Testing at home? Here’s what you need to know.

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[Updated January 11, 2022]

The new Omicron variant has been detected here in Skagit County, and we’re expecting to see a dramatic rise in cases over the coming weeks. Thankfully though, we don’t need to fret! Other than getting vaccinated, testing is one of our most important tools for slowing the spread.

Below you’ll find some helpful information about the at-home testing process and what to do once you’ve tested. For more information about COVID-19 testing, visit the Washington State Department of Health’s webpage here.

Why should you test for COVID-19?

Testing saves lives! Testing allows people to take precautions, like quarantining, in a timely manner to stop the virus from spreading; infected people without symptoms can still spread the virus. Testing also helps public health officials identify and respond to outbreaks, and to track new variants of the virus. Testing is an important component in helping resume normal activities.

Who should test?

Anyone, regardless of vaccination status, should get tested if they’re showing symptoms of COVID-19. They should also get tested if they have had close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.

COVID-19 symptoms may include:

  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting

If you’re not fully vaccinated, you should also get tested if:

  • You’ve taken part in activities that put you at higher risk, such as being in large gatherings or crowded indoor settings.
  • You’re traveling (even domestically). The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends unvaccinated people get tested 1–3 days before a trip and 3–5 days after returning from a trip.

The vaccines are very effective, but breakthrough cases can happen. If you’re fully vaccinated, you may still need to get tested in some instances (even if you’re not showing symptoms). Basically, it comes down to this: When in doubt: Test.

When should you test?

Go to a testing site or use an at-home test if you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been in close contact with someone who may be positive for COVID-19. You should test immediately if having symptoms, or 3-5 days after suspected exposure, even if you don’t experience any symptoms.

Where can you get an at-home test?

Public Health has now run out of at-home testing kits. Please consider for-purchase at-home testing options, available at locations such as Walgreens, Rite Aid, Bartell Drugs, CVS, Walmart, Safeway, and Albertsons.

At present, testing demand is far exceeding availability throughout our state. If you cannot get access to testing, please refer to the CDC’s Isolation and Quarantine Guidance found here: https://bit.ly/3JQLIwF.

IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS but do not need medical care and can’t get a test, you might have COVID-19 and you should isolate for at least 5 days to keep from spreading the virus to others. Monitor your symptoms.

IF YOU WERE EXPOSED to someone with COVID-19 and need to quarantine and are unable to get a test 5 days after your last close contact, you can leave your home after day 5 if you have not had symptoms; wear a mask for 10 days after last contact.

What kind of test is available for at-home use?

All available at-home tests are rapid antigen tests. These tests typically provide results in 10-15 minutes and are used to identify those with active COVID-19 infections. A positive result generally means a person currently has COVID-19 and can spread the virus to others.

What should you do if you test positive?

Please call the state COVID-19 hotline at 1-800-525-0127 (press #) as soon as you receive a positive test result. The hotline is available Monday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Tuesday to Sunday (and observed holidays) 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

An interviewer from the Washington State Department of Health will contact you to discuss what’s next and what support is available. Learn more about what to expect if you test positive.

If you have confirmed or suspected COVID-19 and have symptoms (regardless of vaccination status), you can end home isolation when:

  • It’s been at least 24 hours with no fever without using fever-reducing medication, AND
  • Your symptoms have improved, AND
  • At least 5 days since symptoms first appeared.

If you test positive for COVID-19, but have not had any symptoms, you can end home isolation when:

  • At least 5 days have passed since the date of your first positive COVID-19 test, AND
  • You have had no subsequent illness.

Note: If you need help while you’re isolating at home, you may be able to get support from Care Connect Washington.

What if you tested negative but are experiencing symptoms?

If you test negative but are currently experiencing COVID-like symptoms or have been recently exposed to COVID-19, the safest thing to do is to get a follow-up PCR test. A PCR test is a molecular test that looks for genetic material inside the virus and can determine if a person is “COVID-19 positive.” The turnaround time for results with these tests is usually 24–72 hours. While you wait for your results, please quarantine to avoid any possible spread.

Looking for a PCR test? Visit our website for a full list of testing providers here in Skagit County.

