Arielle Dreher

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News >  Health

Spokane County records first flu death of the season

UPDATED: Tue., Feb. 8, 2022

A Spokane County resident in her 80s has died from influenza, the first local fatality of the season, according to the Spokane Regional Health District.

News >  Health

Commissioners make Spokane County Board of Health nominations official

UPDATED: Tue., Feb. 8, 2022

The Spokane County Commissioners officially placed their three nominees on the Spokane Regional Health District Board of Health on Tuesday – but not before some commissioners berated media coverage of their selections and the process as “misinformation.”

News >  Health

Despite hitting omicron peak, COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations still high in Washington, Idaho

UPDATED: Wed., Feb. 9, 2022

While Washington and Idaho have hit their omicron peaks, public health and hospital officials warn that could still mean more cases and hospitalizations being reported than ever seen earlier in the pandemic.

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COVID-19 hospitalizations high but declining in Washington

UPDATED: Tue., Feb. 8, 2022

Hospitalizations for COVID-19 are declining in Washington but remain high compared to much of the pandemic.

News >  Health

Local pharmacies and grocery stores begin receiving free N95 masks for distribution

UPDATED: Fri., Feb. 4, 2022

The federal government is distributing N95 masks to pharmacies nationwide for Americans to pick up for free.

News >  Health

Certain immunocompromised patients now eligible to get fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine

UPDATED: Fri., Feb. 4, 2022

Immunocompromised individuals, including transplant recipients and those in active cancer treatment, are eligible for a fourth dose of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.

News >  Health

Eastern Washington still has a week or two before omicron peaks, health officials say

UPDATED: Wed., Feb. 2, 2022

The good news: There’s an end in sight.

News >  Health

What is naturopathy – and who is allowed to practice it in Washington state?

UPDATED: Wed., Feb. 2, 2022

Naturopathic medicine is not licensed or regulated in every state, and nationally, there is no standardized credentialing system. Naturopathy is considered complementary or alternative by the National Institutes of Health, depending on how a person uses it.

News >  Health

No medical doctors among Spokane County Health Board’s nominations for new members

UPDATED: Mon., Feb. 7, 2022

A naturopathic doctor, former regional administrator of HUD and homeless outreach coordinator are slated to join the Board of Health. 

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State makes more at-home tests available through portal

UPDATED: Mon., Jan. 31, 2022

The Department of Health has released more at-home COVID tests for Washington residents.

News >  Washington

Fight over hospital safe-staffing standard continues in Legislature

Mon., Jan. 31, 2022

A bill that would require hospitals to implement safe-staffing standards, including strict ratios, passed a House of Representatives panel Friday. It still needs to pass the full House before going to the Senate.

News >  Health

Rural northeast Washington getting hit hard by omicron as reinfections become more common

Sat., Jan. 29, 2022

Omicron is hitting rural Eastern Washington, as case counts in smaller counties are mirroring trends seen in places like Spokane and the Tri-Cities.

News >  Health

COVID-19 therapeutics seem to work well, but they’re in short supply

UPDATED: Fri., Jan. 28, 2022

While there are treatments available to help fight COVID complications, they are in very short supply.

News >  Health

Western Washington may soon see declining COVID-19 cases, but not yet for Eastern Washington

UPDATED: Fri., Jan. 28, 2022

Washington is not done with omicron , although early signs show that the West Side might be headed in the right direction.

News >  Health

Flu activity higher than last year in Washington, with three confirmed deaths

UPDATED: Thu., Jan. 27, 2022

Three people have died from influenza already during this year’s flu season in Washington, according to the Department of Health.

News >  Health

New COVID-19 community testing sites will open this week in downtown Spokane and Mead

UPDATED: Wed., Jan. 26, 2022

Two new community COVID testing sites are set to open this week through a partnership between a company called Curative and the Spokane Regional Health District.

News >  Education

WSU study finds air pollution, brought on by heat and wildfires, is increasing in the West

Wed., Jan. 26, 2022

On Aug. 24, 2020, 68% of the western United States experienced extreme levels of air pollution caused by wildfire smoke and rising heat, according to a newly published study from Washington State University researchers that sheds light on the broad health impacts of fires and heat.

News >  Health

Southwestern Idaho back in crisis standards while rest of the state remains in ‘fragile’ situation

UPDATED: Wed., Jan. 26, 2022

Omicron is hitting Idaho’s health care system hard, as staff call out sick with exposures, blood supply runs low and the number of Idahoans testing positive outpaces health districts’ ability to report cases.

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Omicron continues to spike in Inland Northwest as testing resources are strained

UPDATED: Tue., Jan. 25, 2022

The Inland Northwest continues to experience record levels of reported COVID cases, in the midst of the omicron wave.

News >  Education

State Health Board seeks input on potential COVID-19 vaccine requirement in schools

UPDATED: Sun., Jan. 23, 2022

The Washington State Board of Health is seeking input from the public as a technical advisory group considers requiring the COVID-19 vaccine for children to attend school in the state.

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Washington residents can now order free at-home COVID-19 tests through state website

UPDATED: Fri., Jan. 21, 2022

The site, www.sayyescovidhometest.org, went live Friday. Those who do not have access to the internet can call the COVID-19 hotline 1-800-525-0127 to order tests.

News >  Health

Large hospitals in Washington guarantee they’ll take certain emergency transfer patients as new standards take effect

UPDATED: Thu., Jan. 20, 2022

The state’s largest regional hospitals, including Sacred Heart Medical Center and Deaconess Hospital, guarantee care for certain patients under a new protocol activated this week by the Washington Medical Coordination Center.

News >  Health

COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations continue to rise as omicron infects entire households

UPDATED: Wed., Jan. 19, 2022

Spokane County likely won’t hit its omicron wave peak until the beginning of February, local health officials said Wednesday.

News >  Health

COVID-19 hospitalizations rise over weekend in the Inland Northwest

UPDATED: Wed., Jan. 19, 2022

COVID hospitalizations increased in the Inland Northwest over the long holiday weekend.

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Washington hospitals hoping to avoid crisis standards of care

Tue., Jan. 18, 2022

Despite the repetitive nature of things being “unprecedented” for hospitals and the health care system during a nearly two-year long pandemic, many hospital and health care administrators statewide are especially concerned about the next few weeks.