The Easter Sunday, April 12 data from the Snohomish Health District continue to build on the past week’s trends of flattening numbers of total cases, decreasing numbers of new cases and increasing numbers of recovered cases – all strong indicators that efforts at social distancing are helping stem the advance of COVID-19 in Snohomish County.

Locally, Mountlake Terrace didn’t add a single new case in the past 24 hours.  Brier added only one, while Edmonds added three and Lynnwood eight (see Cases by Cities chart and table).

The lower chart shows a slowing of new cases countywide (lower chart, red line); in the past 24 hours, 30 new cases were added, the second lowest number for the reporting period.

Remember, the virus has an average two-week incubation period.  These new cases represent people who contracted the virus 14 days ago and have potentially been exposing others before their symptoms developed.

— By Larry Vogel

Our latest coverage

Snohomish County looking at hiring freeze and other steps to preserve core services

Mountlake Terrace 7-Eleven store to reopen Monday morning

Sponsor spotlight: Key coronavirus tax changes — what every taxpayer should know

From the Washington State Department of Health

Keeping essential workers healthy

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has just released guidance to make sure that our essential services continue through this pandemic and that our essential workers stay healthy.

Under this new guidance, essential workers can continue to work after they have had close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, if they do not feel sick and if they take the following steps to protect the community and their coworkers:

– Take temperature: The employee must take their temperature every day before starting work. The employee needs to go home if they have a fever.

– Wear a face mask: Wear a face mask at all times while in the workplace for 14 days after last exposure. This can be a face mask issued by the employer or, if these are not available, the employee can wear a cloth face covering.

– Social distance: The employee needs to maintain six feet of distance between themselves and other people as work duties permit in the workplace.

– Clean work spaces: The employer should ensure all areas such as offices, bathrooms, common areas, and shared equipment are cleaned and disinfected routinely.

Staying healthy while working at home

After several weeks of working at home, many of us have learned how important good ergonomics are to keep our work from becoming a literal pain in the neck (or back or wrist).

Here are some tips to improve your ergonomics while working at home:

– Take a break every hour or so to stretch, walk around a bit, maybe wash your hands while you’re at it. Staying in one place for a long time is hard on your body! If you are working from a laptop, find an external keyboard to connect to your laptop. Then you can stack the laptop on some books or a sturdy box so you can see the monitor without hunching your neck and still type with your wrists in a relaxed position.

– Take a walk during the day to give your body and mind a break from the screen

– Make your station ergonomic. Check out this advice from the Mayo Clinic on setting up a body-friendly place to work.

Employment Security

If you are not able to work because of this pandemic, check out these resources from the state Employment Security Department:

– Frequently Asked Questions about the new federal stimulus packageknown as the CARES Act.

– Employment Security Department Commissioner Suzi LeVine has a video update for Washington state on the federal stimulus bill — Watch the video on YouTube.

– Resources for filing for unemployment benefits that provide temporary income when you lose your job through no fault of your own.

– The Employment Security Department has information for workers and employers impacted by COVID-19.

More resources are available at coronavirus.wa.gov.

Washington 211 COVID-19 Call Center

Do you need information or answers to your questions and concerns about COVID-19? You can call 1-800-525-0127 or text 211-211 for help. You can also text the word “Coronavirus” to 211-211 to receive information and updates on your phone wherever you are. You will receive links to the latest information on COVID-19, including county-level updates, and resources for families, businesses, students, and more.