Now Available!
Order Your 4 Free At-home COVID-19 Tests
U.S. households are eligible to order 4 free COVID-19 tests at COVIDTests.gov. The COVID-19 Tests will detect current COVID-19 variants and can be used through the end of the year.
Check for extended expiration dates here: At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests | FDA.
You can Report your home test results to public health agencies at MakeMyTestCount.org.
General Information
How is COVID spread?
COVID can spread when someone talks, coughs, or sneezes, sending tiny droplets into the air. If these droplets get into someone else's mouth or nose, they can get sick too. You can also catch COVID by touching surfaces that have the virus on them and then touching your face.
When is COVID season?
COVID's timing and severity throughout the year can vary from month to month.
Who gets COVID?
Every year, individuals in our community become sick with COVID. Repeat infections may occur throughout life, and people of any age can be infected.
When and for how long is a person able to spread COVID?
People are usually contagious for 5 to 10 days and may become contagious a day or two before they start showing signs of illness. However, some older adults, and people with weakened immune systems, can continue to spread the virus even after they stop showing symptoms, for as long as 4 weeks.
How soon after you are exposed to COVID do symptoms appear?
People infected with COVID usually show symptoms within 2 to 14 days after getting infected.
What are the symptoms of COVID?
People infected with COVID usually have mild symptoms and can manage their symptoms on their own.
Symptoms of COVID infection usually include the following:
- Fever or chills
- New loss of taste or smell
- Coughing
- Sore Throat
- Fatigue
- Shortness of Breath
- Muscle or Body Aches
- Headache
- Diarrhea
- Congestion or Runny Nose
- Nausea and/or Vomiting
Some people are at higher risk for serious complications from COVID and should talk to a healthcare provider right away if experiencing any COVID symptoms. Taking antiviral medicine to treat COVID may shorten the length of your illness and help prevent more-serious problems.
In rare cases, individuals may develop serious complications with severe symptoms that require immediate medical attention.
Emergency symptoms may include:
- Trouble Breathing
- New Confusion
- Inability to wake or stay awake
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- Pale, gray or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds
What can be done to prevent the spread of the COVID?
- Stay home when sick
- Return to normal activities when your symptoms are better overall, and you have not had a fever for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medicine.
- It is recommended you wear a mask for 5 days without a fever when returning to normal activities.
- Wash your hands | Cover you cough & sneezes
- After coughing, sneezing, or touching surfaces in public areas, wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or 60% alcohol hand sanitizers.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or elbow when coughing or sneezing.
- Get immunized
- Discover below which COVID immunization is recommended for you and where to receive a COVID immunization in Whitman County.
If you would like to take additional precautions to protect community members at high risk of getting very sick, consider staying away from those individuals until:
- 10 days have passed since your symptoms started,
- 10 days have passed since you tested positive, if you never developed symptoms, or
- You test negative for COVID-19 with an antigen test, such as an at-home test.
If you need to be around someone at high risk of getting very sick during this time, the most protective step you can take is wearing a well-fitting mask when around them. You can also take steps to improve airflow and filtration, physically distance, and clean regularly.
Immunization Options
After about two weeks, COVID immunizations cause antibodies to develop in the body that help destroy COVID viruses you are exposed to. Last year's updated immunizations provided ~60% additional protection last fall.
For 2024-2025, COVID immunizations have an updated formula targeting JN.1 (Novavax) or KP.2 (Pfizer or Moderna).
When to get a COVID immunization? You should try to always stay up to date with your COVID immunizations, no matter the time of year. Please see below for all the current recommendations to remain up to date.
COVID immunizations are recommended for everyone 6 months and older. This includes people who have received a COVID immunization before and people who have had COVID.
Children Aged 6 Months – 4 Years
Children Who Are Not Vaccinated
It is recommended your child get 2 doses of the 2024–2025 Moderna vaccine OR 3 doses of the 2024–2025 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine
Children Who Previously Received Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine(s)
If your child previously had:
- 1 or more doses of Moderna vaccine they should receive 1 dose of the 2024–2025 Moderna vaccine
- 1 dose of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine they should receive 2 doses of the 2024–2025 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine
- 2 or more doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine they should receive 1 dose of the 2024–2025 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine
Children Aged 5-11 Years
You are up to date when you have received:
- 1 dose of the 2024–2025 Moderna OR
- 1 dose of the 2024–2025 Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
People Aged 12 Years and Older
You are up to date when you have received:
- 1 dose of the 2024–2025 Moderna COVID-19 vaccine OR
- 1 dose of the 2024–2025 Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine OR
- 1 dose of the 2024–2025 Novavax vaccine unless you are receiving a COVID-19 vaccine for the very first time. If you have never received any COVID-19 vaccine and you choose to get Novavax, you need 2 doses of 2024–2025 Novavax COVID-19 vaccine to be up to date.
People Who Are Moderately or Severely Immunocompromised
There are different recommendations if you are moderately or severely immunocompromised; see Vaccines for Moderately to Severely Immunocompromised People.
