Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I feel we cannot thank our medical workers enough, nor understate the risks they are taking—their lives truly on the line like never before. If you are one of these hard-working, dedicated people, I thank you with my entire heart.
Known for his humorous parodies, Chris Mann gets serious and strikes a chord—and a home run—with this re-write of an Alanis Morrisette song thanking all our essential workers on the frontline.
We cannot take for granted the people staffing our grocery stores, gas stations, and other essential businesses, nor the truck drivers, delivery people, and mail carriers. It is not business as usual. Please thank them with your words, your respect, by frequenting those businesses for essential needs only, and by adhering to the health guidelines.
In Case You Missed It Yesterday
This news seemed worth repeating again today, especially as so many with small businesses may have a little more time on the weekend. Nearly $350 billion in loans are now available to small businesses struggling during the COVID-19 crisis. The money, dubbed the Paycheck Protection Program, is part of the coronavirus relief plan from Congress and makes loans of up to $10 million (up to 2.5 times their total monthly payroll) available to businesses with fewer than 500 employees (based on pre-COVID-19 payroll numbers).
Business owners can find more information on the SBA’s website or by contacting their preferred lender. Additionally, small businesses with temporary revenue loss can get up to $10,000 through an Economic Injury Disaster Loan. Again, any business with fewer than 500 employees is eligible and the funds need not be repaid. Information about this program is available here.
My staff is working to quickly gather all these resources in one place, and we will be adding more information about these programs and others to our Get Help page.
Also worth repeating, Gov. Jay Inslee announced at a press conference Thursday evening that the stay-at-home order is being extended to May 4. He said he is confident in the steps we have already taken, but we “cannot lose steam in this fight.” He added: “Science is clear: more people will die if we stop now.”
There are no new restrictions in the extension of the order.
For more information on the order and how it could impact you, go to coronavirus.wa.gov.
Latest Statistics on Confirmed Tests, Deaths, and Recoveries
Locally, Public Health—Seattle & King County is reporting the following estimated positive cases and deaths due to COVID-19 through 1:45 p.m. on 4/4/20. More details and a range of information can be found on Public Health’s dashboard.
- 2898 estimated positive cases (up 111 from yesterday)
- 200 estimated deaths (up 14 from yesterday)
You can find figures from around the world here.
The Gift Bill Withers Gave Us
Bill Withers passed this week, but left us with a beautiful and stirring legacy in his immortal classic, “Lean On Me,” now more timely than ever. NBC News did a wonderful segment on this song’s power to heal. Because of his powerful talents and voice, there actually is some sunshine even though he’s gone. May we honor his life, and the lives of all the artists who bring us joy in the darkness with their works, by holding each other in heart and soul through these times, even though we cannot hold each other in our arms.
Keep in Touch
Thank you again for taking the time to read my daily update. Feel free to forward them to others who can subscribe by clicking here. You can also visit my Facebook page for the latest info.
Finally, to prevent these updates from going straight to spam or junk folders, I encourage you to whitelist these emails by adding the email address to your contacts or address book. And be sure to check your spam folder if you think you may have missed an update.
Be well, and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Jeanne
|
