The global pandemic has, rightfully so, grabbed headlines as we all grapple with its ongoing impacts on our health care system. What COVID-19 has also made painfully clear is how strained that system is, particularly in rural communities.
The fact that rural health care is underfunded and understaffed is a story we know all too well one that started long before the pandemic. The lingering impacts from COVID-19 could have a ripple effect on the more than 1 million Washingtonians who live in rural areas and already face long-standing hardships when trying to receive care.