Holiday Operational Changes at the Skagit Fairgrounds Testing & Vaccine Site

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November 3, 2021

The Skagit County Fairgrounds Testing and Vaccine Site at 501 Taylor Street in Mount Vernon operates on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 3pm to 7pm. During the months of November and December, the site will be closed on the following dates:

  • Thursday, November 11th (Veteran’s Day)
  • Thursday, November 25th (Thanksgiving)
  • Friday, November 26th (Thanksgiving)
  • Friday, December 24th (Christmas Eve)
  • Friday, December 31st (New Year’s Day)

In lieu of these dates, the site will be open on the following days from 3pm to 7pm:

  • Wednesday, November 10th
  • Wednesday November 24th
  • Wednesday, December 22nd
  • Wednesday, December 29th

These dates have been added to ensure that vital vaccination and testing services remain available during the busy holiday season. As a reminder, the Fairgrounds Site should not be used as a testing option for those seeking to travel or attend an event that requires proof of a negative COVID-19 test.

For a full list of vaccination and testing providers, go to: www.skagitcounty.net/coronavirus or call the COVID-19 Information Hotline at 1-800-525-0127, then press #.

Taking the Guesswork out of Getting Tested

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Skagit County Public Health has been receiving a lot of calls in recent days from people asking about local COVID-19 testing options. In the past week alone, about 30% of all our incoming calls have been about testing.

Most callers are asking about access and want to know where they can go locally to get tested. In response, we have made sure that our testing options webpage is up-to-date and matches the Washington Department of Health’s list as well.

For a list of local testing options, go to: https://www.skagitcounty.net/Departments/HealthDiseases/coronavirusTESTsites.htm.

For a full list of regional testing locations, go to: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19/TestingforCOVID19/TestingLocations

Many callers are also wondering about the differences between testing locations and the types of tests that they offer. While some locations offer both PCR and Antigen testing, many times a location will provide one or the other. With the recent opening of the Canadian border to fully vaccinated Americans, it is not surprising that so many people are wondering about which type of COVID test they should get.

So, here are some answers that may be helpful as you choose between testing options:

When should I get tested?

If you have had close contact exposure to a COVID-19 case or if you are concerned that you may have been exposed and are not experiencing symptoms, it is recommended that you wait 3 to 5 days after that initial exposure to get a diagnostic test. This wait time is due to the incubation period of the virus, the amount of the virus in your body, and the characteristics of diagnostic tests.

Those experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should get tested as soon as possible. Symptoms may include the following:

  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea

What types of tests are available?

There are essentially two broad categories of testing:

  1. Antigen test (frequently referred to as a rapid test). This test detects protein fragments specific to the Coronavirus. It can be done in at a pharmacy, clinic, doctor’s office, or hospital. Turnaround time for results is usually very quick, and in some cases, results can be reported within 15 minutes.
  1. PCR test (may be referred to as a viral or molecular test). PCR testing is considered the “gold standard” in SARS-CoV-2 detection. This test actually detects RNA (or genetic material) that is specific to the virus and can detect the virus within days of infection, even those who have no symptoms. The test can also be done at a pharmacy, clinic, doctor’s office, or hospital. Turnaround time for results can be longer (generally in the 2-3 day range) since PCR samples are tested in a lab.

What kind of test should I get?

It is always best to talk with your health care provider about which test is best for you.

If you have symptoms, get the quick antigen test if it is available. If it is positive, you can start isolating right away to protect those around you from the spread of the virus. If the antigen test is negative, you should get retested using a PCR test and be sure to isolate yourself until you receive the result.

For most people who do not have symptoms but want to be tested because they may have been exposed or are traveling soon, the PCR test is the better choice. It can find small amounts of the virus that might be seen before symptoms start.

How accurate are these tests?

PCR tests work by detecting genetic material from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The genetic material from SARS-CoV-2 cannot be confused with the genetic material from other viruses, so this kind of test is highly specific. This means it rarely gives a false positive. If you are tested and the test comes back positive, you can be very sure that you are infected with this virus. Antigen tests are also very specific and rarely give a false positive.

Unfortunately, neither test is equally sensitive. If the specimen collection is not done perfectly, or if you are in an early stage of infection or already partially recovered, a sample might not contain enough viral material to come back positive. This is why timing is key for getting a positive test result. If you have been potentially exposed to COVID-19 but are not sick, it is best to get tested at least 5 days after the last potential exposure.

