News Release - English [ [link removed] ]




*For immediate release:*?September 9, 2022????? ??????????????????????? ??????????? (22-137)

*Contact:* DOH Communications <[email protected]>

*Department of Health Announces Updated At-home COVID-19 Testing Guidance*

*OLYMPIA*?? The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has announced updated guidance around COVID-19 at-home testing, including changes to how self-testing results should be reported and additional information about COVID-19 treatment. The full guidance is available on the DOH website. [ [link removed] ]

As part of the guidance update, Washingtonians are now being asked to report all positive at-home test results through the Say Yes! COVID Test Digital Assistant [ [link removed] ], even if those testing kits were not obtained through the Say Yes! COVID Test (SYCT) program. Previously, those wishing to report positive test results were instructed to contact the Washington State DOH COVID-19 Hotline. While the hotline will remain in service, its primary focus is being shifted to Care Connect Services that provide additional support for those in need who have recently tested positive.

While the White House recently announced a pause to the federal program that previously provided free at-home COVID-19 tests, the Say Yes! COVID Test program continues to offer up to 10 free tests to Washington households each month on a first-come, first-serve basis. The Say Yes! COVID Test program recently celebrated surpassing 10 million tests distributed throughout the state since the program?s inception in January 2022. New allocations of tests are available at the beginning of each month and can be ordered on the Say Yes! COVID Home Test website. [ [link removed] ]

?The widespread availability and use of rapid home tests helped Washingtonians take swift action to seek treatment for themselves and protect others from infection in the wake of more transmissible COVID-19 subvariants,? said Lacy Fehrenbach, Chief of Prevention, Safety, and Health. ?We encourage every family to have at-home tests on hand with the start of school and approaching fall respiratory virus season. By reporting results through the SYCT digital assistant, Washingtonians can help public health understand the burden and trajectory of infections in Washington state.?

?

Washington residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are in need of assistance with isolation, such as food, personal care kits, or other needs, can still contact the WA DOH COVID-19 Hotline at 1-800-525-0127 to report positive test result and ask to speak with Care Connect, or reach out to a Care Connect [ [link removed] ] hub. Those not in need of additional assistance should proceed with reporting positive cases via the SYCT portal.

The DOH?website [ [link removed] ] is your source for "a healthy dose of information". Find us on Facebook [ [link removed] ] and follow us on Twitter [ [link removed] ]. Sign up for the DOH blog,?Public Health Connection [ [link removed] ].

###

________________________________________________________________________

Visit the DOH Newsroom [ [link removed] ]?for all news releases.?
Subscribe to get news releases in Spanish [ [link removed] ].?You will continue to receive the English version.
Washington State Department of Health [ [link removed] ] is your source for a healthy dose of information.?







________________________________________________________________________

Twitter [ [link removed] ]? ??Facebook [ [link removed] ]? ? Instagram [ [link removed] ] ? ? Youtube [ [link removed] ]? ? Medium [ [link removed] ]? ? Govdelivery [ [link removed] ]

To request this document in another format, call 1-800-525-0127.
Deaf or hard of hearing customers, please call 711 (Washington Relay) or
email [email protected]

*Manage Subscriptions [ [link removed] ]? |? Unsubscribe [ [link removed] ]? |? Help [ [link removed] ]*

Department of Health logo [ [link removed] ]

________________________________________________________________________

This email was sent to [email protected] using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Washington State Department of Health ??101 Israel Road SE, Tumwater, WA 98501 GovDelivery logo [ [link removed] ]