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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Earlier today, Gov. Jay Inslee announced that the closure of schools to reduce the spread of COVID-19 will be extended through the end of the school year in June. It was initially set to expire on April 24.
Distance learning will continue through the end of the year, and Inslee said seniors in good standing could still expect to receive their diplomas this year.
You can find more details on the order here.
On a different note, I know I’ve said this before, but it is worth repeating over and over again – thank you to every one of our frontline workers and first responders. You are all heroes and you keep us all alive and going by showing up and doing difficult work in this strange and unpredictable environment. From our medical professionals and overall health care workers to grocery store employees to Metro transit operators, delivery drivers and everyone in between, we appreciate you and we are thinking about you and all that you do for the rest of us. We are stronger together and we are going to get through this and hopefully we will learn and grow from this unprecedented experience.
Lastly, tomorrow the King County Council Committee of the Whole will be meeting at 1:00 p.m. The meeting will be virtually conducted. You can read the meeting agenda by clicking the following link: https://aqua.kingcounty.gov/Council/agendas/GAO/20200218-GAO-packet.pdf
You can stream the meeting live by clicking the following link: https://livestream.com/accounts/15175343/events/4485487
The rest of this e-newsletter is meant to provide you with an update on some of the other issues I’ve been working on and helpful and informative information related to the COVID-19 crisis. As always, I would like to hear from you. Please do not hesitate to contact my office if you have any questions or comments.
All the best,
Jeanne Kohl-Welles
Latest numbers from Public Health
Public Health—Seattle & King County is reporting the following confirmed cases and deaths due to COVID-19 through 11:59 p.m. on 4/5/20.
- 3331 confirmed positive cases (up 164* from yesterday)
- 222 confirmed deaths (up 14 from yesterday)
* The “new confirmed positive cases” figure we publish each day represents all new confirmed cases reported to us through 11:59 the night prior. Some of these test results were processed on days prior but were delayed in being reported to us.
Detailed information about demographics of those who died from COVID-19 is available on the data dashboard (www.kingcounty.gov/covid/data).
On a brighter note, a new University of Washington model indicates that the state’s death rate will begin to decline after today. Click the following link for more info: https://q13fox.com/2020/04/06/uw-model-predicts-covid-19-deaths-in-washington-state-will-decline-after-today/
Keep in mind this projection is based on a model only; it’s critical we do not let up in our adhering to social distancing imperatives.
Also, and again, here is an excellent website that offers real-time COVID-19 data in clear formats, broken down by country and state: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries
Washington Healthplanfinder enrollment extended to May 8
Last week, in the response to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the Washington Health Benefit Exchange announced it is extending the current special enrollment period for individuals who are uninsured.
The original special enrollment period, that ran from March 10, 2020 through April 8, 2020, will now continue through May 8, 2020. Coverage will start May 1, 2020 for customers who enroll after April 8.
To request a special enrollment or to report a change in income, contact an enrollment center, broker, or navigator to initially request. These insurance experts are available by phone to answer questions, assist in reporting a change in income, and get consumers enrolled in the right health plan. Consumers can find contact information at https://www.wahealthplanfinder.org/_content/find-expert-advice.html. Consumers can also contact the Customer Support Center between 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday- Friday at 1-855-923-4633; TTY: 855-627-9604. Language assistance and disability accommodations are provided at no cost.
Additional helpful and informative links
Today's moment of levity
Sometimes our best friend knows best. This good doggie seems to be on to something to help its owner keep from touching his face. Good boy. This is funny but not touching your face can be a major challenge for many people. Maybe soon we will all be wearing these in public with our face masks and gloves? I hope we don’t get to that point!
Keep in touch
Thank you again for taking the time to read my update. You can expect ones to continue being sent out on a daily basis, sometimes more than one. Feel free to forward them to others who can subscribe by clicking here.
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.
And please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns and, most importantly, be well.
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