Inslee: All with symptoms should get tested

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Secretary of Health John Wiesman announced a broader coronavirus strategy Thursday, saying anyone with COVID-19-like symptoms should now get tested for the disease.

The move marks a shift from the early stages of the pandemic, when limited supplies meant the tests were largely reserved for the most vulnerable individuals, as well as frontline health care and law enforcement personnel.

“This is a shift in our strategy, enabled by the fact that we now have more testing supplies,” Inslee said during one of his near-daily coronavirus news conferences. “As we reopen the state and move away from the strategy of social distancing, (increased) testing is a critical step so we can move forward. It will also help measure our progress (in containing the virus).”

Wiesman noted that, during the initial stages of the pandemic, younger people and those with mild symptoms were encouraged to simply stay home, without getting a test to confirm whether they actually had COVID-19.

“The reason for that was because there weren’t enough supplies to test everyone, and our clinics weren’t necessarily prepared to handle people safely,” he said. “Those things are now on a much better path, so we have to unlearn what we were told in the beginning.”

The “emphatic” message now, Wiesman said, is that anyone with even mild symptoms should be tested, together with anyone else in their household. They should also remain isolated until the test results come back negative.

As with the testing protocols, the symptoms of COVID-19 have also been updated as more is learned about the virus.

“We’ve added symptoms over time,” Wiesman said. “They could include fever and chills, cough or shortness of breath. They can also include fatigue, muscle and body aches, headaches, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion and nausea. If that applies to you, please contact a health care provider.”

Wiesman noted that Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has extended an emergency order waiving any co-pay obligations for people who need a coronavirus test. Those on Medicare or Medicaid are also fully covered, he said, and local public health offices and community clinics can provide tests for uninsured individuals.

In other news, Inslee said Garfield County submitted an application late Wednesday to move to Phase 3 of the state’s four-phase reopening plan.

Garfield is the seventh county in the state to submit a variance application. Whitman County commissioners will decide today whether to submit a similar request.

The applications will be evaluated based on several criteria, including testing capacity, the number of new COVID-19 cases the county has reported in the previous two weeks, having adequate hospital capacity to treat any new cases and having the manpower to perform rapid contact tracing to identify and communicate with anyone who may have come in contact with someone who tests positive.

“The businesses that operate in Phase 3 need to develop written safety plans saying how they’ll prevent the spread of COVID-19,” Inslee said. “The plans don’t have to be submitted to any state or county agency for approval, but they need to be retained so we know they’re serious about this. Businesses can use the template created by the state to draft these plans, and they’re still required to follow the industry guidance we’ve previously developed.”

No new coronavirus cases were reported Thursday in north central Idaho or southeastern Washington.

Nimiipuu Health previously reported 16 cases among Nez Perce Tribe members, and all of those people have fully recovered, spokeswoman Kayeloni Scott said.

Spence may be contacted at bspence@lmtribune.com or (208) 791-9168.