With mask mandate in rear-view, state plots course for future of COVID response
Mar 16, 2022, 2:39 PM | Updated: Mar 17, 2022, 6:44 am
Masking is now optional in most places in Washington. (MyNorthwest photo)
(MyNorthwest photo)
With COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continuing to decline, state health officials are using the current situation as an opportunity to develop an updated plan for response efforts moving forward.
What you need to know with statewide mask mandate at an end
The Washington State Department of Health detailed that plan during a Wednesday briefing, which will take the form of an initiative dubbed “WA Forward.” In the days and weeks ahead, that will see ongoing access to vaccines, testing, and masks, with the ability to ramp up in the event of another surge, or if vaccine eligibility expands again. The DOH estimates that it currently has the capacity to distribute 30,000 vaccine doses a day, with the ability to double that within a week’s time if needed.
On a larger scale, the impetus for WA Forward revolves around improving conditions and the dropping of mask and vaccine mandates across Washington.
“Things have improved in our state and now is the time to move forward,” said state Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah, noting how longer-term response efforts will now shift to community engagement, prevention for future outbreaks, and ensuring the state’s health care systems are adequately prepared for any additional surges.
“Most importantly, this plan will guide us through coexisting with COVID-19 for the foreseeable future,” he added.
Washington health leaders urge continued mask wearing after mandate lifts
The state will keep up gene sequencing and wastewater surveillance efforts as well in order to stay on top of any new variants or upticks.
Information sharing is also a big part of the plan, meaning that the state will continue to share case counts, hospitalizations, and deaths with the public on its online dashboard.
Now being the best time to prepare for any future outcome is a sentiment echoed by other health leaders in recent days, including King County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin.
“We need to use the time we have now while COVID is not surging to build COVID preparedness and resilience,” he said in a briefing late last week. “This means, for example, not relying only on individuals to do the right thing, but making system-wide efforts to ensure ongoing high levels of vaccination, including the critical booster dose.”
KIRO Newsradio staff contributed to this report.