Because false negative results on diagnostic tests can happen, a negative result should not give you a sense of false security. If you have any symptoms of COVID-19, it is safest to assume you are infected and self-quarantine.

What test do I need to travel?

While the most universally accepted COVID-19 test is a molecular PCR test, some destinations may accept antigen tests as well. It is best to check with your destination, airline (etc.) when planning your trip.

If you are not fully vaccinated and must travel domestically or internationally, you will be required to get tested 1-3 days before your trip. Those who are fully vaccinated do not require testing before domestic travel, however most international destinations will still require pre-travel testing.

For those traveling, the best local PCR testing option is:

I’m looking for a low barrier testing option in Skagit County. Where should I go?

Skagit County Public Health is now offering free antigen testing at our Wednesday evening vaccine clinics at the Skagit County Administrative Building (700 S 2nd Street Mount Vernon, WA 98273) from 6-9pm.

We accept anyone 5 years and older; no appointment or insurance required. Test results are available in 15 minutes.

Note: This is NOT intended as a pre-travel test.

Can I use an At-Home Test Kit?

If you need to be tested for COVID-19 and can’t get tested by a healthcare provider or another testing location, you can consider using either a self-collection kit or a self-test that can be performed at home or anywhere else. Sometimes a self-test is also called a “home test” or an “at-home test.”

The following At-Home Tests are recommended by the Washington Department of Health (DOH):

When using an At-Home Test, please keep the following in mind:

  • All instructions for performing the test must be followed.
  • Self-tests can be used by anyone who is symptomatic regardless of their vaccination status.
  • Unvaccinated persons with no COVID-19 symptoms can also use self-tests, especially if they were potentially exposed to someone with COVID-19.
  • If an individual tests positive, they should isolate and inform any close contacts.

Those who test positive are asked to call the WA State COVID-19 Hotline at 1-800-525-0127 as soon as possible. The hotline is open from 6 AM to 10 PM Monday, and 6 AM to 6 PM Tuesday – Friday (and observed state holidays). Language assistance is available.

What is an Antibody test?

An antibody test looks for the body’s response to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. It is a blood test that is good at determining if you had the disease, but not good for determining if you have the disease. As such, antibody tests should not be used to diagnose the virus.

While there is evidence that antibodies may provide protection from infection, that has not yet been proven and therefore results of an antibody test should not be used to determine immunity.

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For more information about testing and for frequently asked questions, go to the WA DOH COVID-19 Testing webpage: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19/TestingforCOVID19.

Seasonal Allergies or COVID-19?

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There’s nothing better after a long winter than the first few glimpses of spring. The cherry blossoms are in full bloom, and some days it takes everything in me to remain seated inside at my desk. But for those with allergies, springtime isn’t always that welcome, and blooming flowers don’t call to them like they do for me.

This is our second spring during COVID-19, and while we’ve learned a lot, there are still questions. Is my sinus headache a sign of seasonal allergies or could it possibly be COVID? Is my toddler’s runny nose cause for concern or just your run-of-the-mill springtime sniffles?

If you’re feeling a bit under the weather and are asking yourself these questions, here are a few more to contemplate:

What are your symptoms?

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/infographic-overlap-symptoms.html

The CDC has a helpful diagram (to the right) that shows the differences and similarities between COVID-19 and allergy symptoms. While there are many symptoms that the two share, there are some symptoms that are very obviously one or the other.

Sneezing, by itself, is uncommon with COVID-19. If someone does have COVID-19, and they are experiencing sneezing, there are typically other symptoms involved. There are also some COVID-19 symptoms that would never be caused by allergies. These include fever, severe fatigue, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps.

Have you had allergies in the past?

If you regularly deal with springtime allergies, and you’re starting to feel the typical symptoms (sneezing, runny nose, and itchy eyes), allergies may be the issue. These aren’t the most common symptoms associated with COVID-19, although sneezing, runny nose and itchy eyes can sometimes occur.

When in doubt, get tested. Especially if your allergies feel different than usual, if your symptoms progress or you begin to get sicker, or if you’ve had a potential exposure to COVID-19.

