Trump administration paused updates from CDC, FDA. You can use these WA resources instead

After announcing that it intends to withdraw from the World Health Organization earlier this week, the Trump administration asked federal health agencies to pause their communications until at least the end of the month. The impacted agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration, regularly publish data, research, guidance and reports that help the public stay informed about everything from proper nutrition to viruses that are spreading.

State agencies and nonprofits with similar missions exist that aren’t placed under the communication freeze. Here are the resources that Washington state residents can use to stay informed about their health.

Washington State Department of Health

The Washington State Department of Health maintains plenty of resources that you can use to stay informed. Here are some of the most important ones:

• An illness and disease page, with symptoms, tips and treatments for dozens of common illnesses in the state.

• A respiratory illness dashboard, with data on COVID-19, the flu and respiratory syncytial virus.

• A complete list of other DOH dashboards and data visualization pages.

• Data and statistical reports on a variety of health-related topics.

• Information on various vaccines and where to find them.

• A flu overview, with all the state resources you need this flu season.

• A weekly flu update, with the latest numbers and information on the flu in Washington.

• A COVID-19 resource page where you can find the latest guidance on the disease.

• A shellfish safety map.

• Food recalls and safety alerts.

• Annual reports on the notable communicable diseases in the state.

• A health care provider lookup page.

According to DOH, the federal communications freeze could still impact Washingtonians, despite all of the department’s local resources.

“The work of protecting and improving health requires almost daily coordination between federal, state, local, and tribal efforts. Anything that disrupts that coordination increases the health risks to our communities,” DOH Chief Science Officer Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett told McClatchy in an email.

Washington State Department of Agriculture

The Washington State Department of Agriculture publishes updates on food safety across the state. Its resources include food safety guidance, updates on emergencies involving produce and livestock, and blog posts.

Local health departments

City and county health departments are another great source for health updates, and they’re even more localized. While it varies by county, local health departments typically publish data on prevalent illnesses in your area, alerts on any health hazards, local immunization information and food safety updates.

Here’s where you can find the health department for your county:

• Whatcom County.

• Pierce County.

• Benton and Franklin counties.

• Thurston County.

Depending on your county, the local health department’s resources will vary. Many will have flu and COVID data tracking, information on relevant outbreaks, local restaurant inspection reports and more.

WA health nonprofits

Several statewide health nonprofits also have resources that you can use.

The Washington Health Alliance publishes data on the state of health care in Washington that’s geared towards both providers and patients.

The Washington Healthcare Access Alliance provides public resources on how to find affordable health care.

The American Indian Health Commission provides health resources for tribal members across Washington.

Washington State Community Connectors connects families across the state to the resources, training and support options available to them.

The Washington State Public Health Association, the Washington Association for Community Health, the Washington State Health Information Management Association and the Alliance for a Healthy Washington are primarily member organizations or advocacy groups, although they publish some educational resources as well.

Local health nonprofits often have public resources. You can get familiar with them if you want to learn more about the local services in your area.

Additionally, some Washingtonians may be concerned about the loss of access to specific services. As of now, no health care services of any kind have been revoked. Washington residents will still be able to access services through these state and regional options:

• The Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho has numerous locations across the state offering women’s health and reproductive services and some gender-affirming care, as well as Plan B vending machines, a live chat and other resources.

• The Washington State Mental Health Referral Service provides referrals to outpatient services for state residents younger than 18 at 833-303-5437.

• Gender-affirming care is covered by Apple Health in Washington. You can find information on specific services and the providers available under your plan on the Washington State Health Care Authority website.

Check this list of Veterans Affairs locations in Washington and how to contact them.