On September 28, 2018, Governor Jay Inslee unveiled a first-in-nation approach to eliminate the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in Washington state by 2030. This approach focuses on HCV elimination through combined public health efforts and a new medication purchasing approach.
The upcoming back-to-school season is a great time to make sure teens are up-to-date on all the recommended vaccinations. It is important to remind families to check their school’s requirements before attending class.
CDC Health Information for International Travel (commonly called the Yellow Book) for healthcare professionals is available online to help determine which vaccines are necessary prior to travel. It is helpful to remind patients to start planning for their travel vaccines at least two months prior to their planned departure date to avoid difficulty in securing required vaccine and appointments to administer vaccine.
For the first time in nearly 20 years, a Washington resident has been infected with confirmed locally acquired Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF). While rare (zero to three cases in Washington per year), this case serves as a good reminder of the possibility of locally acquired tickborne diseases and the need to take appropriate precautions when in tick habitats.
Separate outbreaks of hepatitis A (hep A) and hepatitis B (hep B) occurring in the Spokane community prompted rapid response from Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD) to administer Twinrix (hepatitis A and B combination vaccine) to the communities at highest risk for disease acquisition, namely people living homeless, people using injection drugs, and men who have sex with men.
