Public health emergency declared following devastating weather and flooding in Washington
Officials have declared a public health emergency amid severe weather and flooding in Washington state.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr declared a public health emergency for Washington state Wednesday to address the health impacts caused by severe storms, winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides in the area.
The department has also given the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) greater flexibility to meet medical emergency health needs in Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.
John Knox, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) at the HHS, said Wednesday: ‘HHS stands ready to assist state and local response efforts in the state of Washington due to the potential health care impacts from severe storms.
‘With today’s declaration and waiver, HHS is helping ensure that residents in the storm’s path have continuous access to the care they need during and after this storm. ASPR’s highly trained personnel are prepared to support state and local actions to save lives and protect the delivery of health care services.’