How severe are your symptoms?

In general, seasonal allergy symptoms remain relatively consistent but may get worse when pollen counts are high. If you notice that your symptoms are getting progressively worse, or if you develop different symptoms, you’re probably not dealing with allergies.

Do allergy medications help? 

If you take allergy medication and it seems to relieve your symptoms, you probably don’t have COVID-19. Even still, it is important to continue to monitor your symptoms.

Could you have been exposed to COVID-19?

If there is a chance that you may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 recently and you begin to experience symptoms, it is important to get tested right away. While uncommon, someone can develop mild allergy-like symptoms first before the illness progresses. COVID-19 symptoms generally appear two to 14 days after exposure to SARS-CoV-2.

You are concerned that you may have COVID-19. Where can you get tested?

If you think you may have COVID-19, or if you decide to be extra cautious, visit here for a list of testing locations near you. If you have a health care provider, you may also be able to call them for an appointment. 

Your symptoms are getting worse. When should you seek help?

Look for emergency warning signs for COVID-19. If you or a loved one are showing any of the signs below, seek emergency medical care immediately:

  • Trouble breathing
  • Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
  • New confusion
  • Inability to wake or stay awake
  • Pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone

How can you prevent allergies?

The easiest way to prevent seasonal allergies is to avoid your known “triggers.” For example, if you are allergic to pollen, stay inside with your windows and doors closed during particularly pollen-heavy days.

Interestingly enough, wearing your trusted face mask (you know…the one that slows the spread of COVID-19) might also provide a bit of protection against seasonal allergies. And be sure to wash your mask in between wears since a used mask might carry pollen particles!

Try the New Isolation & Quarantine Calculator

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When it comes to the health and safety of your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers, there isn’t a lot of room for guess work. Figuring out exactly what it means to be quarantined or isolated can be confusing, especially when there are so many factors at play.

For this reason, the Washington State Department of Health has created an Isolation and Quarantine Calculator Tool to simplify these steps. You can check out this new tool at: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19/CaseInvestigationsandContactTracing/IsolationandQuarantineforCOVID19/Calculator.

What does Isolation and Quarantine mean?

Snapshot of the new online calculator tool. Find it here.

Isolation and quarantine are key strategies to reduce the spread of COVID-19. If you test positive for COVID-19, have symptoms, or are identified as a close contact of someone who has COVID-19, Public Health will ask you to isolate or quarantine as appropriate.

Isolation describes when someone who has COVID-19 symptoms, or has tested positive, stays home and away from others (including household members) to avoid spreading their illness. This would mean that a person eat and sleep separately from other household members, as well as use a separate restroom (when able).  

Quarantine describes when someone who has been exposed to COVID-19 stays home and away from others for the recommended period of time in case they were infected and are contagious. Those in quarantine are still able to interact with those in their immediate household. Quarantine becomes isolation if the person later tests positive for COVID-19 or develops symptoms.

The period of time that someone must isolate or quarantine is reliant on the type of contact the individual has had, whether or not the individual tests positive for COVID-19, and whether this person develops symptoms or not.

The online Calculator will help to determine the dates of your isolation or quarantine if you:

  • Tested positive for COVID-19 and have symptoms;
  • Tested positive for COVID-19 but do not have symptoms;
  • Were exposed to COVID-19 (identified as a close contact); or
  • Previously tested positive for COVID-19 and want to know when you could be re-infected.

If you have been issued an isolation or quarantine letter from Skagit County Public Health, please follow the instructions provided. If you are an at-risk individual who is on quarantine or isolation, and you find yourself in need of assistance with getting supplies or food, call 360-416-1500 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. daily.

For more information, visit https://www.skagitcounty.net/Departments/HealthDiseases/coronavirus.htm#O.

7 Steps for Combating Seasonal Depression

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I have always looked forward to the colder months. For me, shorter days and chilly temperatures mean cozy sweaters, snuggling under blankets, and fuzzy socks. It had never truly occurred to me that seasonal depression was a real thing until I met my husband. He—unlike myself—is genuinely impacted by the winter months, and struggles each year when the weather starts to turn.

