COVID-19
Washington may avoid child care cliff, but many providers are still struggling
Washington is unlikely to see a huge drop in child care services even as federal pandemic aid supporting providers dries up. Expiration of the funds led to nationwide concerns that millions of children could lose care. About $24 billion from the American Rescue Plan Act was distributed to states to help keep child care centers […]
Inslee’s COVID-19 eviction ban was legal, state Supreme Court rules
A divided Washington Supreme Court on Thursday rejected claims that Gov. Jay Inslee exceeded powers granted to him under state law when he imposed an emergency ban on evictions during the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic. Landlords sued over the restrictions, arguing Inslee overstepped his authority and violated the state constitution. Lower courts sided against […]
Food and Drug Administration approves COVID boosters for upcoming season
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved the latest round of COVID-19 boosters, as public health officials brace for another cold and flu season. An advisory panel at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is scheduled to vote on recommendations Tuesday, the final step in the process before people will […]
Timing, cost of new vaccines vary by virus and health insurance
This article was first published by KFF Health News. As summer edges toward fall, thoughts turn to, well, vaccines. Yes, inevitably, it’s time to think about the usual suspects — influenza and COVID-19 shots — but also the new kid in town: recently approved vaccines for RSV, short for respiratory syncytial virus. But who should […]
Updated COVID-19 vaccines expected to be available in September, federal officials say
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is gearing up for a fall vaccination campaign that not only includes updated COVID-19 boosters, but the annual flu shot and the newly approved RSV vaccine. “We’re going to be encouraging Americans to get their COVID-19 vaccine in addition to their annual flu shot, as well as the immunizations for […]
Death counts remain high in some states even as COVID fatalities wane
Several months after President Joe Biden ended the national emergency for COVID-19, preliminary health data indicates the historic degree to which the pandemic increased death rates nationwide — not just because of the virus itself, but also through the pandemic’s reverberating effects on society. Deaths from vehicle crashes, homicides, suicides and overdoses spiked in many […]
Students blocked from campus when COVID hit want money back. Some are getting refunds.
Thousands of college students will get hundreds of dollars in compensation as colleges and universities move this summer to settle multimillion-dollar lawsuits stemming from canceled classes and activities during COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns. While some of the class-action suits against the colleges and universities are still in litigation, and still others dismissed, several major cases have […]
State looks to dump leased real estate as remote work leaves offices empty
The state wants to slash nearly a third of its office footprint over the next four years, as government workers stick with remote work arrangements begun during the pandemic and cubicles they once occupied are now often shared or deserted. Take the Health Care Authority, where 98% of the staff are eligible to work remotely. […]
Flu deaths surge after pandemic lull
Washington just had its deadliest flu season in five years, the Department of Health said Thursday. Following two years of low flu activity – likely due to reduced exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic – the state saw a “tenfold” increase in deaths this year compared to last. For the 2022-2023 season, 262 Washington residents died […]
Inslee to ditch vax mandate for state workers as health emergency ends
When the national public health emergency for the coronavirus ends Thursday, so too will the requirement for state employees to be vaccinated against COVID as a condition of employment. “It was time to do it,” Gov. Jay Inslee said Wednesday after touring a new child care center for children of state workers. “The numbers are […]