Official insights from Public Health – Seattle & King County staff
Local healthcare facilities will develop masking policies for patients, visitors, and employees in healthcare settings based on respiratory illness levels in the community. Masking is an effective way to reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses in healthcare settings.
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Public Health has learned that two children in King County have died from complications of the flu. The first child was an elementary-age child who passed away on February 14, 2025. The second was a preschool-age child who passed away on February 21, 2025. These two unconnected cases are the first two recorded pediatric flu deaths this season in King County. King County has not had a pediatric flu death since the 2022-2023 flu season.
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There’s new recommendations for when we go back to our activities after being sick with any common respiratory viruses like flu, COVID and RSV. We sat down with our disease expert Dr. Eric Chow to learn more about the changes and how we can continue to protect ourselves with masks, good ventilation and staying home when sick.
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We’ve seen an increasing number of visits to local emergency rooms for cases of influenza (flu), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19 in King County. Now’s the time to take easy steps to help prevent you and your family from getting sick.
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Public Health – Seattle & King County supports the data-informed decision by healthcare organizations to require masking in their facilities when thresholds for increased respiratory illness activity are reached. Read more below.
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