And he is not alone. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), or seasonal depression, affects about five percent of adults in the United States. It is more common among women than men, and has been linked to a biochemical imbalance in the brain prompted by shorter daylight hours and less sunlight in winter. Though rare, SAD can also affect children, sometimes causing fussiness, clinginess, and emotional reactivity, or disinterest, sleepiness, and poor memory.

Common symptoms of SAD include fatigue, even with too much sleep, and weight gain associated with overeating and carbohydrate cravings. SAD symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include many symptoms similar to major depression, such as:

  • Feeling sad or having a depressed mood
  • Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
  • Changes in appetite; usually eating more, craving carbohydrates
  • Change in sleep; usually sleeping too much
  • Loss of energy or increased fatigue despite increased sleep hours
  • Restlessness
  • Feeling worthless or guilty
  • Difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions
  • Thoughts of death or suicide

Some experts have warned that individuals will be particularly hard-hit this year due to the culminating effects of seasonal depression and COVID-related mental, emotional, physical, and economic challenges.

While it is important to acknowledge that this winter may be tougher than usual, it doesn’t mean that things are hopeless. There are many preventative steps that we can take to combat seasonal depression—and you can start right now!

1. Make a Plan

If you know that you are affected by seasonal depression, now is the time to start planning. And for those who might not typically be impacted but may be struggling this year, some planning might also be in your best interest.

Make a list of warning signs and symptoms—indicators of when your mental health may be declining. Then, make a note of all of your coping strategies—the things that have helped you feel better in the past. This exercise will help you create a game plan for if/when things begin to feel too hard.

2. Think Positively

There are many known health benefits to thinking positively, though it is unclear why people who engage in positive thinking experience these health benefits. One theory is that having a positive outlook enables you to cope better with stressful situations, which reduces the harmful health effects of stress on your body.

Thinking positively begins with positive self-talk: the endless stream of unspoken thoughts that run through your head. These thoughts can be either positive or negative. Each day, you can make the conscious decision to speak to yourself with kindness, or not. Practice showing yourself a little grace each day.

3. Make Health a Priority

Set and maintain a daily routine, eat healthy foods, and get regular exercise.

Recent studies have shown that people who eat whole grains, vegetables, fruits, lean red meats, and other healthy foods, showed a significant improvement in depressive symptoms.

Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Getting more sunlight may help too, so try to get outside to exercise when the sun is shining. Being active during the daytime, especially early in the day, may help you have more energy and feel less depressed.

4. Keep Things Light

Light therapy has been a mainstay for the treatment of SAD for decades. It aims to expose people with SAD to a bright light every day to make up for the diminished natural sunshine in the darker months.

If this isn’t an option, just getting outdoors can be the first step toward a healthier mindset, even in the PNW. When walking outside, try keeping an upward gaze instead of looking at the ground, and practice deep breathing. If you’re able, try to get your heart rate up several times a week.

5. Stay Social

Despite the logistical challenges this year, it’s important to maintain connections with family and friends. While you may have to get a bit creative, there are many ways to connect with people this winter, even if it isn’t necessarily face-to-face.

It can be tempting to close yourself off, especially when struggling with depression. In planning for the winter, ask a friend or family member to be your winter-blues buddy, and keep each other accountable.

6. Keep Growing in Yourself

I know, I know … many of us have tried new things since the beginning of COVID-19. But now isn’t the time to get complacent! Try a new hobby, get involved, and throw yourself into something new. Find the thing that will carry you through the darker days, and do it wholeheartedly. And if possible, find something that you can do with a family member or friend.

7. Find Help

If you’ve tried multiple ways to make yourself feel better and aren’t noticing any improvements in your mood—or are noticing that it’s getting worse—it might be time to seek professional help. Getting help is not a sign of weakness; it is proof that you take your mental health seriously.

SAMHSA’s National Helpline – 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

The Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.

I’m traveling and I might be sick … what do I do?

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COVID-19 spreads quickly between individuals when in close contact with each other, like when on airplanes, trains or in cars. Sitting in close contact with anyone you don’t live with for a prolonged period of time puts you at higher risk of contracting COVID-19. Further, when driving long distances, you increase the likelihood that you’ll come into contact with more people than you normally would (stopping at gas stations or rest areas when driving, getting food, etc…).

