OLYMPIA, Wash — State Health Secretary John Wiesman lobbied lawmakers for $100 million to help the state battle coronavirus.
On Tuesday, the state House voted unanimously, 96-0, to fulfill his request.
"One of the things we don't want to have happen is to have a virus spreading with our public health agencies and emergency management agencies having to restrict what they're doing to intervene because they don't have the money to do it,” said Speaker of the House, Rep. Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma.
The Senate is expected to approve the measure.
Wiesman said half of the funding would help the state Department of Health investigate the disease, provide assistance to health care providers, and raise awareness about the virus.
He said the other half would go to other state agencies, like the Department of Social and Health Services, to respond to what is expected to be an increase in patients.
Wiesman said the Department of Social and Health Services would use the funding to help free up hospital bed space for potential coronavirus patients.
Hospitals are prevented from discharging some patients if they don’t have a home or a safe place to recover.
“We have about 430-some patients who are in hospitals right now. They're ready to be released, but they need places they can go to,” said Wiesman.
Wiesman said the state could use some of the additional money to expand the capacity for the hotline set-up for public questions and concerns about the virus.
He acknowledged that people have had a hard time getting through on the hotline.
”The hotline has had a lot of calls come in in the last couple of days,” said Wiesman, “I know we are working on that issue.”
What are coronavirus symptoms?
The symptoms of coronavirus are similar to the flu or colds. Symptoms include a fever, cough, and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, according to the Washington State Department of Health.
The severity of symptoms ranges significantly. Some cases are very mild with symptoms similar to the common cold, and some cases are more like severe pneumonia that require hospitalization.
Most deaths have been reported in older adults who had other health conditions, according to DOH.
Symptoms may appear as soon as two days after being exposed to the coronavirus or as long as 14 days.
A new Washington call center has been set up to answer your questions about COVID-19. If you have questions about how the virus spreads, what is being done in Washington state, and what you can do if you have symptoms, call 1-800-525-0127 and press #.