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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I hope you are all enjoying the beautiful weather and staying safe. Public Health – Seattle & King County (Public Health) is reminding all of us to stay vigilant while enjoying summertime activities. Sunshine or not, positive COVID-19 test results are still increasing across the state. As you’ll see below, Public Health issued detailed guidance about meeting up with friends outside your household - - how many and how often. The bottom line is, keep your social circle small. And the more often we visit with people outside our household, the higher the risk of contracting the virus.
I also want to remind you that the County Council is on recess until next Monday, August 17th. Though I am available during this time, it may take a bit longer to get a response if you call or email my office as some of our staff are taking well-deserved time off as well. I’m trying to get a lot of hiking in but am keeping close watch on my email. In addition, we will only be sending out the e-newsletter on Monday and Wednesday this week.
The rest of this e-newsletter includes updates on the COVID-19 crisis and other issues. And you can click here to visit the archive page where you can find all of my previous enews updates.
As always, I would like to hear from you. You can call me at 206-477-1004 or you can reach me by email at jeanne.kohl-welles@kingcounty.gov.
All the best and I hope you are staying safe.
COVID-19 UPDATES
Since yesterday’s update, Public Health – Seattle & King County (Public Health) is reporting 149 new positive cases of COVID-19 (16,979 total) and 1 new COVID-19-related death (680 total) as of this afternoon. The number of new hospitalizations is 15 (2,068 to date). Of the 12,180 cases in which race and ethnicity information is available, 4,771 of those are white and 7,409 are Black, Indigenous and People of Color.
Yesterday, Public Health reported 81 new positive cases of COVID-19 (16,830 total) and 3 new COVID-19-related deaths (679 total). The number of new hospitalizations was 10 (2,053 total).
Statewide, according to the state Department of Health (DOH), as of Monday, August 10th, the total number of positive cases was 64,151. Total number of deaths statewide was 1,716, and total hospitalizations were 6,102.
Detailed information about demographics of those who died from COVID-19, as well as on rates of hospitalization, is available on Public Health’s data dashboard
   
COVID UPDATES
Northwest News Network reporter documents seven-week battle with COVID-19
 Photo by Anna King, Northwest News Network
Reporter Anna King describes her seven-week ordeal – including two visits to the emergency room – in this story on KUOW, NPR. Not pleasant but very informative.
Four Chambers of Commerce in District Four receive grants for businesses impacted by COVID-19
Congratulations to the Ballard, Fremont, South Lake Union and Magnolia Chambers of Commerce. The four Chambers were among several in King County to receive small grants to assist local businesses that are struggling due to COVID-19. The funds were included in the County’s Second COVID budget in late May.
How viruses spread on surfaces
 This video from Israel helps you visualize how viruses can spread widely and rapidly through touching surfaces. Note no mask is worn but the message is still really graphic and worthwhile viewing.
From Public Health – Seattle & King County: Party of five: What are the rules?
 As the pandemic wears on and the summer weather turns ever more gorgeous, the temptation to gather with friends and relatives grows stronger. But with COVID-19 cases continuing to rise across the state, it is more important than ever to follow a few basic rules about social engagements. Every time we talk, laugh, cough or sneeze, we may be spreading the virus, even without any symptoms or a positive test result.
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As a household, limit your gatherings to only five people or fewer from outside your home each week, whether they are friends or family. The smaller the gathering, the safer it is. Only participate in one or two social gatherings a week.
- Your household can meet with a new group of five the following week or meet again with the same five. Pick your five in a way that works for you each week.
- You can meet indoors or outdoors, but outdoors is safer.
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Wear a mask if you can’t maintain 6 feet of distance, even if you’re outdoors. If you meet indoors, wear a mask at all times and open doors and windows to increase air flow if it is safe to do so.
- The key is to keep your household’s social circle small and only occasionally gather with your circle. Your household includes everyone you live with, whether that’s just you, your family of five, or you and several roommates.
For more details and to read the full article from Public Health, see this page.
JUSTICE UPDATES: RACIAL, ECONOMIC,
ENVIRONMENTAL, CRIMINAL
Gov. Inslee announces funds to support workers hit hard by COVID-19. Gov. Jay Inslee yesterday announced the creation of two funds to help workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The Immigrant Relief Fund will provide $40 million to assist Washington residents who are unable to access federal stimulus programs due to their immigration status yet are among those disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
- The Food Production Paid Leave Program will provide $3 million of financial resources to certain food production workers who remain home when ill.
The governor and his staff worked closely with a coalition representing 430 immigrant rights and social services organizations, and labor advocacy leaders, to develop the funds.
The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services has issued a request for proposals to select a nonprofit that will administer the Immigrant Relief Fund. The institution will then partner with community organizations to manage applications and awards of $1,000 per eligible individual. Initial awards are expected to be made later in the fall.
Study of farmworkers and COVID-19: State Department of Health seeking farmworkers to participate
 Photo by Rizki Prayugo on Unsplash
The state Department of Health (DOH) is helping to conduct the COVID-19 Farmworker Study (COFS). COFS is a collaborative tri-state research project coordinated by the California Institute for Rural Studies (CIRS) to provide a rapid response analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on farmworker communities throughout the U.S. West coast.
The Washington COFS data collection team will begin to collect surveys of farmworkers throughout the state this month. If you are a farmworker or can refer farmworkers to participate in the study, please contact Community Engagement Taskforce (CETF) team member Tomás Madrigal at Tomas.Madrigal@doh.wa.gov. Farmworker participants will be surveyed by promotoras (community health workers) from farmworker-serving community based organizations that are part of the project’s data team. Farmworkers who participate are eligible for a $20 incentive for their time and participation.