This is why Public Health strongly discourages people from traveling outside of their immediate geographic area right now. We’ve said it repeatedly: Now is not the time to go see Grandma in Arizona or travel to your cousin’s wedding in Missouri. In fact, we wouldn’t even encourage you to get lunch with a friend in Seattle right now.

However, our case investigation data is showing that people are still traveling, and unfortunately, some are getting sick. Some of this travel is essential, like for work or to care for an ill family member. But all travel puts the traveler, the communities they visit, and their home community and family at risk. So, we feel compelled to explain what one should do if they’re far from home and start to get that cough and fever (or any other COVID-19 symptom) we all dread right now.

First, and most importantly: DO NOT TRY TO GET HOME.

If you’ve got symptoms, you need to hunker down wherever you are and do your best not to expose anyone else to the illness. Do not go to the store, do not let housekeeping clean your hotel room, and do not get back on an airplane. When you’re symptomatic, especially in the first days, it’s likely you’re highly contagious. You have a personal responsibility to not be in close contact with other people and not put them at risk of contracting COVID-19.

Related to this, anyone in your travel party (or any other close contacts you’ve had) shouldn’t travel or continue to be around other people either. The average person is contagious two days before symptoms present, so anyone you’ve been in close contact with (sharing a car, hotel room, sitting next to each other on airplane, etc.) has likely already contracted COVID-19 by the time your symptoms start to present. They also have a responsibility to not put anyone at risk and quarantine themselves so that COVID-19 doesn’t further spread to others

Second: Seek testing and, if you need it, medical care.

Wherever you are at, some kind of medical care should be available. If you have active symptoms, get tested as soon as possible. If you are the travel companion of a person with symptoms, wait 6-8 days after your companion’s symptoms started, and then seek testing.

Third: Cooperate with contact tracers.

It’s likely that if you’ve been traveling, you’ve come into contact with others who may now also be infected. Sharing that information with contact tracers is vital to prevent a cluster from growing. The information you share is confidential.  

Fourth: If your test comes back positive, you will need to isolate.

You will need to isolate for at least 10 days since the onset of symptoms (or test date, if you are asymptomatic). It is absolutely vital that you or anyone you have been traveling in close contact with do not get on an airplane, or any other sort of public transportation, during this time.

As you can see, traveling does not just increase your risk of getting sick, it also increases your risk of being stuck away from home while you are sick. This could mean out-of-network medical bills, prolonged hotel stays, and a need to change travel plans, which could be costly. This is not to mention being far from your support networks and trusted medical care. If you are choosing to travel right now, you need to have a plan in place to ensure you can quarantine or isolate wherever you are headed if the need arises.

If you are stuck somewhere and are unable to safely stay where you are, Public Health recommends renting a car and driving home. It will be important that you stop as little as possible, wear a mask whenever you have to get out of a car and try to sanitize anything you touch as you go. Every time you get out of the car, you risk exposing others to the virus—the customers and workers at the gas station or restaurant, housekeeping at the hotel, etc. Again, it’s important to remember that even if you’re the only one in your travel party exhibiting symptoms, it’s likely that your whole travel party is already infected and also contagious. Everyone needs to take the same level of precautions.

COVID-19 has taken a lot of things away from us, travel being one of them. Please, act responsibly so we can take care of each other and get back to normal as soon as possible.

Children and COVID-19: What do we know?

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COVID-19 is called a “novel” coronavirus because it is a new viral strain that has not previously been seen in humans. Because it is new, scientists continue to learn about the disease and how it impacts us. One topic we are gaining a growing understanding about is how COVID-19 affects children. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released updated guidance last week to reflect new information about COVID-19 and children.

Do children get COVID-19?

Yes. The fact that children can catch COVID-19 is not new, but it has not been clear how susceptible children are for infection. We know that children have made up a smaller percentage of COVID-19 cases. The CDC’s latest guidance notes that while children make up 22% of the population, only 7% of all diagnosed cases of COVID-19 in the United States were for children (as of 8/3/20). In Skagit County, the percentage of cases in children is somewhat higher at 14%, but children still make up a lower proportion of cases than in the adult population.

