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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
It’s hard to believe that it’s almost June. Many of us have now spent months staying home to stay safe and slow the spread of COVID-19 so life as we know it can return to normal – or at least as close to it as we can get. During this time, it’s hard not to feel a little stir crazy. Self-isolating at home is not easy. But it’s especially challenging for our children and youth, especially teenagers. Being a teenager is already not an easy task. Teenagers who usually have rich social lives and scheduled activities have had their worlds completely turned upside down. I appreciate this post from the Washington State Department of Health about the unique challenges facing teenagers during this time and what you can do as a parent or guardian to help: https://medium.com/wadepthealth/t-staying-home-with-teenagers-578d3a95682b Hang in there. We will 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 today (7,931 total) and 5 new COVID-19-related deaths (549 total). So, unfortunately, an uptick in the number of deaths but still in a relatively downward trajectory in the number of new positive cases.
As of May 25, there were 20,181 confirmed COVID-19 cases statewide and 1,079 related deaths. (Note: We do not receive the statewide data daily in time to include in our daily update.)
Thirty-three 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.
Detailed information about demographics of those who died from COVID-19 is 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
Lastly, here is an updated list of places open for COVID-19 testing: https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/news/2020/May/~/media/depts/health/communicable-diseases/documents/C19/community-health-center-testing-locations.ashx
   
New data dashboard
Today, Public Health – Seattle & King County published a new data dashboard (in addition to the other Public Health dashboards) called “Key Indicators of COVID-19 Activity in King County, Washington.” The dashboard provides a snapshot of several useful indicators related to disease activity, testing capacity, and healthcare system status. The information from these key metrics, along with other data and recommendations, are provided by Public Health to policy makers when they make decisions about whether current restrictions and precautions to prevent COVID-19 are adequate, need to be strengthened or might be carefully relaxed. You can read more by clicking the following link: https://publichealthinsider.com/2020/05/27/public-health-publishes-new-covid-19-key-indicators-dashboard/
Updated guidance for religious groups
Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday announced that religious groups and organizations can resume some activities, including in-person services, weddings and funerals, with restrictions based on which phase the organization is in.
In counties in phase 1 of Washington’s reopening steps, which includes King County, organizations can now hold outdoor religious services on their property or adjacent property with up to 100 people, provided they wear face coverings, adhere to the six-foot social distancing guidelines and follow other steps to protect against potential exposure or spreading of COVID-19. For counties in phase 2, religious organizations can hold indoor services with 25% capacity or 50 people, whichever is less, also with face coverings and social distancing. These new guidelines include all worship services, study classes, ceremonies, holiday celebrations, weddings and funerals. Inslee also asked that churches collect voluntary attendee information and keep it for two weeks to aid with contact tracing in case someone later tests positive for the virus.
In all cases, organizations must follow social distancing with a full six feet between pews and between people standing and sitting, which should be identified by markings. Everyone must wear face coverings, organizations must clean and sanitize public areas frequently, educate employees about the virus and how to prevent its spread, and provide personal protective equipment to staff as needed. You can read more about this announcement in The Seattle Times by clicking the following link: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/washington-houses-of-worship-allowed-to-hold-services-under-inslees-coronavirus-guidance-plan/
Small business loans
Do you or someone you know run a small business in unincorporated King County? If so, read on to learn about how it might qualify for a $5,000 grant under a new program we authorized earlier this month.
I was pleased to vote for this program because we know it’s small, family owned businesses that have been hit the hardest by COVID-19. While it’s a relatively small amount, I hope these funds may help these businesses to keep the lights on and survive this unprecedentedly challenging time.
To be eligible, a business must:
- Be active and licensed in the state of Washington, with a physical business address in unincorporated King County
- Have no more than 15 employees
- Have been in business for at least three years as of Jan. 1, 2020
- Have gross revenues of up to $1.5 million per year
- Have received no other COVID-19 related aid from any federal, state, or other nonprofit agency.
So why does this only apply to businesses in unincorporated King County? It’s because this program was created after the county reviewed recent financial aid programs offered by federal, state, and local governments. We found that small businesses in the unincorporated areas were underrepresented.
This was particularly true for businesses in areas that have been historically disadvantaged or that are owned by members of historically disadvantaged populations.
Details about when and how to apply, and how to get technical and non-English language assistance, will be added to this county website as soon as it’s available.
The good news for small businesses in Seattle and in other cities in Incorporated King County is that we also are establishing grants for them and for small chambers of commerce. Stay tuned.
Child care assistance
I found this article from The New York Times to be especially interesting. It’s about the possibility of providing government funding to support child care. Obviously, in order for many people to return to work once stay home measures are lifted, there is going to have to be adequate and affordable child care available, especially if schools are unable to reopen in the fall. Child care is already too expensive for many families across our region. That’s why I sponsored legislation that led to the formation of the King County Children and Families Strategy Task Force, which has brought together a diverse group of experts to prepare a report that will make recommendations for addressing child care access and affordability in King County.
The Task Force also convenes members of the business community to raise awareness of challenges in accessing child care and identify possible solutions. A final report with recommendations developed by the Task Force is due to the Executive and the King County Council September 30, 2020. Obviously, this report will now have to take into account the economic fallout caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the impact that will have on working families with children needing care. Click the following link to learn more about this Task Force: https://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/constantine/initiatives/children-families-strategy.aspx
Additional helpful and informative links
Today's moment of inspiration
I appreciated this video featured in The Seattle Times about two Pacific Northwest Ballet artists who decided to build a dance studio in their home to teach classes online. This is the type of creativity and resiliency that will inspire others and help people isolated at home to stay connected and try new things. And when you’re feeling down, what better way to boost your spirits than dancing? You can enjoy the video by clicking the following link: https://www.seattletimes.com/video/6156799105001/dancing-through-the-pandemic-in-a-homemade-studio
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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