Five years ago and looking forward

January 29, 2025

It was five years ago this month that the first case of COVID in the United States was diagnosed, right here in Washington State. I will never forget the call from our then-Secretary of Health John Wiesman telling me about the positive diagnosis. I had a sense that there would forever be a “before” and an “after” that call, and boy was that true. Looking back on those first days, weeks, months and even years feels like a fever dream.

John and I and several other DOH leaders exchanged texts to mark the five-year milestone. I will be forever grateful for the incredible leadership we had at the DOH during those early days. In response to my expression of gratitude to them, John said “Thank you and your members. We all needed each other and we showed up for each other. We supported each other when it was so, so darn hard and we celebrated the wins.”

We continue to face significant challenges with new ones emerging every day. I have confidence in our WSHA member leaders and our ability to stick together to protect patients, our caregivers and our hospitals. A member wrote to me yesterday with thanks for our immigration pieces, saying that we at WSHA “do our best in the choppiest waters,” which is a lovely sentiment. But what I’d give for a dead calm. There is going to be a lot for us to do in the coming months and I am grateful for your partnership, leadership, engagement and advice.

Sincerely,

Cassie Sauer
WSHA President and CEO
cassies@wsha.org

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