*** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE *** December 21, 2020 Dr. James Wallace succeeds Dr. John McCarthy as Health Officer OKANOGAN COUNTY– Family Health Centers today announced that Medical Director Dr. James Wallace has been selected as the Okanogan County Health Officer, effective January 1, 2021. Dr. Wallace will replace Dr. John McCarthy, who is retiring from […]
Year: 2020
21 Dec
COVID-19 Vaccine
Updated December 30, 2020 Do you have a question about the vaccine? Ask us here and we’ll include it in our updates. https://youtu.be/O0Ok9eg-TlQ COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe? Yes. The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have been extensively tested through large clinical trials to make sure they meet all […]
10 Dec
Seasonal Flu Update
Information about seasonal flu infections comes from the Washington State Department of Health. Each week, the DOH puts out a weekly flu update. You can access the weekly update, and seasonal summaries for past years, here. As of Dec 10, 2020, there has been one confirmed case of the flu in Okanogan County and flu […]
10 Dec
An Update on Schools
Schools are open in many parts of the county even as our Okanogan County COVID-19 incidence rate climbs. As a reminder, the incidence rate is the number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people in the last 14 days. Okanogan County’s population is approximately 43,000 people, but we use this incidence rate calculation so we […]
02 Dec
Community COVID-19 Testing Dates Announced
Updated December 24, 2020 Final community testing dates:Monday December 28 from 3-8pm – Brewster High School Tuesday December 29th from 8am-1pm – Winthrop: Liberty Bell High School All are welcome. All sites are drive-thru. Look for AeroMethow and LifeLine Ambulance vehicles and personnel on site. Please pre-register if possible: parents need to sign a consent form […]
01 Dec
News Release: North Valley Extended Care COVID-19 Outbreak
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** November 30, 2020 Eleven resident deaths related to outbreak OKANOGAN — Okanogan County Public Health (OCPH) has received confirmation of the death of eleven (11) North Valley Extended Care residents related to a recent COVID-19 outbreak in the facility in Tonasket, Washington. A total of 32 residents have tested positive for COVID-19. […]
25 Nov
Gather Safely: A Checklist
Thanks to our friends at Chelan County PUD and Chelan-Douglas Health District for this safety checklist. For the holiday, it is safest to gather with just your own household. If you are gathering with others, please take the safety steps listed on this checklist. >> Click here to download this checklist <<
19 Nov
New COVID-19 Restrictions for Washington State
Edited November 23, 2020 COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are rising very quickly across the state. Okanogan county is also experiencing hotspots in our community. Because of these concerning trends, Governor Inslee announced new restrictions for the state effective November 17 through December 14. Public Health agencies are supporting the Governor’s announcement and asking that restaurants […]
13 Nov
News Release: Health Officials Urge Caution as COVID-19 Cases are Predicted to Rise in Okanogan County
*** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ***November 13, 2020 Recent cases traced to family gatherings and travel OKANOGAN – Okanogan County Public Health (OCPH) is asking residents to exercise caution around the upcoming holiday. There are concerning increases in COVID-19 cases in neighboring counties and states, and travel over the holiday could negatively impact case rates in […]