Leave some for your neighbor

Submitted by the State Department of Health

Welcome to today’s update on COVID-19. Every day, we like to pass on new numbers, guidance and resources you can share with anyone — friends, family, employees, customers, etc.

Stocking up on provisions. We hope you haven’t eaten all your good snacks yet. The good news is that the social distancing interventions like school and event closures do not apply to grocery stores. While it makes sense to have a stash of food and household products to last a couple of weeks or so, the State Emergency Operations Center is committed to keeping grocery stores stocked and open during this response to COVID-19.

When you notice shortages of products in the store, this is not because of a disruption to the supply chain, but it is because we have bought it all! These shortages make it hard for other people in our community to find products when they need them. Maintain a reasonable emergency stash, but otherwise, reduce waste and help your neighbors by buying just what you need.

And remember! You can increase your social distancing while grocery shopping by using a grocery delivery or pick up service. And you can increase social connection by offering to pick up a bag of groceries for a friend or neighbor who needs to isolate themselves.

Numbers. The latest numbers are on our webpage, which we update daily. As of today, 769 people in Washington have tested positive for COVID-19, and 42 have died of the disease.

Practice compassion. We are stressed out by things like schools closures, canceling highly anticipated events, and disrupting our daily routines by staying home and away from others. This is hard and important work. Take a deep breath. Remember we are doing this to protect people we love and the communities we call home.

Stay tuned to our blog for more information on how you can help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Get and spread reliable information on COVID-19

This blog update is current as of the day it is posted, but information changes rapidly. Please check our website for the most up-to-date info on Washington’s response to COVID-19 at www.doh.wa.gov/coronavirus.

Fight stigma, public panic, and misinformation by getting your information from trusted sources. Listen to guidance from the World Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, and your local health department.

Contact us

If you have questions or concerns about COVID-19 in Washington state, start by visiting our website. Public can contact our call center 6 a.m. – 10 p.m., seven days a week, at 1–800–525–0127.