Newsletter
25 April 2024
Supplies
WA COVID-19 is ending in May.
Here’s what to know.
Spotlight
Whatcom County Fire District 17.
Consistently going above and beyond.
Supplies
WA COVID-19 is ending in May.
Here’s what to know.
WA COVID-19 is starting to wind down, but you will continue to have access to free tests and one-to-one staff support from the WA COVID-19 team until the end of May 2024. There are a few important details about supply, fulfillment, and ongoing support that you’ll want to know.
Here’s the breakdown :
Order now to get InteliSwab tests that will last through next respiratory virus season!
Test supply – InteliSwab
- You can continue to order free COVID-19 tests through May 31, 2024.
- DOH has a fresh supply of InteliSwab rapid antigen tests arriving in early May.
- These tests have an FDA extended expiration date in 2025. That means you can stock up now for respiratory virus season next winter!
- InteliSwab is the only test available through the end of the program. BD Triplex is no longer available.
Ordering and fulfillment
- You can place orders immediately, but fulfillment times will be in mid-May for the new InteliSwab tests that expire in 2025. You will receive email confirmation once your order has been approved.
- DOH still has a batch of InteliSwab tests that expire in 2024.
- If you need tests before mid-May, you can specify this on our order form, and DOH will ship tests from this shorter-dated stock.
- When placing your order for the shorter-dated tests, just copy and paste this sentence into the Additional Comments section: “TESTS NEEDED ASAP: Please fulfill as soon as possible with available InteliSwab tests.”
- These will be fulfilled within the normal timeframe of about 10 business days.
Ongoing support
- WA COVID-19 staff will continue to provide the same one-to-one agency support over the next month.
- Moving forward, we encourage you to prioritize relationships with your local health jurisdictions (LHJ) for ongoing support with COVID-19 response.
- Some LHJs maintain an inventory of COVID-19 tests.
- All LHJs have access to DOH-approved vendors for ordering COVID-19 tests.
Reach out to us with any questions about supplies and services as we start to wind down.
Spotlight
Whatcom County Fire District 17.
Consistently going above and beyond.
Whatcom County Fire District 17 serves communities in Sandy Point Shores, Sandy Point Heights, Neptune Heights, Neptune Beach, and the western portions of the Lummi Indian Reservation. Chief Jim Petrie and Captain Robert Howery are the only two full time staff at WCFD17. They manage an amazing cadre of volunteer firefighters that serve 2,000 rooftops over a large area that requires emergency response via land and sea. Their community members are a bit older (50+ on average), so many are at higher risk for severe disease caused by respiratory viruses like COVID-19.
Throughout the pandemic, they’ve gone above and beyond to offer COVID-19 protection and mitigation tools to their community, including free testing and vaccine promotion and education. As the pandemic (and virus) evolved, so did their efforts to protect their volunteers and the communities they serve.
We sat down (zoomed) with Chief Jim Petrie and Captain Robert Howery to learn more about Whatcom Fire District 17, their community, and all the services they provide, including free COVID-19 testing.
Here’s what we learned:
Chief Petrie and Captain Howery prioritized PPE early in the pandemic and continue to do so. Captain Howery told us that no one on their team got sick in the field during COVID-19 surges because they were so vigilant about PPE.
“I can remember the first call we went on that was for COVID; three of us went in, everyone else stood outside, we went in looking like martians cuz we had all this gear on just to protect us. It changed the way we approach calls for sure.”
COVID-19 testing was introduced last year when WCDF17 joined WA COVID-19. The population they serve is a bit older (50+ average), so many are at higher risk for severe disease caused by COVID-19. Chief Petrie and Captain Howery wanted their community to have the resources they need to feel safe and take extra precautions, especially during surges. They’ve primarily distributed Clinitest but more recently started distributing InteliSwab as well.
They carry tests on their rigs, but most the time people come into the station to pick them up. If they’re sick or have been exposed, they can pick up their free tests just outside the door. There are signs on the station advertising the free testing, and they also put a blurb in their newsletter. But most of the promotion comes through word of mouth. They’ve ordered almost 2,000 rapid antigen tests, primarily distributing Clinitest but more recently, InteliSwab.
Handing out tests and educating people about COVID-19 safety has given them more opportunities for face-to-face connections with the community. They use these interactions to teach people about other priority issues like open fire policy, tsunami preparedness, and smoke detector installation – a free service they provide.
Thanks to Chief Petrie’s efforts, the department has fostered a close relationship with the Lummi Tribal Council and has frequent meetings with them to make sure they have the resources they need for emergency response. WCFD17 provides fire protection to a large portion of the Lummi Reservation.
They respond to emergencies by land or sea. They have a brush truck for wildfires and a rescue boat for emergencies on the water.
Chief Petrie is a proud Canadian by birth and lifelong Calgary Flames fan. When the conversation turned to our hometowns and favorite sports teams, Chief Petrie couldn’t resist quizzing us on our hockey knowledge. See if you can guess the answers to the questions below. Maggie got the first one, Mike missed the second 
.
Q: What was the Philadelphia Flyers longtime nickname that began in the 1970s?
A: The Broad Street Bullies
Q: Who were the two brothers, famous in the 1970s, who played for the Chicago Blackhawks and the Boston Bruins? Hint: one played forward, one played goalie.
A: Phil (Boston Bruins) and Tony Esposito (Chicago Blackhawks)
Shout outs!
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- Phillips 66 Ferndale Refinery
- Lummi Indian Business Council
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We provide resources and one-to-one technical assistance to help you educate community members on why testing matters and how they can test themselves for COVID-19. Knowing when to isolate, especially when other vulnerable individuals may be involved, is critical to protecting community health.
The Washington State Department of Health and Heath Commons periodically reviews the contents of WACOVID19.org to keep information content of WACOVID19.org as up to date as possible during guidance changes and program expansion. The content of WACOVID19.org does not necessarily represent the official views of WA State Department of Health.
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