WAC 246-101-017 Designating Novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), also known as Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID19), as a notifiable condition. Document outlines the reporting requirements including race, ethnicity, language, and defines a “Secure electronic disease surveillance system" used for reporting purposes. Also includes laboratory reporting requirements. See related RULE-MAKING ORDER CR-103E for additional information.

Circulating Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Vaccine Antigen Detected in the Plasma of mRNA-1273 Vaccine Recipients

In early 2020, an effort to discredit the "lab leak theory" was in full swing. This article exemplifies these efforts led by theWorld Health Organization (WHO) which have now been largely debunked. Please note the article was updated 9/16/2021, original version is unavailable. A quote from the article follows:

"Debate about Covid’s emergence has coalesced around two competing ideas: a laboratory escape or a spillover from animals. Scientists involved in the WHO-led mission ranked four scenarios in order of likelihood:

• LIKELY-TO-VERY LIKELY: the virus spilled over via an “intermediary” host species;
• POSSIBLE-TO-LIKELY: the virus spilled over to humans directly from an animal reservoir;
• POSSIBLE: the virus was introduced via the food chain by contaminated food or packaging;
• EXTREMELY UNLIKELY: the virus emerged as a result of a laboratory-related accident.

There were no severe adverse drug events recorded in the study. A 5-day course of ivermectin was found to be safe and effective in treating adult patients with mild COVID-19. Larger trials will be needed to confirm these preliminary findings.

The World Health Organization published information to inform the world about a new viral threat. Initially it was attributed to meat products (bat) sold at a market in Wuhan, China. Later this was questioned and now most authorities believe the virus came from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, a research lab located in Wuhan.

Highlights

• Ivermectin is an inhibitor of the COVID-19 causative virus (SARS-CoV-2) in vitro.

• A single treatment able to effect ~5000-fold reduction in virus at 48 h in cell culture.

• Ivermectin is FDA-approved for parasitic infections, and therefore has a potential for repurposing.

• Ivermectin is widely available, due to its inclusion on the WHO model list of essential medicines.

The method for assigning codes on death certificates was radically changed with COVID-19. A standard that had been in place since 2003 was modified and announced in this memo to orient death codes towards a finding of COVID-19 as the cause of death rather than a contributor:

"The underlying cause depends upon what and where conditions are reported on the death certificate. However, the rules for coding and selection of the underlying cause of death are expected to result in COVID19 being the underlying cause more often than not."

Scientists from South China University of Technology publish a short historical summary pointing to laboratory involvement of the origins of the 2019 n-CoV coronavirus.

"In summary, somebody was entangled with the evolution of 2019-nCoV coronavirus. In addition to origins of natural recombination and intermediate host, the killer coronavirus probably originated from a laboratory in Wuhan. Safety level may need to be reinforced in high risk biohazardous laboratories. Regulations may be taken to relocate these laboratories far away from city center and other densely populated places."

ABC News story about first US Covid-19 cases which occurred in Washingston State.

An analysis by the CDC of many studies evaluating the efficacy of face masks, handwashing, and other nonpharmaceutical measures. Some surprising conclusions include the following statement:

"Our systematic review found no significant effect of face masks on transmission of laboratory-confirmed influenza."