People who recently had COVID-19
People who recently had COVID-19 may delay getting a COVID-19 vaccine for 3 months. The risk of getting COVID-19 is less likely in the weeks to months following a SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Certain factors could be reasons to get a vaccine sooner rather than later, such as:
- Personal risk of severe COVID-19
- Risk of COVID-19 in a family or household member or other close contact
- Local levels of COVID-19 illness
People who recently received the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine
For most people the minimum interval between their last 2023–2024 COVID-19 vaccine dose and their 2024–2025 vaccine dose is 2 months. However, there are exceptions for those who are completing an initial vaccination series, including children aged 6 months–4 years, those with moderate to severe immunocompromise, and people receiving a Novavax initial series. For more information about intervals for those specific circumstances, please see Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines | CDC
Where Can I Get a COVID Immunization?
View the COVID Immunization Clinic Calendar to find Whitman County clinics that offer COVID immunizations. You can also talk with your primary care provider to see if you can get immunized at your next doctor's office visit.
2024 Onsite Whitman County Community Clinics (WCCC) for Respiratory Immunizations
Fall 2024, WCPH will for the 3rd year be partnering with SID's Pharmacy to offer no-cost, Onsite Respiratory Illness Immunization Clinics to every K-12 School & Government Agency in Whitman County.
Onsite Respiratory Illness Immunization Clinics below are open to ALL community members:
9/27/2024 from 12:00-2:00: Pullman Senior Center (190 SE Crestview St Blg B, Pullman, Wa 99163)
10/2/2024 from 2:00-4:00: Endicott School (308 Endicott Rd, Endicott, WA 99125)
10/3/2024 from 8:00-9:00: Steptoe School (12 Tennessee St, Colfax, WA 99111)
10/23/2024 from 11:30-1:30: Lincoln Middle School (315 SE Crestview St, Pullman, WA 99163)
10/24/2024 from 1:00-3:00: Lamont Middle School (602 Main Street, Lamont, WA 99017)
10/29/2024 from 3:00-5:00: Pullman High School (510 NW Larry St, Pullman, WA 99163)
If you are a K-12 School or Government Agency and wish to sign up for us to come out, email us at CommunityClinic@whitmancounty.gov
Treatment
Most People With COVID Have Mild Illness and Do Not Need Medical Care or Antiviral Drugs.
Take steps to relieve mild symptoms at home:
- Manage symptoms.
- Fever and Aches: Use over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). Follow the dosage instructions on the label and consult with a healthcare provider if you have concerns.
- Sore Throat and Cough: Soothe a sore throat with warm saltwater gargles, drinking honey and lemon in warm water, or cough drops can also provide relief.
- Ease congestion: steam inhalation, saline nasal spray, and a humidifier may help.
- Get plenty of rest and stay hydrated.
However, COVID Can Cause Severe Illness in Some People.
Older adults and individuals with certain underlying health conditions are at increased risk of severe COVID.
These individuals may seek early treatment with antivirals from their doctor.
- Antiviral drugs are different from antibiotics. COVID antivirals are prescription medicines and are not available over the counter.
- Antiviral drugs can make illness milder and shorten the time you are sick. They might also prevent serious complications when treatment is started early.
Don’t Treat COVID With Antibiotics
When you have COVID, antibiotics will not help you feel better. Antibiotics don’t treat COVID, and their side effects could cause more harm than benefits.
More information is available at Healthy Habits: Antibiotic Do's and Don'ts | Antibiotic Prescribing and Use | CDC.
Make a Free Telehealth Appointment for COVID Treatment
Telehealth is a free and easy way to see if COVID-19 oral antivirals such as Paxlovid, are right for you. Oral antivirals, which are COVID-19 treatment pills taken by mouth, are available by prescription only. They must be taken within the first five days of experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or testing positive for COVID-19.
If you have tested positive for COVID-19 and want to schedule a virtual telehealth appointment with a health care provider to determine treatment eligibility, begin your free consultation below and complete a brief intake form.
Completing the intake form to request a consultation should take you approximately 5 minutes. If the information provided indicates you may be eligible for treatment, you will be given a link for a video consultation with a health care provider. After joining the video call, a health care provider will join you within 5–30 minutes to complete the evaluation.
After receiving a telehealth consultation, if treatment is appropriate for you, you will receive a prescription for either free home delivery or pharmacy pickup.
Telehealth providers are available every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific standard time (PST). Language assistance is also available.Telehealth providers are available every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific standard time (PST). Language assistance is available. If you do not have access to a computer or smart phone, you can call 1-833-273-6330 to complete the questionnaire over the phone with a support agent.
This service is currently provided by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) in collaboration with Color Health.
Health Care & LTC Guidance
For COVID-19 Infection Prevention Guidance in Health Care Settings, which includes all Health Care Settings, Home Health, & Long Term Care, visit here.
Respiratory Illness Activity Dashboard for Whitman County
You can view past and current percent of ED visit and hospitalizations for Respiratory Illness (Flu, COVID, & RSV) at the "Disease Activity for Whitman County" dashboard below.