Stories by Arielle Dreher for the Spokesman-Review

News

Who can get a COVID-19 vaccine first in Washington, and when? What we know so far

UPDATED: Sat., Dec. 5, 2020

A vaccine could be available to some Washington residents this month, but rollout could take time.

News > Spokane

CHAS will open drive-up COVID-19 testing at Spokane Arena on Sunday

UPDATED: Sat., Dec. 5, 2020

CHAS will open a drive-up COVID-19 testing site at the Spokane Arena, starting on Sunday.

News

Health board keeps Dr. Velázquez as interim health officer

UPDATED: Thu., Dec. 3, 2020

The Spokane County Board of Health voted unanimously on Thursday to keep Dr. Francisco Velázquez as the interim health officer, while the district searches for his permanent replacement.

News

Quarantine guidelines change for people exposed to COVID-19

UPDATED: Thu., Dec. 3, 2020

The quarantine guidelines for a person exposed to COVID-19 have shortened slightly.

News

Health district prioritizes high-risk cases for investigations as cases surge

UPDATED: Wed., Dec. 2, 2020

The Spokane Regional Health District cannot complete contact tracing on some COVID-19 case investigations due to the overwhelming number of cases confirmed on a daily basis.

News > Spokane

Spokane hospitals adjust, delay surgery and procedure schedules due to influx of COVID-19 patients

UPDATED: Wed., Dec. 2, 2020

Some elective surgeries will be postponed as Spokane hospitals brace for the next wave of COVID-19 patients.

News

Prepared for the worst, but hoping for better: Washington hospitals commit to helping their neighbors

UPDATED: Sat., Nov. 28, 2020

Washington's hospitals are prepared with plans and processes to accommodate more COVID-19 patients this fall, although they'd prefer residents take distancing and masking measures seriously to prevent further surge.

News

Spokane, North Idaho surge in COVID-19 infections continues

UPDATED: Fri., Nov. 27, 2020

The Spokane Regional Health District has confirmed more than 1,800 new cases of COVID-19 since Monday.

News

As the rural Inland Northwest sees surges in COVID-19, fears grow over region’s hospital capacity

UPDATED: Fri., Nov. 27, 2020

Inland Northwest rural communities are getting slammed with COVID-19 too, but what happens when rural hospitals begin to fill?

News > Crime/Public Safety

Lincoln statue in downtown Spokane vandalized with red paint

UPDATED: Thu., Nov. 26, 2020

The statue of Abraham Lincoln in downtown Spokane has been vandalized.

News

Thanksgiving to-go: Meal distributions continue in a distanced way in Spokane this year

UPDATED: Thu., Nov. 26, 2020

This Thanksgiving, COVID-19 made meal distributions more distanced than ever before.

News

Thanksgiving could be the turning point for the COVID-19 surge – or not

UPDATED: Thu., Nov. 26, 2020

By the end of November and early in December, Washington could begin to see the effect of the governor's new restrictions, if residents refrain from gathering this Thanksgiving.

News

State doubles down on contact tracing efforts; 418 new cases reported Wednesday

UPDATED: Wed., Nov. 25, 2020

COVID-19 hospitalizations have nearly doubled in November in Washington statewide and are projected to increase in the coming weeks.

News

‘House on fire’: COVID-19 cases surge in Inland Northwest and statewide with Thanksgiving coming

UPDATED: Fri., Nov. 20, 2020

Health districts have confirmed more than 2,000 new COVID-19 cases in the Idaho Panhandle and Spokane County since Monday.

News

Caught in the gap: How Washington residents are navigating health coverage in the midst of a pandemic

UPDATED: Tue., Nov. 24, 2020

More Washington residents have enrolled in health insurance plans through the state exchange than at this point last year.

News

Washington’s COVID-19 hospitalizations could more than double, state health officials say

UPDATED: Wed., Nov. 18, 2020

State health officials warned that Thanksgiving gatherings could lead to a large uptick in hospitalizations statewide.

News

Spokane Regional Health District confirms 942 COVID-19 cases in past three days

UPDATED: Tue., Nov. 17, 2020

Spokane County crested the 13,000-case mark on Monday, after the Spokane Regional Health District confirmed more than 900 COVID-19 cases over the weekend.

News

The COVID-19 testing disconnect: Why testing is still not at the levels it could be

Mon., Nov. 16, 2020

Nearly a year into the pandemic, health experts say there is still not enough COVID testing nationally or statewide.

News

Hundreds of students and school staff are quarantined as the pandemic intensifies in the Inland Northwest

UPDATED: Sat., Nov. 14, 2020

Spokane County crested the 12,000 case mark on Friday, as cases are causing schools to go remote only again and filling up local hospitals.

News

Interim county health officer Dr. Francisco Velázquez says data will lead response efforts

UPDATED: Thu., Nov. 12, 2020

Interim Health Officer Dr. Francisco Velázquez says he will use science and data to make decisions for Spokane County's pandemic response.

News

Longtime Providence executive Elaine Couture will retire in 2021

UPDATED: Wed., Nov. 11, 2020

Providence executive Elaine Couture is set to retire in early 2021.

News

An Idaho Panhandle campus is closing for the month because too many school employees are quarantined from COVID-19

UPDATED: Wed., Nov. 11, 2020

The Panhandle Health District reported 142 new cases on Wednesday, marking the third day in a row the district has confirmed more than 100 cases.

News

State health officials ask residents to stop socializing and alter holiday plans as COVID-19 cases soar

UPDATED: Tue., Nov. 10, 2020

Washington health officials sounded the alarm on accelerating case counts ahead of the holidays, warning that tightened restrictions might be necessary to keep the hospitals and health care system afloat going forward.

News

More than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases recorded in Spokane County in last week

UPDATED: Mon., Nov. 9, 2020

In the month of November, the Spokane Regional Health District has confirmed more than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases.

News > Spokane

State health board approves investigation into firing of Dr. Bob Lutz

UPDATED: Mon., Nov. 9, 2020

The State Board of Health unanimously voted to open a preliminary investigation into SRHD Administrator Amelia Clark's firing of Dr. Bob Lutz.

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