Dear Friends and Neighbors,
As Memorial Day is upon us, I want to acknowledge and honor those who served and are no longer with us, and the families and friends they left behind. You may know the origins of the red poppy flower, a powerful symbol of remembrance, based on the poem “In Flanders Field.” It was written by the Canadian brigade surgeon John McCrae, who saw the poppies sprouting out of broken battleground where he was tending to wounded soldiers suffering the effects of a lethal chlorine gas used for the first time by Germans.
Please join me this Monday in remembering and reflecting on the service and sacrifice of our service members and their families.
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. My next update will be Tuesday, May 26th. 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 52 new positive cases of COVID-19 in King County (7,669 total) and 3 new COVID-19-related death (537 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
   
Testing availability 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) have 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/
 Photo from KOMO News of T-Mobile Stadium Drive-Thru Testing Site
Mark your calendars: Crosscut conversation with Gov. Inslee
Crosscut is hosting a one-on-one conversation with Governor Jay Inslee to hear the latest on how he’s leading the fight against the pandemic in our state, and what we can expect in the coming months. Submit questions in advance here, and don’t forget to RSVP at the link below.
DATE: Tuesday, June 2
EVENT START: 11 a.m. PDT
COST: Free, RSVP Required HERE
DETAILS:
- This is a free virtual event that will be hosted on Zoom. You will need a computer or device with an internet connection in order to attend.
- You must RSVP in order to receive the link, which will be included in your email confirmation and sent via email on May 31st and again on June 2nd.
- Never used Zoom before? We suggest visiting the Getting Started with Zoom page for details on how to use the platform (it’s easy, we promise!).
Northwest Folklife Festival takes a new form
From KNKX:
Countless staple regional events that typically mark the start of summer have been canceled due to COVID-19. But the 49th annual Northwest Folklife Festival has made the shift to online. “From Home to Home: Northwest Folklife Festival” takes place this Memorial Day weekend.
Reese Tanimura, managing director at Northwest Folklife, said even though the platform has changed, the festival’s focus is still the same.
“It’s remained something that is not about headliners, it is about people showing up for each other,” Tanimura said. “And I think particularly during this time, that is what is needed — is people being seen, being heard.”
Other elements of the annual festival also remain the same. Along with performances from multiple art disciplines and cultures, there will be an online marketplace for various local vendors.
The virtual event will be a little smaller than what was originally planned for the in-person festival. More than 30 different performers are on the schedule this year, offering music, storytelling and even group dances over Zoom. The festival originally had more than 600 artists booked.
Continue reading here.
Inslee statement on progression of Safe Start phases
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Gov. Jay Inslee released a statement today after the Washington State Department of Health announced additional counties are eligible to move to Phase 2 under the Safe Start plan.
“We are making good progress as we continue to open Washington in segments. Currently, one-third of our state is now eligible to move into Phase 2. We are hard at work to determine next steps as we move closer to the May 31 expiration of my current order. As I have repeatedly said before, these are decisions that are driven by public health data and science, not the calendar.
“To be clear: this does not mean that we will be able to open every county in the state on June 1. Counties that continue to have large numbers of infections are not in a position to open up stores, restaurants and services safely.
“As we move into the three-day weekend, I urge Washingtonians to keep working diligently to protect your families and communities. Please continue to physically distance, spend time with those in your household and stay close to where you live. We have made tremendous progress in this fight and I know this has been extremely difficult for everyone. Our collective efforts have protected health and saved lives.”
Background: Two week incidence by county (as of 5/22/2020)
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Additional helpful and informative links
Today's moment of inspiration
Today’s moment of levity is a short and sweet one, thanks to the Federal Way Mirror: https://www.federalwaymirror.com/news/des-moines-police-rescue-ducklings-from-storm-drain/
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.
-Jeanne
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