State officials see flattening of virus activity, aim for increased testing

OLYMPIA — COVID-19 activity in Washington seems to have plateaued and even declined in certain parts of the state, according to Kathy Lofy, state health officer with the Department of Health. Lofy said the data seems to suggest that social distancing strategies and efforts continue to be effective in curbing the infection rates the coronavirus has shown in other parts of the world.

Several state officials spoke in a briefing Tuesday. Lofy said a study performed by the Institute for Disease Modeling found that patients infected with COVID-19 in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties are infecting an average of one additional person or fewer. Without social distancing measures in place, infected individuals usually spread the virus to 2-3 people on average, she said.

As of Monday, there were 645 lab-confirmed COVID-19 hospitalizations across the state, with 194 patients in intensive care. Lofy said these numbers have been fairly consistent for the last week.

According to Lofy, there are 26 laboratories that are able to conduct testing for the virus. Collectively they have the capacity to test about 14,000 specimens a day. However, testing kits, which help people know if they are infected and generate valuable data on the infection rate of the virus, are still in shorter supply than public health officials would like. At this point, Lofy said the state is able to collectively test about 4,500 people a day on weekdays and about 2,000 a day on the weekends.

Health care workers are still prioritizing testing for those who exhibit symptoms and those who have underlying health problems that could put them at risk, but Lofy said the goal is to have immediate testing available for anyone who has symptoms, regardless of age or health conditions.

That is a path we are on, but we are not quite there, said John Wiesman, state secretary of health.

Lofy said hundreds of thousands of COVID-19 testing kits have been ordered and will be delivered to Washington in the coming weeks.

Gov. Jay Inslee’s chief of staff, David Postman, was asked what data and metrics the governor’s office and health officials would use when deciding when it will be safe to lift the “stay home, stay healthy” order. Postman said they do not have a way to answer that question yet, and that officials will continue to look at a “bucket” of data to try and determine the level of public risk from the virus. Public health officials will have to be sure that trends showing decreasing risk of infections are consistent and lasting over time before advising decision-makers to lift the order, he said.

Full containment of the virus likely will not be possible without a treatment or vaccine, Postman added, and “spring back” in the rate of infections could be possible until there is a medical solution.

Wiesman said going back to normal life after the “stay home, stay healthy” order will require a “different normal” from what people are used to. In the months to come, people will have to continue to be aware of maintaining physical distance, avoiding large group gatherings and he even said pre-COVID normalities like shaking hands will “not be OK.”

He said as people go back to work they will have to get used to seeing and doing things they were not familiar with before the COVID-19 outbreak. Companies may consider taking advantage of telecommuting opportunities to avoid in-person meetings, people may wear facemasks in public more frequently and employers may even screen employees for symptoms.

“It is going to be a new normal,” Wiesman said. “One where people are more conscious of their biosafety.”