One explanation for the lower COVID-19 rate among children is that because kids frequently get colds, which are often caused by other coronaviruses, their antibodies provide some protection from COVID-19. Another theory is that community measures like school closures were effective in keeping children safe. As communities have opened up, cases in children have increased. Nationwide, there was a 90% increase in child cases over the four weeks from 7/9/20 to 8/6/20.  

During these times, it can be expected that our children are experiencing heightened anxiety. The CDC has some wonderful recommendations to help adults have conversations with children about COVID-19 and how to cope with stress.

What are COVID-19 symptoms for children?

Generally, COVID-19 symptoms in children are similar to but milder than in adults. The most common symptoms in children are cough and/or fever, but children may also show no symptoms at all.

According to a recent American Academy of Pediatrics report, severe illness due to COVID-19 is rare among children. Although infrequent, children younger than age 2 appear to be at higher risk of severe illness with COVID-19 than older children. This is likely due to their immature immune systems and smaller airways, which make them more susceptible to developing breathing issues.

There have also been some reports of children developing a rare complication called multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). MIS-C is a serious condition in which different body parts can become inflamed, which causes heart or other organ complications. The CDC is still learning about MIS-C and how it affects children, so we do not know why some children have gotten sick with MIS-C and others have not. MIS-C can be serious, even deadly, but most children who were diagnosed with this condition have gotten better with medical care.

What symptoms should I be worried about in children?

Parents or caretakers should immediately contact urgent or emergency medical care if they notice these warning signs in a child:

  • Trouble breathing
  • Pain or pressure in the chest that does not go away
  • New confusion
  • Inability to wake or stay awake
  • Bluish lips or face
  • Severe abdominal pain

If you have children in your home, the CDC recommends some other general precautions for your whole household to help stay safe:

  • If others in your home have an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19, consider extra precautions to separate your child from those people.
  • If you are unable to stay home with your child while school is out or conducted remotely, carefully consider who can best provide childcare. If someone at higher risk for COVID-19 will be providing care (e.g. a grandparent or someone with a chronic medical condition), limit your children’s contact with other people so they are less likely to come into contact with the virus and expose their caretakers.
  • Consider postponing visits or trips to see older family members and grandparents. Connect virtually or by writing letters and sending via mail.

If you do have a child that is showing mild COVID-19 symptoms or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, the Skagit County Drive-Thru site will test anyone five years of age or older with parent or guardian approval. Families with children younger than five should reach out to their pediatric provider’s office to ask about testing.

Sources:

CDC Information for Pediatric Healthcare Providers:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/pediatric-hcp.html

Washington Skagit COVID dashboard:
https://coronavirus.wa.gov/what-you-need-know/covid-19-risk-assessment-dashboard

Children & COVID-19-State Level Data Report, American Academy of Pediatrics: https://services.aap.org/en/pages/2019-novel-coronavirus-covid-19-infections/children-and-covid-19-state-level-data-report/

Important Message COVID-19

Recovered from COVID-19 – Important Message

Reading Time: 5 minutes

A very important message from the first Skagitonian diagnosed with coronavirus.

In life, we generally want to be first. Get that gold medal, be the valedictorian, hold the world record. Like most of us, Susanne had never been first before. Until March 10, 2020.

Susanne, 49, is a recent transplant to Skagit County, having moved here from Enumclaw in January. She decided to live fulltime in her 37-foot-long RV with her rescue dog. On March 10th, Susanne became the first person in Skagit County to be diagnosed with COVID-19.

She began feeling symptoms on Saturday, Feb. 22nd. It’s just allergies, she thought. She’d been through this every year and this time didn’t feel any different. This was weeks before Governor Jay Inslee announced the “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order and things started shutting down. Weeks before most people began taking the pandemic seriously. Susanne continued to live her normal life, as we all did. Her story could be any one of ours.

As an avid square dancer, she drove south for a square dancing lesson, followed by a square dance. “I felt crappy enough that when I got halfway down to Lynnwood, I thought that if I have a fever when I get down there, I’m going home. If I don’t, I’ll toughen up,” she says. “I didn’t have a fever.”

“I was really sick the next day. The dog was really concerned about me. I didn’t want to get out of bed, I was getting dehydrated,” she says, crediting the dog with making sure she drank and ate. “But by Monday morning, I felt fine.”

