Where cases stand in Washington:
- 4 new coronavirus deaths reported as of Wednesday in Washington among 456 new cases, according to the Washington State Department of Health (DOH).
- Total: 1,880 deaths among 72,161 overall cases in Washington state.
- Since the start of the pandemic, the DOH reports that 6,640 people have been hospitalized for COVID-19 in Washington state.
- The state reports of the total confirmed cases in the state, Washington's coronavirus death rate is 2.6%.
A Washington state health official says the state will not change its coronavirus testing recommendations despite new federal guidance.
Guidance previously on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website recommended tests for "all close contacts" of people who test positive for COVID-19. The CDC has now revised that guidance online and says close contacts who have been exposed to COVID-19 but are not exhibiting symptoms "do not necessarily need a test."
However, Dr. Charissa Fotinas, deputy chief medical officer for the Washington State Health Care Authority, said Wednesday that recommendations for COVID-19 testing in Washington will stay the same.
State officials are standardizing a set of activities for counties in modified Phase 1 of Gov. Jay Inslee's "Safe Start" plan.
As of Aug. 26, Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Franklin and Yakima counties were the only ones under modified Phase 1. Each had different approved activities.
The state worked with local jurisdictions to agree on one set of activities that would be allowed.
Experts have been urging the public to wash their hands, wear face coverings and remain six feet apart from others amid the coronavirus pandemic.
But is six feet enough?
In a new study posted by the BMJ, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Oxford claim that other factors like crowd size, amount of exposure time and how well an area is ventilated need to be considered.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its coronavirus quarantine guidance for travelers. It now says that those who have traveled outside of their state or country should self-evaluate their risk based on their travels before determining whether to self-isolate.
"These travelers should take extra precautions to protect others for 14 days after they arrive, including staying home as much as possible, avoiding being around people at a higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19, and considering getting tested for COVID-19," the CDC said in a statement.
Responding to an outcry from medical experts, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn on Tuesday apologized for overstating the life-saving benefits of treating COVID-19 patients with convalescent plasma.
Scientists and medical experts have been pushing back against the claims about the treatment since President Donald Trump’s announcement on Sunday that the FDA had decided to issue emergency authorization for convalescent plasma, taken from patients who have recovered from the coronavirus and rich in disease-fighting antibodies.
