Q&A RSV, flu and COVID in King County: What should I know?

In the Fall and Winter months there is often a rise in respiratory viruses. This Fall (2022) there have been many RSV and flu cases requiring emergency room visits – especially for young children. Health clinics might also see more COVID cases and hospitalizations in the winter as people gather indoors and new COVID variants spread. These diseases can make young children, older adults, and other vulnerable people very sick, and overload hospitals and clinics.

RSV is a common respiratory virus that spreads every winter. Anyone can get RSV, but in 2022 we’re seeing a lot of cases in young children. For healthy adults and older children RSV can feel like a cold, with symptoms like runny nose, less appetite, coughing, and fever. But it can be a very serious illness for babies, older adults, and others.

The Seattle and King County Department of Public Health has put together an informative slide deck in eighteen languages. The deck Includes information about RSV, flu and COVID in King County, what to look for and how to prevent illness.

These slides can be shared in waiting rooms, at community centers, and in other places where people gather. Slides are available in the following languages:
• አማርኛ (Amharic)
• العربية (Arabic)
• 简体字 (Chinese – Simplified)
繁體字 (Chinese – Traditional)
• دری (Dari)
• English
• Français (French)
• 日本語 (Japanese)
• ភាសាខ្មែរ (Khmer)
• 한국어 (Korean)
• KajinM̧ajeļ (Marshallese)
• ਪੰਜਾਬੀ (Punjabi)
• Русский (Russian)
• Af Soomaali (Somali)
• Español (Spanish)
• Wikang Tagalog/Filipino (Tagalog/Filipino)
• ትግርኛ (Tigrinya)
• Українська (Ukrainian)
• Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)

Coronavirus image

COVID-19 Information

A collection of local and national online information resources regarding COVID-19, including links to translated materials.

General COVID-19 Information

Public Health — Seattle & King County (PHSKC) Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

• King County vaccination pop-up schedule August 2022

Washington State Department of Health (DOH), Co-existing with Covid-19 (translated in 35 languages)

WA DOH Testing, Treatments, Vaccines + More; Multilingual ( scroll to bottom tabs )

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) About Covid-19

U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Multilingual COVID-19 Resources

Johns Hopkins University & Medicine Coronavirus Resource Center

Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) Covid-19 Projections

UW Medicine The Huddle Covid-19 Updates

Harvard Health Medicine Covid-19 Fact Sheets (translated in 35 languages)

National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants, and Migrants (NRC-RIM) Covid-19 and Vaccine Fact Sheets (translated in multiple languages) and Covid Guide for Newcomers (translated in multiple languages)

Information is constantly evolving. Some information below may change over time. General note about translations: when updates are made to an information resource in English, there can sometimes be a lag in updating another language version of that document or messaging. It may be helpful to compare and consider the dates on each, especially if/when you choose to print information, and check back for updated versions.

Booster Information and Resources

King County Public Health

Local Resources

City of Seattle

COVID-19: Resources for Community
The City of Seattle’s Office of the Mayor provides COVID-19 information and resources and features the latest programs to help those impacted by the pandemic.

Public Health Seattle & King County

COVID-19 Vaccine Development and Safety (17 languages)
Information about the new COVID-19 vaccine authorized for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Public Health – Seattle & King County is working with the Washington State Department of Health on vaccine distribution.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Public Health Recommendations to protect our community (34 languages) Guidance for symptoms and care of Covid-19, including information for schools and childcare, businesses, community and faith-based organizations, and healthcare and service providers. Frequently Asked Questions, Community support and well-being resources, Free testing locations, hours and contact information, updates and press releases, King County’s plans and guidance for reopening, and more.

King County Novel Coronavirus Call Center 8 AM to 5 PM at 206-477-3977. Call with medical questions related to Covid-19. The operators are able to connect with a third-party interpreter. Say in English what language you need for interpretation (e.g. say “Spanish” instead of “Español” or “Arabic” instead of “Arabii”). Callers may experience long wait times.

Washington State

Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has provided information about vaccine booster doses, translated into 40 languages.
Say Yes! Covid Test– Free Covid-19 testing kits (can be translated into over 35 languages)
Vaccinate WA– Find vaccine sites (can be translated into over 35 languages)

Washington State Novel Coronavirus Call Center Helpline, 6 am – 10 pm Monday, 6 am-6 pm Tuesday-Sunday, and state observed holidays 1-800-525-0127 and press #. Call for information about Covid-19 (not a line to call for testing access or results).

Washington State’s official Covid-19 website. Includes multilingual resources in 30+ languages.

The Discussion Guide for Building Confidence in COVID-19 Vaccines for Immigrants and Refugees (PDF), created by Washington State Department of Health, is a resource for partners serving immigrant/refugee communities to help build COVID-19 vaccine confidence with community members. The resource is an easy to follow discussion guide followed by common concerns, frequently asked questions and example responses. They hope the proposed talking points will help support vaccine conversations and build confidence within communities and/or clients providers may serve.

WithinReach and the Washington State Department of Health, in partnership with the Former Soviet Union Vaccine Hesitancy Community Workgroup, have created a continuing education course, Fostering COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence in Russian- and Ukrainian-Speaking Communities: A Training for Providers. This free e-course will give healthcare providers the tools to better understand vaccine hesitancy within the Russian- and Ukrainian-speaking population, in addition to fostering vaccine confidence, identifying language and cultural barriers that may impede vaccine hesitancy, and adopting strategies to initiate conversations about the COVID-19 vaccine with Russian- and Ukrainian-speaking patients. For more information, please visit the Immunity Community website, or click here to view a flyer for the course.

Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs

COVID-19: Stay Informed! web page (15 languages) Guidance for people at higher risk for severe COVID-19 illness; Guidance for Everyone; If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or questions, who you can call in King County. In-language webinars (7 languages)

COVID-19 Assistance and Public Charge FAQ for Immigrants – City of Seattle (7 languages) This is a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) information guide for immigrants who want to know more about how the issue of public charge might affect their ability to access healthcare and other services during this COVID-19 outbreak. The Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs will continue updating this site as developments occur.

Food Access

Covid-19 Seattle & King County Emergency Food Resources page on EthnoMed for information about King County Emergency Food Access, SPS Student Meals Pick Up (Translated School Site Information), Food Maps and Food Banks

See also: King County Office of Equity and Social Justice Covid-19 Resource Guide for information about services and programs for:

  • Unemployement, housing, utilities
  • Cash assistance
  • Food assistance
  • Resources for undocumented immigrants
  • Small business loans & disaster assistance
  • King County in-language resources

Community Health Boards

Khmer Health Board Covid19 hub

Iraqi/Arab Health Board Facebook videos in Arabic

Somali Health Board Facebook videos and community conversations in Somali

Vietnamese Health Board – Ban Y Tế Cộng Đồng Facebook – videos and information in Vietnamese

Directories of Resources in Multiple Languages

The National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants and Migrants (NRC-RIM) has a Translated Materials Library offering COVID-19 fact sheets, posters, videos, audio recordings and other resources in English and more than 100 languages free of charge. These materials come from organizations across the country working to communicate effectively with refugee, immigrant and migrant communities.

Covid Information in Indigenous, Endangered, and Under-Resourced Languages from governments, NGOs, and public health organizations. Compiled by Endangered Languages Project. Search by language name or country.

COVID-19 Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Language Resources This community library is a collection of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) in-language resources on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The resource links have been submitted by community members, leaders and national and community-based organizations and provided by The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF).

From States, Universities & Medical Centers

Materials and Resources for COVID-19 Response
Video PSAs, print materials, and translated documents to assist with preparing for and responding to COVID-19, from Minnesota Department of Health. (Includes Covid-19 Symptoms PSA and Managing Symptoms at Home videos in 14 languages; Isolation and Quarantine, and Childhood Vaccinations During the COVID-19 Pandemic videos in Hmong, Spanish and Somali)

COVID-19 Printables From Ontario College of Art and Design University, The COVID-19 Printables are a collection of downloadable, multilingual, adaptable 1-page infographics collaboratively developed with medical professionals to improve access and understanding of COVID-19 information.

Learn More About Coronavirus (13 languages) Series of PDFs from LA County Department of Public Health. Information about Physical Distancing, Handwashing, Cloth Face Coverings, Cleaning in the home and group settings, risk reduction outside the home.

Covid-19 Community Resources (11+ languages) Health information resources from the Oregon Health Authority and other state agencies and partners. OHA provides materials in multiple languages as a part of an equity-centered response to COVID-19.

Trusted Messengers A diverse ensemble of health care professionals works to overcome COVID-vaccine hesitancy in at-risk communities across Minnesota. A Twin Cities PBS video.

Handwashing Poster & Videos

Minnesota Department of Health Wash Your Hands poster in 24 languages:

Minnesota Department of Health videos: How to Wash Your Hands (10 languages) approx. 1 minute and Cleaning Hands with Hand Sanitizer (9 languages) 1 minute

San Francisco Department of Public Health Wash Hands (8 languages ) 2-3 minutes.

CDC YouTube Live Handwashing Presentation (English) 9 minutes (handwashing demo at 2 min 21 sec). Created to provide hygiene education for children in schools for Global Handwashing Day 2016.

Mayo Clinic Are you washing your hands long enough to kill germs? (English) 2 minute 39 seconds. Video made in 2013, demonstrates proper hand hygiene (references flu and other illnesses, not coronavirus specifically).

Ghen Cô Vy| NIOEH x KHẮC HƯNG x MIN x ERIK | WASHING HAND SONG (Vietnamese) 3 minute 5 seconds. Fun pop song video animation from Vietnam demonstrating hand hygiene.

Mask Videos

COVID-19 PSA Video – Vietnamese Health Board
Public service announcement in Vietnamese (with English subtitles) that includes basic tips for helping slow the spread of COVID-19.

Covid-19 Mask Do’s and Don’ts – Minnesota Department of Health Instructions on what to do when buying, wearing, removing and reusing masks. Videos and transcripts in 14 languages.

Stigma & Bias

Community statement in the wake of the coronavirus – Immigrant and refugee communities urging everyone to counter bias and harassment

The Asian Pacific Islander Coalition of Washington STATEMENT ON SURGE OF ANTI-ASIAN RACISM DURING COVID-19

Public Health Seattle & King County Anti-stigma Resources  (English)

  • Places to report discrimination to state, county, and city governments and other organizations 
  • Toolkit with social media messaging and posters “Coronavirus and Stigma – Viruses Don’t Discriminate, And Neither Should We”
Healthy meal with fish, rice and vegetables

Healthy Meal Planning – Reach Coalition

Reach Coalition is a public health effort funded by CDC to reduce diabetes health disparities experienced by communities of color.  They translated healthy meal planning information into several languages.

This project is now over, but the meal planning pages are available in the following languages: Chinese, Khmer (Cambodian), Korean, Filipino, Japanese, Samoan, Somali and Vietnamese.

Healthy meal with fish, rice and vegetables
Photo by Esimpraim (cc license).