STATE UPDATES

• The governor has issued updated guidance for long-term care facilities.
  • Modifications include updated and additional resources available at coronavirus.wa.gov; standardized community case rates related to moving between COVID phases; and enhanced guidance regarding compassionate care visitation, essential support persons visitation and outbreaks visitation.
  • These guidelines take effect Feb 1st
• Gov Inslee announced adjustments to the state’s phased reopening plan that will allow two regions to enter Phase 2 on Monday.
  • The 2021 reopening plan announced in early January initially required regions to meet four metrics in order to move to phase 2, but today’s update changes requirements so that regions must meet 3 of the four public health metrics to advance phases.
  • The two regions are comprised of Snohomish, King, Pierce Counties, Grays Harbor, Pacific, Thurston and Lewis Counties
  • All other regions will remain in Phase 1 next week.
  • The other change is that phase advancement will be evaluated every two weeks instead of every week.
  • Under Phase 2, indoor social gatherings with up to five people from a maximum of two households are allowed.
  • Restaurants can resume indoor dining and indoor gyms can reopen, both at 25 percent capacity.
  • Cultural centers like aquariums, bowling alleys and theaters, can reopen at 25 percent capacity, or up to 200 people, whichever is less.
  • The four metrics for reopening, which remain unchanged are:
    • A declining rate of 10 percent or more in COVID cases over 14 days
    • A decline of 10 percent or more in new COVID hospital admissions over 14 days
    • An average intensive care unit occupancy rate of less than 90 percent over seven days
    • A seven day COVID positivity test rate of less than 10 percent.
  • The region that Pierce County is part of meets all metrics except for the case rate metric, which is on the increase.
  • In order to remain in Phase 2, regions are required to continue to meet at least three of the four metrics.
  • More info about the change in metrics can be viewed at medium.com/WAgovernor

• Washingtonians can find out if they are eligible for COVID-19 vaccines online at FindYourPhaseWA.org.
  • Those currently eligible for vaccination include the following individuals:
    • All people 65 years and older
    • People 50 years and older in multigenerational households, defined as someone caring for their grandchild, niece or nephew.
    • So far, 540,000 Washingtonians have received their first vaccine dose.
    • 1.7m people in Washington are eligible, but the state only receives about 100,000 doses per day at the current time from the Federal Government.
    • On Tuesday, the president indicated that the state can expect a 16% increase in weekly allotments of vaccine.
  • Next up but not yet currently eligible will be Phase 1B tiers 2-4, which include those who work in group settings that include agriculture, food processing, correction facilities, grocery stores, public transit, schools, and child care.
  • The Washington State Department of Health, along with the Washington State National guard and other partners, is launching 3 mass COVID-19 vaccination sites in Eastern Washington and one in Clark County
    • The sites are currently offering vaccinations by appointment only for those in Phase 1A or in Tier 1 of Phase 1B.
    • Appointments can be made by calling the state coronavirus hotline, or online at prepmod.doh.wa.gov
  • The following health systems and clinics in our region are offering vaccine appointments for eligible individuals:
    • MultiCare, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, Kaiser Permanente, Sea Mar, Orting Family Practice, OM Life Health Clinic, University Place Medical Clinic, and UW Medicine
  • The following pharmacies also have vaccine programs by appointment:
    • Safeway pharmacies in Bonney Lake & Lakewood
    • Kirk’s Pharmacy in Eatonville
    • Lincoln Pharmacy in Tacoma
    • Alberton’s pharmacy in Puyallup
• The governor and health officials emphasized again today that even when individuals have recovered from COVID-19 or received the vaccines, masking is still essential because science hasn’t yet provided clarity on whether vaccinations can prevent viral transmission.

• The Tacoma Pierce County Health Department reported 228 COVID 19 cases today and 212 cases yesterday.

• The city of Tacoma is facilitating the Resurgence Business Loan Program for small businesses can request to borrow up to $25,000
  • Neither collateral nor equity is required, and loan recipients will not have to make payments until 2022.
  • The Loan is available to small businesses with brick-and-mortar establishments, home-based businesses, and food trucks operating within Tacoma city limits with 20 or fewer full-time equivalent employees.
  • A business must have operated for at least six months starting from, or prior to, June 2020.
  • Detailed application information will be available at makeittacoma.com/resurgenceloan.
• This evening at 6pm, the city of Tacoma will host a 90 minute virtual community meeting to provide information and respond to questions about the Salvation Army site that will be used as a temporary shelter and warming center.
  • Attendees can listen and participate via Zoom with a computer or phone
  • See the City’s facebook page for details, or call 311 and ask for login information for the meeting
  • Clickable links will also be posted at daily.ktqa.org shortly after this live broadcast.
  • https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82813154893 Passcode: 841039

• There are numerous free COVID-19 testing sites in our region, including at Multicare, Franciscan, and Kaiser facilities; at Community Healthcare and SeaMar Community Health Centers; at Cheney Stadium, at the Lakewood State Emissions Testing Center, and more.
  • You can go to coronavirus.wa.gov and follow links for “Find Covid Testing Near Me” for specific locations.
  • In addition to permanent regular testing locations, The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Dept’s mobile testing events this weekend and next week are as follows:
    • Thursday, Jan 28: Centro Latino in Hilltop ,Our Savior Lutheran Church at 4519 112th St. E.
    • Friday, Jan 29: Fort Steilacoom Park, Bethlehem Baptist Church located at 48th & Portland Ave E, and Old Spanaway Elementary School
  • No ID is required, tests are free and open to anyone, and most testing runs 10am-3pm, except the Lakewood station goes till 5:30), but check TPCHD.org for specifics
  • Results are available in 3-7 days