|
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I hope your week is off to a good start. This has been a truly bizarre experience and sometimes I find it hard to keep track of the days. So, in case you missed it, today is indeed Monday.
As a reminder, starting this past weekend, I am no longer sending out enews editions over the weekends. Also, today marks the first day of the County’s new mask directive calling on all King County residents to wear cloth face masks or some sort of facial covering in public settings. Be sure to wear a face covering when you are at any indoor or outdoor public space where you may be within 6 feet of someone who does not live with you. You can find more information on this directive and other face covering tips at www.kingcounty.gov/masks
And you may find of interest this OpEd that appeared in the New York Times. The authors argue that as social distancing restrictions are lifted, we should plan on implementing a new work schedule in which people can work in two-week cycles, on the job for four days then, by the time they might become infectious, ten days at home in lockdown. This would take advantage of the virus’s latent period and slow the spread of the virus and limit the amount of people in public. It’s certainly thought-provoking. Click the following link to read: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/11/opinion/coronavirus-reopen.html?referringSource=articleShare
The rest of this e-newsletter is meant to provide you with an update on some of the other issues on which I’ve been working as well as helpful information related to the COVID-19 crisis. You can read previous updates I sent out on an archive page so you can find any information you may have missed. I have been sending updates every day since March 1 (sometimes more than one in a day). However, I have now transitioned to sending updates only during the week unless there are major developments. Click here to visit the archive page.
As always, I would like to hear from you. Please do not hesitate to contact my office if you have any questions or comments. You can call me at 206-477-1004 or you can reach me by email at jeanne.kohl-welles@kingcounty.gov.
All the best,
Latest numbers from Public Health
Since Sunday’s COVID-19 report, Public Health is reporting 49 new positive cases of COVID-19 in King County (7,529 total) and 1 new COVID-19-related deaths (523 total).
As of May 17, there were 18,611 confirmed COVID-19 cases statewide and 1,002 related deaths. (Note: We do not receive the statewide data daily in time to include in our daily enews.)
Detailed information about demographics of those who died from COVID-19 are available on Public Health’s data dashboard. And, interestingly, you can click on your zip code to learn of the number of “positive” cases and fatalities where you reside.
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
Forty-four people are currently staying in King County isolation, quarantine and recovery facilities. The number of residents at King County's isolation and quarantine sites is included in regular updates provided by Public Health. No other identifying or personal information will be provided.
   
Inslee announces guidelines for non-emergency medical, dental procedures to resume
Gov. Jay Inslee on Monday announced that dentists, family practitioners and other health care services for non-emergency care can resume under new guidelines to protect against the spread of COVID-19.
Health care providers must have adequate supplies of personal protective equipment for their staffs, must use social distancing policies – such as limiting access to waiting rooms – and screen visitors and patients for symptoms of the virus. Those providers must also have plans for expanding or limiting their activities based the scale of the outbreak.
Not all providers will be able to open up fully right away, so check with your provider to find out when and how you can begin scheduling nonurgent appointments.
You can read more about the guidelines here.
Also, since my last update, Inslee extended the COVID-19 proclamation aimed at protecting domestic violence victims. You can read more here: https://www.governor.wa.gov/news-media/inslee-extends-covid-19-proclamation-aimed-protecting-domestic-violence-victims
He also issued additional guidance for construction, golf and photography in Phase 2 of recovery plan: https://www.governor.wa.gov/news-media/inslee-issues-additional-guidance-construction-golf-and-photography-phase-2
Tips on making your own cloth masks
With the latest face mask directive now in place, there is an urgent need for homemade cloth masks or facial coverings. Fortunately, making your own face coverings isn’t necessarily hard or expensive. The staff at Public Health have put together a Do-It-Yourself face mask guide with helpful DIY ideas, even if you’ve never threaded a needle or touched a glue-gun. Click the following link to learn how you can make your own mask: https://publichealthinsider.com/2020/05/18/d-i-y-face-coverings-tips-on-making-cloth-masks-from-the-public-health-crafters-corner/
Special shout out to some of the residents of Bayview Manor on Lower Queen Anne who I learned this weekend have been making masks for organizations in need – including the Queen Anne Helpline. This is the type of news that really inspires me and makes me realize how resilient we are as a community. This is the type of selfless service that will help us weather this extraordinarily challenging time in history.
Food distribution at Northgate Mall tomorrow
We know times are difficult right now for many of us during this crisis – especially when it comes to food security. Tomorrow, Food Lifeline will be distributing free emergency food boxes at the Northgate Mall from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This service is available to everyone, no paperwork or qualifications are required. But keep in mind, Food Lifeline will be asking for zip codes in order to track their efforts. Please feel free to share this information with family, friends, neighbors or anyone you can think of us who is struggling to put food the table. Click the following link to learn more: https://foodlifeline.org/free-food-at-local-malls-this-week/
Seattle loses a film icon
I was devastated this weekend to learn that Lynn Shelton had died. Lynn was a prominent filmmaker from Seattle whom I adored as a friend and filmmaker, and as a strong woman who supported and inspired other women in filmmaking and beyond. I had the pleasure of working with Lynn on the film incentive legislation during my time in the Washington State Senate. I’ll always remember how exciting it was to visit her sets and watch her directing in person. She was known for directing ‘Laggies,’ ‘Your Sister’s Sister’ and TV shows including ‘Little Fires Everywhere.’ Her death is an enormous loss. Click the following link to read more about her in the Seattle Times: https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/movies/seattle-filmmaker-lynn-shelton-dies-at-54/
 Here I am with Lynn (on the left) and filmmaker Lacey Leavitt
Native Education for All Initiative
In an effort to amplify contemporary Native voices in K-12 education, IllumiNative and the National Indian Education Association (NIEA) have teamed up to launch a new Native Education for All initiative to provide free digital lesson plans and activities for distance learning. Now, more than ever, we can envision what our education systems can look like, which includes increasing the visibility of Native peoples across grade levels. You can now access learning materials here: https://illuminatives.org/native-education-for-all/.
Additional helpful and informative links (I especially enjoyed the article about the baby chicks)
Today's moment of levity
Today’s moment of levity is more heartwarming than it is funny. But heartwarming stories can be just the thing we need sometimes to stay positive and be inspired. I find this story, about a letter drive to isolated seniors, to be particularly moving.
The letter campaign was started by Tim and Teresa Spellman Gamble, Teresa being the daughter of former Washington state Gov. John Spellman. The cards are handed out to seniors collecting food items and they provide a reminder that they are not alone and that someone is thinking of them. This is especially important because even without social distancing measures, in-place isolation can be a serious burden on senior citizens and their mental health. Click the following link to learn more about this thoughtful program: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/seattle-area-letter-drive-sends-message-to-seniors-isolated-due-to-coronavirus-youre-not-alone
Keep in touch
Thank you again for taking the time to read my update. You can expect these 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 mark this email address as a “safe sender” 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.
|
