Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Steps WSA families can take
Stay informed; information is changing frequently. Links to dedicated coronavirus pages from public health departments and other trustworthy organizations are on this page. Summaries of important information can be found in the website, flyers and article linked below:
Kitsap Cares – a centralized point of information for local community resources to help individuals, nonprofit organizations, and businesses cope with the coronavirus pandemic. The site is managed by the Kitsap Community Foundation, in partnership with the Kitsap County Emergency Operations Center.
Kitsap Public Health District: What you need to know about novel coronavirus.
Extended coverage of the outbreak of a new coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2; the illness it causes, COVID-19; and its effects on the Seattle area, the Pacific Northwest and the world: Coronavirus
CDC: What you need to know about coronavirus disease 2019 and
What to do if you are sick with coronavirus disease 2019
Take steps to protect yourself and others, and slow the spread of the disease. A clear explanation of the basics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), including the symptoms, how it spreads, how it affects the body in infected patients is in this article from The Seattle Times:
Facts about novel coronavirus and how to prevent COVID-19. The author lists the common-sense actions you can take to prevent the flu and common cold that will also help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus:
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- Wash hands often with soap and water. If that’s not available, use hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home while you are sick and avoid close contact with others.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing.
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Practice appropriate social distancing strategies. Recommendations from the World Health Organization are for people “to maintain at least 1 meter (3 feet) distance between themselves and anyone who is coughing or sneezing. Why? When someone coughs or sneezes they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the person coughing has the disease.”
Talk about the coronavirus with your family. What are your tweens and teens thoughts and feelings about it? Some helpful resources are linked below.
Separating COVID-19 Facts from Fiction, a comic series from Comics for Good
Help Your Family De-Stress During Coronavirus Uncertainty
Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus
Helping Children and Teens Cope with Anxiety About COVID-19 (Seattle Children’s Hospital)
The Family Lockdown Guide: How to Emotionally Prepare for Coronavirus Quarantine

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, et al. “Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).” 30 Jan. 2020. Wikimedia Commons.
Event changes and cancellations
Public Health Resources
Washington State Department of Health
WSDH Information Hotline: 1-800-525-0127
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Accurate Information on COVID-19
Bing Coronavirus Tracker from Microsoft
Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases, Johns Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering
The Coronavirus Collection: Fact-Checking COVID-19
USAFacts: Coronavirus in the United States
Wolfram Cloud: Epidemic Data for COVID–19 (UnitedStates)
Relevant Articles
Coronavirus: Why You Must Act Now
Using charts, graphs, and models from numerous sources, this article covers these questions: How many cases of coronavirus will there be in your area? What will happen when these cases materialize? What should you do? When? The main takeaway from the article is that the only way to prevent the worst-case outcomes of the current outbreak is “social distancing today. Not tomorrow. Today. That means keeping as many people home as possible, starting now.” Updated daily. Author: Tomas Pueyo, Vice President, Growth at Course Hero. Pueyo holds MSc in Engineering degrees from two European universities and an MBA from Stanford.
How canceled events and self-quarantines save lives, in one chart