Dear Friends and Neighbors,
This week has been a troubling week in the 45th District. The King County Department of Health has confirmed that there have been nine deaths from novel coronavirus and several more are sick. My condolences go out to the families of those who have lost loved ones to this illness. My goal is to ensure that you have the most relevant and up to date information possible.
Coronavirus Information
Health officials are working rapidly to identify and test people who may have been exposed. Public health officials in our state have experience responding to pandemics and are working with national, county, and local health officials to share information, deploy resources, and respond at maximum capacity.
These are the recommendations from the Washington State Department of Health on how to respond in your daily life:
- Wash your hands often and avoid touching your face.
- Stay home when you’re sick.
- If you are sick and wondering what to do, call your healthcare provider before you go to a clinic or emergency room.
- Show compassion and support for individuals and communities most closely impacted and anyone who might be sick.
- Get prepared in case for a COVID-19 outbreak in your community. We have resources at https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/Coronavirus#beprepared.
If you have questions, you can call the Washington State Department of Health at 1-800-525-0127 and press #.
You can also stay up to date by following them online at the various websites and social media channels below:
Website: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/Coronavirus
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WADeptHealth
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WADeptHealth
King County Department of Health: www.kingcounty.gov/covid
Steps in the Legislature
The House has taken strong bipartisan action to address this outbreak. On Tuesday we unanimously approved $100 million to get state agencies and local governments the necessary funding to respond to COVID-19. It also will give the Department of Social and Health Services funding to increase nursing staff to help address this growing need.”
Background Checks
Background checks are the most effective tool that we have for reducing gun violence and ensuring that people who are prohibited from possessing a firearm can’t buy one. In this week’s Goodminute I discuss the ways that we are working to update and modernize our background check system.
As always, please reach out if you have questions, comments, or ideas.
All best wishes,
Roger Goodman
Representative, 45th District
Washington State Legislature