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A key component to Governor Jay Inslee’s Safe Start Washington Recovery Plan to safely reopen businesses is to increase testing of anyone with coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms and notify close contacts of those who test positive for the disease. A close contact is defined as anyone who was around the positive person, while infectious, for a prolonged period of time (defined as being within 6 feet of someone with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes). These are typically household members, coworkers, classmates, or people who you may have interacted with socially. The process of identifying, testing, and treating close contacts is known as contact tracing. Testing and contact tracing are critical to “box in the virus” and prevent it from spreading to others in the community.

On May 1, 2020, Governor Jay Inslee extended Washington’s Stay Home, Stay Healthy order through the end of May to minimize the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). He also shared his Safe Start Washington plan to safely resume recreational, social and business activities in phases. Each phase will last a minimum of three weeks and movement to the next phase will depend on different data sources to assess the impact of the disease in communities.

Spokane Transit Authority (STA) announced operational changes to comply with Governor Inslee’s Stay Home, Stay Healthy order. In an effort to maintain transportation options for the public to perform essential activities, and comply with social distancing recommendations, STA will be making a few changes.

In each issue of the Epigram, we are pleased to introduce you to a member of the Disease Prevention and Response team at SRHD. In this issue we feature our Epidemiologist, Anna Halloran. Anna works in our Communicable Disease Epidemiology program where she focuses on communicable disease investigation and intervention and provider and community education.

Over the years, reporting HIV and AIDS cases to public health has been something of an ordeal, compared to the relatively straightforward process for other STDs. For providers and facilities, HIV and AIDS cases are reportable within three business days. Providers are required to report all new HIV and AIDS cases as well as previously diagnosed cases that are new to a practice. The HIV and AIDS case report form is now faxable.