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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
As a state and region, we continue to show the rest of the nation how to appropriately respond (leading with Public Health and science) to a major pandemic. Take for instance this article from the Boston Globe that reports the death rate in Massachusetts has now surpassed the 6,000 mark. By contrast, Washington State (with a similar statewide population and both being major tourist draws) has only reported a little more than 1,000 COVID-19 related deaths. While there are other factors involved, such as the proximity to New York and the densely populated areas of the Northeast, the differences are dramatic. Social distancing measures are working, and the proof is in the pudding. Stay strong. We can get through this together.
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 yesterday’s update, Public Health is reporting 35 new positive cases of COVID-19 in King County (7,617 total) and 1 new COVID-19-related deaths (530 total). So, very sadly, a bit of an uptick in recent day’s reporting’s of fatalities.
As of May 18, there were 18,811 confirmed COVID-19 cases statewide and 1,031 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.
Forty-five people are currently staying in King County isolation, quarantine and recovery facilities. The numbers of residents at King County's isolation and quarantine sites are included in regular updates provided by Public Health. No other identifying or personal information will be provided.
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
   
Now available: Local data on unemployment, health care, housing, and other measures during COVID-19 pandemic
Public Health – Seattle & King County has created a new set of data tools that show some of the broader social, economic, and overall health and well-being impacts in King County during COVID-19.
Key topics include unemployment, housing and food needs, internet access, family violence, depression, and having health insurance.
Highlights are visible at a glance on a new data dashboard (click on any individual data point to get additional information).
#EssentialNotExpendable webinar series
The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO Seattle Chapter (APALA), Legacy of Equality Leadership & Organizing (LELO) and the COVID-19 Community Response Alliance are inviting those interested to attend the second part of their worker webinar series, #EssentialNotExpendable.
This is a continuation of the first series, which was held as a closed session for workers to share freely among each other about how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their work and personal life. In this second part, workers, unions, community organizations, public offices and departments, and government officials are invited to hear from these workers about the impact of the pandemic and what actions are needed to be taken in order to protect them during this challenging time.
The Town Hall webinar will be on Saturday, May 23rd at 2:00pm - 4:00pm. The format will be Zoom online meetings. Register with the following link https://bit.ly/2LuPr6i.
COVID-19 testing availability
Testing availability in King County has been increasing. Previously, due to supply shortages, health officials prioritized testing for people who were most at risk for severe illness – including health care providers and first responders. However, the capacity and availability of testing kits and personal protective equipment (PPE) has increased – good news since this is a key indicator to continue the “Safe Start” phased reopening of Washington.
King County Public Health now recommends that anyone with mild symptoms of COVID-19 should get tested as soon as possible to reduce its spread through the community – and testing locations are available throughout King County. More information about testing including FAQs are available on the King County Public Health Insider blog post: https://publichealthinsider.com/2020/05/12/covid-19-testing-is-increasingly-available-in-king-county/
Washington expands capacity to track and prevent spread of COVID-19
The Washington State Department of Health is rapidly training personnel to support case investigations and contact tracing. As of May 19, 723 National Guard personnel and 769 Department of Licensing personnel have been trained to help local health jurisdictions with this work as needed.
Case investigations and contract tracing are key public health strategies to prevent the spread of disease. Public health staff interview people who test positive for COVID-19 to identify and contact anyone who may have been exposed while they were contagious. The public’s participation is voluntary. This process ensures everyone who gets or is exposed to the virus has access to information and services to protect themselves and their loved ones.
These personnel supplement roughly 630 local and state public health professionals already available to do this work. The state is also reviewing applications from thousands of volunteers across Washington and finalizing the plan to appropriately screen and train volunteers if needed in the coming months.
You can learn more about case investigation and contact tracing on the DOH website.
Additional helpful and informative links
Today's moment of levity
For today’s moment of levity, I am back with the last episode of “Some Good News” by actor John Krasinski. The newest episode is all about the community that has sprung up around these weekly shows—including the folks watching and the ones who submitted their own stories. As the last episode for the foreseeable future, it highlights what was always its core focus—the community! I hope you enjoy watching this one, as I did.
https://www.facebook.com/JohnKrasinski/videos/some-good-news-with-john-krasinski-the-sgn-community-episode/678812956304804/
Keep in touch
Thank you again for taking the time to read my update. You can expect these to continue being sent out daily, 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.
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