Summary:
To prevent COVID-19 from spreading to family, friends, and the community, Public Health – Seattle & King County recommends that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms or who has been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 be tested right away.
Story:
Public Health – Seattle & King County strongly urges anyone who has even mild COVID-19 symptoms to call their healthcare provider as soon as they start to feel sick to ask about COVID-19 testing. COVID-19 symptoms are cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, or loss of taste or smell.
It is important not to wait to be tested. If you have COVID-19, you are contagious. A COVID-19 test will let you know if you are infected so you can protect your family, friends and community by keeping yourself away from others. Staying away from others when you have COVID-19 is crucial to slow the spread of the virus in our community. You should also call your healthcare provider and ask for a test if you live with or have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19. Even if you don’t have symptoms, you may be contagious and should stay away from others.
There are several low or no-cost testing sites in King County that are open to anyone who cannot access COVID-19 testing through their regular healthcare provider – a list of sites is available at this link. Most of these sites are non-profit Community Health Centers.
King County residents can contact these sites directly for testing hours and to make an appointment. If you are still having difficulty accessing a COVID-19 test, call the King County COVID-19 call center, which is open seven days a week 8 a.m. – 7 p.m., at 206-477-3977.
“It’s so important that anyone who has even mild COVID-19 symptoms, or recent close contact with someone with COVID-19, get tested and get tested early,” said Patty Hayes, Director of Public Health – Seattle & King County. “There are numerous low-cost or free testing sites open to anyone who can’t access testing through their healthcare provider, regardless of insurance status.”
King County offers safe, clean and comfortable places to stay for anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19, or who has symptoms of COVID-19, and who cannot safely isolate themselves from the people they live with. More information is available on this Isolation & Quarantine Infographic, which is also available in Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Somali, Marshallese, Swahili, Samoan, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.
More information:
· Additional information about testing at Public Health’s testing webpage
· This infographic provides information about getting tested for COVID-19. Please share with your communities.
Case updates
Daily totals for new COVID-19 cases and deaths are available on Public Health’s Data Dashboard webpage, which updates as soon as data are available, typically between 1-3 p.m.
Isolation and quarantine facilities update
Isolation and quarantine is a proven public health practice for reducing the spread of disease.
Forty people are currently staying in King County isolation, quarantine and recovery facilities. The number of residents at King County’s isolation and quarantine sites is included in regular updates provided by Public Health. No other identifying or personal information will be provided.