– Moses Lake, WA
The Grant County Health District (GCHD) is asking attendees of a large wedding held in a private location near Ritzville, WA on November 7th to get tested for COVID-19 after several people have tested positive for COVID-19. In addition, anyone who attended the wedding is being asked to self-quarantine through Saturday, November 21st.
Due to the multi-jurisdictional impact of this large event, GCHD felt it was necessary to notify the public. GCHD is trying to notify attendees about possible exposure, but with more than 300 people attending the wedding from many communities, local health jurisdictions are unlikely to reach them all.
To date, there are 17 Grant County cases associated with this event, with more being added daily. Attendees diagnosed with COVID-19 have also been linked to 2 subsequent outbreaks. This is an evolving situation.
“We are very thankful to those attendees who have gone in for testing and are staying home. This helps protect their friends, coworkers, and communities from this illness” says Theresa Adkinson, District Administrator.
Weddings ceremonies are limited to a total of no more than 30 people and beginning today, indoor receptions or similar gatherings in conjunction with the ceremony are prohibited. Wedding organizers are strongly encouraged to keep a log of attendees at each service and to retain that log for at least two weeks. If an outbreak occurs, this information may be critical to help save lives.
The health district recommends that anyone who attends a large event seek testing 5-7 days after the event, or sooner if symptoms develop. Additionally, a statewide travel advisory recommends a 14-day quarantine to anyone traveling out of state when they arrive back in WA and to get tested if symptoms develop. Symptoms of COVID-19 include:
• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Congestion or runny nose
Our personal decisions affect the health of our family, friends, and communities and it is now more critical than before to use all known COVID-19 precautions.
• Stay home as much as possible, Always wear a face covering whenever going into public or interacting with people you don’t live with,
• Use physical distancing of 6 feet whenever you are around others outside your household,
• Wash your hands often, and
• Anyone experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should self-isolate at home and contact their
healthcare provider for testing.