On Tuesday, she went down to her 81-year-old mother’s house in Enumclaw and was cleaning stuff out. Luckily, her mom wasn’t there. On the way back, she ran errands, making stops at several stores, as we all used to do before the outbreak. She had contact with many people along the way.

“I had a long day and my allergies were really flaring,” she says. “At that point, I realized that I’m not going to manage to make dinner, so I stopped at a drive thru and picked something up.”

She was looking forward to a square dance coming up on Sadie Hawkins day, February 29th. As a lifelong allergy sufferer, she knew the feeling of her allergies working their way into her chest, causing pneumonia. She thought, with some rest, in a few days she’d be better.

“At this point, I’m like 99.9% sure that I’m not contagious. It’s just allergies,” she says. “There was no fever, all the drainage was clear. That’s an allergy, not an infection.”

However, she thought she better not go to the dance. Plus, “nobody wants to be around mucus girl!” she joked.

By March 2nd, she could hardly get out of bed. She certainly couldn’t make anything to eat. She didn’t even feel like making herself tea, so she picked up a few iced teas at a drive thru to keep herself hydrated. At 11:15pm, she got back to her RV site and checked her email. Sitting in her car, she read the news. One of her square dancing friends had been hospitalized and died. He had been diagnosed with COVID-19.

She knew she had to get tested. She drove to Overlake Hospital in Bellevue, arriving at 1:08 am, March 3rd, less than two hours after she found out about her friend.

“I drove south because they had people down there who had [COVID-19], so they would be prepared. And they were,” she says. Hospital staff immediately handed her a mask and placed her in a negative pressure room. While she waited to be seen, she turned on the TV.

“I don’t normally watch TV, but in like 5 minutes, I was concerned that I had been out in public and giving this to other people,” she says. “Just five minutes of TV and I was like … ‘Holy crap, no wonder people are freaking out.’ I shut it off.”

They took a chest x-ray and tested for non-COVID-19 respiratory viruses. The results came back quickly – all negative. The x-ray revealed what she already knew – bilateral pneumonia.

But still, she had no fever so she didn’t quite fit the COVID-19 testing criteria at that point in time.

“My symptoms weren’t what we were hearing,” she says. All of her square dancing friends who ended up testing positive had different symptoms, “and none of them were what you had to have to get a COVID-19 test. The one thing we had in common was that there was a time when we all were feeling better so we went out and did things. And then we crashed harder.”

Knowing she had been exposed and a friend had died from COVID-19, hospital staff decided to test her. She was told the results would be available in 24-48 hours. They gave her a box of masks to wear in public and sent her home.

Other friends were also tested on March 3rd and their results were in by March 6th. Of five friends tested, four came back positive, but Susanne was still waiting on her test. On Sunday, March 8th, she got a call from Skagit County Public Health, which had also been waiting to receive her test results. There had been problems processing her test. So Public Health arranged with Skagit Valley Hospital to have her retested early the next morning.

Approximately 24 hours after the retest, she got the call she was dreading. She had COVID-19. She spent the next hour and a half telling Public Health every place she’d been in the last 30 days. Fortunately, she lets her GPS run and it keeps track down to the minute.

Susanne spent the following two weeks in isolation. Once cleared by Public Health, she went out to enjoy some fresh air. From about 30 yards away, she had her first physical conversation with someone in weeks. She asked a man how he was doing, and his response left her astonished:

“Fine, not really doing anything because of this COVID-19. I think it’s a hoax. I don’t know anybody who had it or died from it,” Susanne recalled.

“Well, I’ve had friends die from it,” she responded. “And, hi! I just got out of isolation today!”

Later that day, while doing five-and-a-half weeks of laundry at the laundromat, she had a nearly identical conversation with a woman there.

“How are there still people who don’t think this is a thing?” she wonders. “They’re still denying it. That was kind of horrifying to me.”

She wants everyone to know that they can get this disease, even young people and those who do not have underlying health conditions that make them more susceptible to deadly complications.

“You’re not immune, you’re not special. You can still get it and you can still spread it,” she says.

She has hope for the future and is confident that with accurate, scientific information, the community will come through this.

“Life is never going to be quite the same. We’re going to be aware of things we weren’t aware of before,” she believes. “And that’s a good thing. Knowledge and growth are a good thing. “