotiations, these provisions were weakened, but I’m fighting to make sure Congress takes immediate action to provide paid leave to ALL workers. 

• Enhanced Unemployment Insurance: Gives states the resources and flexibility to provide unemployment benefits to laid off and furloughed workers, as well as to those workers who exhaust their allotted paid leave, and provides additional funding to help the hardest-hit states immediately and in the future if conditions worsen.

You can access a fact sheet and frequently asked questions on these provisions here.

• The Small Business Administration (SBA) also announced that low-interest disaster loan assistance is available for most non-profits and small businesses in King and Snohomish County. You can apply and find more information here. Eligibility is determined on an industry-by-industry basis, so the SBA has recommended that all small businesses apply.

• Taxes: The Trump Administration has announced the delay of the federal filing date to July 15, 2020. I also have joined my colleagues from Washington’s Congressional delegation in writing to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner to request a six-month extension to allow tax filers in Washington State to file their taxes. 

Additionally, Washington State is taking several important steps:

• Workers Compensation: To ensure workers’ compensation protections for health care workers and first responders who are on the front lines of the COVID-19 outbreak, the State is immediately changing its workers’ compensation coverage policy to provide benefits for health care workers and first responders who are quarantined after being exposed to COVID-19.

• Unemployment Insurance: Governor Inslee announced new rules that enhance the flexibility of the unemployment insurance program. The rules will help relieve the burden of temporary layoffs, isolation and quarantine by ensuring unemployment benefits are available to individuals whose employment has been impacted directly by COVID-19.

How do we protect people in nursing homes and assisted living facilities?

Governor Inslee announced new rules around nursing homes and assisted living facilities that focus on better protecting older adults – a population more likely to be hit by COVID-19 (coronavirus) – during the ongoing statewide, unprecedented health crisis.

These new rules include:

• 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 away 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.

How do we protect people who are incarcerated?

In King County, the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention is taking proactive steps to protect the health of the community, including for those persons in adult and juvenile detention facilities. King County Jail Health Services and DAJD staff have instituted enhanced screening to reduce the spread of COVID-19, and medical care is available at all facilities. Detainees who become seriously ill are transported to Harborview Hospital for medical care. 

To reduce the risk of spread in detention facilities, King County has enhanced its surface disinfection cleaning protocols in adult and juvenile facilities. Employees who work directly with detainees are following appropriate hygiene protocols to limit spread of the virus.

Outside of King County, the Washington State Department of Health has recently issued specific guidance for correctional facilities as well as jails and detention facilities with onsite medical facilities and is distributing this information widely. 

How can we get the most current information?

The latest information can be found on: Public Health Seattle-King County, Snohomish County Health District, Washington State Department of Health, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention websites. King County has materials available on its website that have been translated to 11 languages including Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Amharic, Somali, and more, and the Washington State Department of Health also has fact sheets available in these languages.

Preventing the Spread of COVID-19

Since there are no vaccines to prevent against COVID-19, the best strategies for prevention are some commonsense measures from the CDC and DOH: 

• Wash your hands often, with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you’re sick.
• If you have symptoms like cough, fever, or other respiratory problems, contact your regular doctor first. Do not go to the emergency room unless essential. Emergency rooms need to be able to serve those with the most critical needs.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, and then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Getting plenty of rest, drinking fluids, eating healthy foods, and managing your stress can help you prevent getting COVID-19 and recover from it if you do.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• If you or a loved one are ill or suffer from a chronic condition such as diabetes, chronic heart disease, respiratory conditions or illnesses that weaken the immune system, consider restricting your out of home activities since you are more susceptible to illness.
• Make sure your vaccinations are up to date and be sure to get a flu shot if you have not.
• CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19. You should only wear a mask if a healthcare professional recommends it. A facemask should be used by people who have COVID-19 and are showing symptoms. This is to protect others from the risk of getting infected. The use of facemasks also is crucial for health workers and other people who are taking care of someone infected with COVID-19 in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).
• Avoid travel to countries with sustained spread of COVID-19. Information about travel to specific countries can be found here through the CDC.
• Ensure your home emergency preparedness kits are up to date.
• Rely on trusted sources like the Washington State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Be wary of false information that may spread through social media.
• Do not show prejudice to people of Asian descent because of fear of this new virus. Do not assume that someone of Asian descent is more likely to have COVID-19.

Reject the Stigma
I joined my colleagues in the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) to dispel the stigma, misinformation, and conspiracy theories that are disparaging and negatively affecting the Asian American community in the United States and abroad.

According to the CDC, stigma and discrimination can occur when people associate an infectious disease, such as COVID-19, with a specific population or nationality, even though not everyone in that population or from that region has the disease and members of particular groups are at no greater risk for contracting it. 

Being Chinese or Asian American does not increase the chance of getting or spreading COVID-19. People—including those of Asian descent—who have not recently traveled to Asia or been in contact with a person who is a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 are not at greater risk of acquiring and spreading COVID-19 than other people.

Thank You
Our outstanding state and local health departments have been on the frontlines in fighting COVID-19 in the United States and have shared their expertise to help other states and localities limit spread. I extend my heartfelt appreciation to all of the experts and health care providers working on prevention, detection, and response efforts. I know they will continue to work hard to keep us healthy and safe. 

Our public health system will need additional resources to contain this virus and protect Americans in the best way possible. I am working with my colleagues in Congress right now to ensure federal, state and local officials have the resources they need to prevent, detect and respond to COVID-19 and other emerging public health threats, and that any vaccine or treatment developed for COVID-19 is affordable and available to everyone who needs them. In the meantime, I urge all of my constituents to do your part to prevent the spread of this virus and take practical measures to stay healthy and protect the most vulnerable in our communities.

Information from CDC (Updated Daily)