02/14/22 Health Advisory: CDC Updated Covid-19 Vaccination Guidelines; FDA Postponed its pediatric Covid-19 Vaccination Review

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COVID-19 Updates for Providers

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COVID-19 vaccine

COVID-19 testing

COVID-19 test processing

Labs report varying amounts of time to process COVID-19 tests. To support faster turnaround, we encourage providers to use in-state labs. The table below shows COVID-19 test processing times for in-state private labs.

LabTime to process testTests processed daily
FidaLab24–30 hours5,000
Kaiser24 hours700–800
LabCorp24–48 hoursUnknown
Northwest Pathology48–72 hours20,000
Quest24–48 hours700
UW Virology24–48 hours10,000–11,000
Atlas Genomic24–48 hours10,000

COVID-19 therapies

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) allocates monoclonal antibodies and oral antivirals to each state. DOH distributes doses to enrolled providers. Providers must enroll in Healthcare Partner Ordering Portal (HPoP) to manage COVID-19 therapies. Email mcm@doh.wa.gov for support enrolling.

Supplies of all therapies are current limited. Safeway and independent pharmacies may have oral antivirals. Hospital-associated systems may have monoclonal antibodies. All therapies must be dispensed by prescription. Therapies from Safeway are intended to be delivered to patients’ homes. Patients with questions about accessing their medication should call the pharmacy.

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COVID-19 prevention

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Immediately report COVID-19

We ask that you notify us of patients being tested who are hospitalized or have contact with a confirmed case, and not wait for the lab confirmation. Fax the COVID-19 Report Form to 360-778-6103. You can leave us a non-urgent confidential report on our 24-hour Communicable Disease Report Line, 360-778-6150.

Contacting the Health Department

Contact Whatcom County Health and Community Services at 360-778-6100
  • 360-778-6100 Main Call Line – available M-F 8:30am to 4:30pm.
    • Afterhours Answering Service – available after 4:30pm and weekends, call 360-778-6100 and press 2 to be connected to the on-call manager or health officer.
  • 360-778-6150 Communicable Disease Report Line – 24 hours a day 7 days a week
  • 360-778-6103 Confidential Communicable Disease Fax – 24 hours a day 7 days a week
  • 509 Girard Street, Bellingham WA 98225

Additional resources