This past week, the California research team revealed a preliminary data summary of the 911 surveys of California farmworkers completed on July 24, 2020.
Preliminary findings from California show that contrary to popular opinions about behavior, the majority of farmworkers do wear facemasks. The data also illustrate the transformation of an entire industry due to COVID-19. Click here to view a video on the COFS project.
For more information on this effort, see this article from DOH.
OTHER UPDATES
Housing stabilization assistance available for veterans affected by COVID-19
Our King County communities are facing many challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Business closures to help slow the spread of COVID-19 have resulted in loss of employment for many in King County. To support our community members during the COVID-19 crises, the King County Veterans Program (KCVP), supported with Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy (VSHSL) funds, is now offering housing stabilization assistance for veterans and their family members who have been affected by COVID-19.
Tomorrow, August 13th at 6 p.m.: Webinar on orca whales with Lynda Mapes of The Seattle Times
 Tomorrow evening join Lynda Mapes, environment reporter for The Seattle Times, for a webinar on the state of our southern resident orca whales. (Pre-registration is required; see below for details.) Lynda will discuss the status of the southern residents, including the newly discovered pregnancy of Tahlequah (J35), and share her experience covering these whales and their struggle for survival, which Lynda reported on in the award-winning Seattle Times “Hostile Waters” series.
The event will also include a dialogue with Helen Cherullo, Executive Director of Braided River, the publisher of Lynda’s forthcoming book ORCA: Shared Waters, Shared Home, about how multimedia conservation storytelling can be leveraged to build a movement to protect and recover the Salish Sea and the orca and salmon who call this place home.
Register here in advance for this webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Metro COVID-19 update: Summer ridership remains steady, masks required when riding transit
Ridership on King County Metro remains steady as public transportation continues to serve those who need it most.
Metro collects data from on-board passenger counters and has analyzed preliminary extrapolations to create an unofficial estimate of weekly ridership. There continues to be strong ridership on routes and trips utilized by our customers who are unable to telework or otherwise rely heavily on transit.
From July 27-31, the average weekday bus ridership was estimated to be about 144,000, compared to 395,000 for the same time in 2019, or a 63% drop.
For more information, see this article from Metro.
Update from The Seattle Aquarium and Woodland Park Zoo at one month after reopening
 Photo of snowy owl chick by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo
Woodland Park Zoo and the Seattle Aquarium reopened to the public the week of June 28. For the last four weeks, both have safely welcomed guests, with operational adjustments to promote physical distancing and improve the guest experience. At both facilities, visitor counts are tightly managed by timed ticketing.
Both organizations were approved for a reduced attendance capacity of 25% for both indoor and outdoor spaces. To date neither organization has come near that attendance threshold and both have seen high attendance marks of around 60% of allowed capacity. For both organizations, mornings are the most in-demand time to visit and Friday, Saturday and Sunday are the busiest days.
Additional helpful and informative links
- Coronavirus cases in Washington rising among older adults: report – Seattle PI
- Most teachers concerned about in-person school; 2 in 3 want to start the year online – NPR
- Young smokers at higher risk for severe COVID-19 symptoms than nonsmokers their age - The Seattle times
- Ride away your stress, safely and affordably! – Public Health Insider blog
- A COVID ‘silver lining’: You can start drug treatment over the phone — and more people are starting to - The Seattle Times
- Vaping linked to risk of COVID-19 in teens, young adults – Reuters
- Worldwide virus cases top 20 million, doubling in six weeks – AP (Associated Press)
- Health officials are quitting or getting fired amid outbreak - The Seattle Times
- New Zealand considers freight as possible source of new coronavirus cluster – Reuters
- Wearing a neck gaiter may be worse than no mask at all, researchers find - The Seattle Times
- Immune response markers might predict COVID-19 outcomes – UW Medicine Newsroom
- ‘A smoking gun’: Infectious coronavirus retrieved from hospital air – The New York Times
- Three of ten Americans laid off in coronavirus crisis worried about food, shelter - Reuters
- Race and Justice Clinic fights for systemic bail reform amid COVID-19 - UW School of Law News
- Coronavirus: How ghost cruise ships became a summer tourist attraction – BBC
- How the coronavirus has upended college admissions – NPR
- Want the economy to rebound? Wear a mask, Federal Reserve governor says. - The New York Times
- Black Seattleites react to police chief’s resignation with rage, hope – Crosscut
- U.S. postal service reorganization sparks delays, election questions – Reuters
- 'Am I supposed to say thank you?' One Black Seattleite's take on the Black Lives Matter protests – The Seattle Times
- No federal relief leaves states, cities facing big deficits - The Seattle Times
- Taxes, VPNs and office hours: The ultimate Forbes guide to working from home - Forbes
Today’s moment of inspiration
Lincoln Center brings music to essential workers - - five at a time, max
 As reported by NPR here, although Lincoln Center hasn’t hosted any live public performances since mid-March, it is now hosting free concerts for essential workers. Health care providers, teachers and other essential workers have been attending the small concerts, featuring just one or two volunteer musicians and audiences of no more than five.
The musicians are volunteers from the New York Philharmonic. Shown in the screenshot above is Kuan Cheng Lu, a Taiwanese first violinist who joined the orchestra 16 years ago. On a recent Friday evening, he chose to play some solo Bach.
Keep in touch
Thank you again for taking the time to read my updates, which I’m sending out on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays - - and sometimes more frequently. Although, as a reminder, we will not be sending an enewsletter out this Friday, August 14th, due to the County Council recess. Feel free to forward them to others who can subscribe by clicking here.
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