TB evaluation at Auburn School District

December 12, 2022.Reading time 5 minutes.

Public Health – Seattle & King County is following up on the report of an Auburn School District community member who was diagnosed with active tuberculosis (TB). Public Health is working with the Auburn School District officials to define the extent of any potential TB exposures, conduct evaluations for those exposed, and provide guidance and information to the school communities affected.

Why people over age 50 should get an updated COVID-19 booster before the holidays

December 5, 2022.Reading time 4 minutes.

As we get ready for our third winter holiday season with COVID-19, we’re tired of hearing about the pandemic. We would much rather focus on the truly important things in our lives—gathering with loved ones, taking time to relax and recharge, and thinking about all the things we want to make happen in the new year.

But getting sick can put a stop to those plans, and gathering indoors during the cold winter months helps COVID-19—along with RSV and flu—to spread more easily. COVID-19 continues to spread and evolve across King County and in the world around us. And if you or a loved one is over age 50, the chance of having severe disease and needing to visit the hospital is much higher.

New Public Health recommendations make a syphilis test routine for women 45 and under

November 28, 2022.Reading time 8 minutes.

Small, clear test tube marked "Syphilis - Test"

There has been a nearly 5-fold increase in syphilis in cisgender women since 2015 (cisgender means one’s gender identity corresponds to one’s sex assigned at birth). All sexually active women 45 and under in Washington state who have not had a syphilis test since January 2021 are being advised to test for syphilis.

Should I get an updated booster? We asked an expert.

September 7, 2022.Reading time 9 minutes.

There’s now an updated booster vaccine for COVID-19. We wanted to know what’s different about the updated booster shot and when to get it. So, we talked to Dr. Mark Del Beccaro, our COVID vaccine lead…

ASK MISS RONA: COVID-19 Vaccine For Babies and Young Children

July 18, 2022.Reading time 7 minutes.

Ask Miss Rona is a Q&A series on Public Health’s Instagram account to respond to community questions related to different topic areas of COVID-19. Questions about COVID-19 vaccines for babies and young children were submitted last week by King County residents and answered by subject matter experts at Public Health – Seattle & King County.