Updated data on COVID-19 outbreak settings is now available on Public Health’s COVID-19 webpage. It provides a snapshot of the number of outbreaks that Public Health has identified across various settings such as worksites, long term care facilities and schools.
The coronavirus pandemic has brought dramatic changes to our lives – beyond the illness and death directly caused by the virus. Rising unemployment, increased needs for food assistance, and remote schooling are all economic and social impacts of COVID-19 that go beyond the daily counts of new cases or deaths. New data from the Washington State Community Recovery Oriented Needs Assessment (CORONA) survey show how widespread these impacts are.
People experiencing homelessness are particularly vulnerable to outbreaks of infectious disease. COVID-19 is the most recent and deeply concerning example of that threat. For a population with higher levels of underlying health conditions, less access to resources necessary to stay healthy, and a greater likelihood of living in congregate settings like shelters adds up to an increased risk for infection and severe illness.