|
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
If you’re like me, you may be hesitant to pick up a call from an unidentified caller, especially when you assume the caller may be just be a telemarketer. As I mentioned in yesterday’s update, the Washington State Department of Health is rapidly training personnel to support case investigations and contact tracing. The mission of these contact tracers is to contact each person who tests positive of COVID-19 within 24 hours and call each of their close contacts within 48 hours (source: Seattle Times). So, keep that in mind the next time you see an unidentified call. It may be a contact tracer letting you know you have been exposed to someone who has tested positive. Click the following link to learn more about the state’s contact tracing efforts in an article from the Seattle Times: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/washington-trains-more-than-2100-callers-as-it-expands-contact-tracing-to-battle-coronavirus/
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 28 new positive cases of COVID-19 in King County (7,645 total) and 4 new COVID-19-related death (534 total).
As of May 20, there were 19,117 confirmed COVID-19 cases statewide and 1,044 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
   
Mask delivery day!
Today I had the pleasure of delivering face masks that I was able to procure to a variety of non-profit organizations and senior centers serving my district so they can be distributed to people in need, especially those from vulnerable populations. In total, we distributed 1,000 masks throughout District Four. These masks are essential to help prevent and contain the spread of the coronavirus. And they will help people who may not have access to masks adhere to King County’s mandatory face mask directive when in public spaces.
If you know of an organization or a non-profit that my need masks or facial coverings for distribution to the community, please let me know. We may have access to additional masks in the future and will want to distribute them as urgently as possible. See some photos of some of the places we visited today.
 With my Legislative Aide, Clara Manahan, loading up the car to deliver 1,000 masks across District 4.
 With Ellen and Steve at the Queen Anne Food Bank at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
 National Guard assisting with food bank operations at Queen Anne Food Bank.
 Clara delivering masks to the Greenwood Senior Center.
 Pike Place Food Bank volunteer Emma receiving mask donations.
 Murals at Pike Place Food Bank
Statewide unemployment rate soars
Washington’s economy lost 527,000 jobs in April and the state’s preliminary seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment rate for April increased from 5.1 percent to 15.4 percent according to the Washington’s Employment Security Department (ESD).
|
Month
|
Total Job losses
|
Unemployment rate
|
2019 Unemployment Rate
|
|
March 2020
|
25,400
|
5.1 percent
|
4.5 percent
|
|
April 2020
|
527,000
|
15.4 percent
|
4.4 percent
|
The national unemployment rate (preliminary) rose from 4.4 percent in March 2020 to 14.7 percent in April 2020. In April 2019, the national unemployment rate (revised) was 3.6 percent.
Click the following link to learn more: https://esd.wa.gov/newsroom/april-2020-monthly-employment-report-payroll-employment-plummets-unemployment-rate-soars
Fraudulent unemployment claims
You may have read that ‘Washington has lost ‘hundreds of millions of dollars’ to unemployment fraud scheme amid coronavirus joblessness surge’. In a previous update, I alerted you to ways in which you can protect yourself from unemployment fraud.
Here is that information again, in case you missed it:
If you believe you are a victim of imposter fraud, please go to www.esd.wa.gov/fraud and report it immediately using the instructions on that page.
Additional steps to take and resources to learn more if you believe your identity has been stolen:
- Go to the FTC identity theft website, identitytheft.gov. This resource has the most current, detailed step by step process for reporting and protecting people from further victimization.
- Request your free credit reports via www.annualcreditreport.com and review them for other fraudulent activities.
- Find additional tips from the Washington State Attorney General at www.atg.wa.gov/recovering-identity-theft-or-fraud.
Stigma reduction
Misinformation or incorrect information about the new coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19, creates fear and bad actions that hurt people and makes it harder to keep everyone healthy. Misinformation about groups of people or communities has the same effect. Paired together they are even more dangerous.
Misinformation about people is one part of bias. Bias is a prejudgment or prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered unfair. People of color, people with disabilities, people experiencing homelessness, immigrants, Native Americans, people who are undocumented, people who speak languages other than English, and LGBTQ communities are often negatively impacted by bias. Bias when paired with social and economic factors often results in poor health outcomes.
Some of the early information about COVID-19 contributed to prejudice and discrimination against Asian communities. We need to be intentional and reduce the harm caused to those communities. We also need to make sure we do not create similar harm to other communities. Particularly those that have experienced discrimination and been stigmatized throughout history.
This is important because our thoughts, emotions and behaviors influence those around us. We can spread fear, or we can spread connection. We are stronger as a community when we stand together against discrimination.
Here’s what you can do as an individual to help:
- Rely on and share trusted sources of information.
- Speak up if you hear, see, or read stigmatizing or harassing comments or misinformation.
- Show compassion and support for individuals and communities more closely impacted.
- Avoid stigmatizing people who are in quarantine. They are making the right choice for their communities.
- Do not make assumptions about someone’s health status based on their ethnicity, race or national origin
- Spread the facts – promote positive messages about our ALL communities
- Report discrimination.
Additional helpful and informative links
Today's moment of inspiration
Today’s moment of levity centers on a couple of young people from District Four who are doing their part to help during this crisis. An article yesterday from the Queen Anne & Magnolia News profiled two Seattle Academy students who have started their own online T-shirt business. They are donating 100% of the profits of their T-shirt sales to Ballard Food Bank and Mary’s Place. The business idea was a part of their senior project. You can read more about these awesome young people by clicking the following link: https://queenannenews.com/Content/News/Homepage-Rotating-Articles/Article/Queen-Anne-teen-s-T-shirt-line-raises-money-for-local-nonprofits/26/538/40635
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.
|
