COVID-19 UPDATES
The R0 or “R naught” number, also known as the “reproductive number,” is updated every Wednesday on this page. This number indicates how many new people each COVID-19 patient likely will infect. The goal is to get and keep the number well below 1.0, an indication that case numbers are trending downward.
As of today, Public Health – Seattle & King County (Public Health) is reporting that the “R-Naught” number for King County is 1.0, an increase from last week, but it could be worse.
Since yesterday’s update, Public Health is reporting as of this afternoon, which definitely could be better:
- 113 new positive cases of COVID-19 (21,677 total)
- 5 new COVID-19-related deaths (758 total)
- 11 new hospitalizations (2,340 to date)
And please note, we are making a few changes to the way we present the COVID-19 data. We’ve decided that the most accurate way to present the demographic information is to link directly to the demographic details for that day’s updates. The demographics page also breaks down new infections by age and gender.
However, currently the link will take you first to the overview page (we'll see if that can be corrected) so after landing on that page you will need to get to the “Demographics” page. Here’s how: After clicking on the link, scroll down until you see the header “Public Health – Seattle & King County COVID-19 Outbreak Summary.” Above and below that header are five tabs. Click the tab for “Demographics” and you’re there. We’ll let you know as soon as there is a direct link available.
Yesterday, Tuesday, September 22nd, Public Health reported 40 new positive cases of COVID-19 (21,590 total) and 4 new COVID-19-related deaths (753 total). The number of new hospitalizations was 5 (2,337 total).
DOH statement on rollback of data dashboards on Monday, September 21st
The DOH discovered incorrect data after posting its data release on Monday. As a result, the department has rolled back the COVID-19 data dashboard and the COVID-19 risk assessment dashboard to reflect the data posted on 9/20. DOH staff is working to correct the problem and anticipates returning to regular reporting of all data as of tomorrow’s report.
Note on today’s state DOH numbers: As of Wednesday 9/23/20, the dashboard includes up-to-date data on confirmed COVID-19 cases. However, updated negative laboratory test results are not yet available. The number of total tests are current as of Friday 9/18/20. We anticipate returning to regular reporting of all data on Thursday 9/24/20.
Statewide, according to the state Department of Health (DOH), as of today (using data current as of yesterday), the total number of positive cases was 83,702. Total number of deaths statewide was 2,081, and total hospitalizations were 7,349.
   
COVID AND OTHER UPDATES
Gov. Inslee issues guidance for miscellaneous venues
Gov. Inslee issued a new guidance for “miscellaneous venues” on Monday. “Miscellaneous venues” include businesses such as convention and conference centers, designated meeting spaces in hotels, events centers and other similar venues.
The guidance allows business meetings, professional development training and testing, and substantially similar activities to occur away from business premises and with additional attendees, as long as all requirements are met.
Along with the guidance, the Governor issued a memorandum outlining the requirements for venues to host activities and events that are not currently permitted under previous proclamations, memoranda, or COVID-19 requirements documents.
State announces new COVID relief funds to support nonprofits helping youth.
The Washington State Department of Commerce is partnering with School’s Out Washington to distribute approximately $9 million in state Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to respond to the impact of COVID-19 by supporting programs serving school age kids and young adults facing the most significant challenges to educational and economic opportunity.
Read the full news release here.
New tool from state Department of Commerce: Economic Recovery Dashboard
 The Department of Commerce has made available a new tool for tracking the impact of COVID-19 on our state’s economy and economic recovery efforts. The Economic Recovery Dashboard uses a variety of data sources and displays the latest available data on employment, businesses, government assistance programs and consumer behavior. Updates are made monthly. Work is ongoing to improve the user experience of this tool.
See this article from The Seattle Times: State launches data dashboard to track COVID-19’s impact on Washington economy.
COVID-19 resources for businesses and employers
The County has a new site full of information and resources for businesses and workplaces on complying with COVID-19 guidelines. The page includes Phase 2 guidance and requirements by industry, posters for re-opening, funding opportunities, and more resources for businesses and workplaces.
Additional resources for businesses from the Department of Commerce:
- Guidance and resources for employers, business owners and workers
- Sign up for the Department of Commerce’s weekly business and worker newsletter
Don’t wait – vaccinate! Free and low-cost vaccines are available for children and adults
In an earlier edition we talked about an important message from Dr. Jeff Duchin, Health Officer for Public Health, on why getting your flu vaccine is crucial this year while we are in the midst of a pandemic.
For information on low-cost and no-cost vaccination clinics and information in multiple languages, please see this County webpage. As the Council’s Budget Chair, I was able to add $650K in the Fourth Covid Budget, passed by the County Council on September 1st. The funds will help expand the availability of free flu shots to uninsured and underinsured residents.
Children up to age 18 can receive free vaccines through the Washington State Childhood Vaccine Program. Also, see the ParentHelp 123 ResourceFinder or the HealthMap Vaccine Finder to search for a clinic or pharmacy near you.
Also, consider these two upcoming free vaccination opportunities :
- Eastgate Public Health Center: Free childhood immunizations clinic – all K-12 vaccines
TOMORROW, Thursday, September 24th, 1-5 p.m. By APPOINTMENT only. Limited spots available. Please call (206) 477-8000 to make an appointment. Offering all vaccines required for K-12 students + additional childhood vaccines. Open to children ages 0-18. Prioritized for uninsured, underinsured, and Medicaid-enrolled children. Eastgate Public Health Center, 14350 SE Eastgate Way, Bellevue, WA 98007
- Public Health free drive-thru childhood immunization clinics at the ShoWare Center in Kent
On Wednesday, October 7th, 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. and Saturday, October 10th, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Being offered in partnership with Seattle Visiting Nurse Association. Walk-ups welcome too! Located at the ShoWare Center: 625 W James St, Kent, WA 98032. Offering all vaccinations required for K-12 school plus flu vaccine. Free for children, no insurance required. Open to all King County students, ages 4-18.
If possible, bring your child’s vaccination records. Please wear short sleeves, and make sure everyone age 2 and older has a face covering.
Adult flu vaccine available from the Seattle Visiting Nurse Association. Registration required for adult flu vaccinations: schedule.seattlevna.com (please note: registration begins late September).
King County’s Biennial Budget for 2021 - 2022
 County Executive Constantine yesterday transmitted his proposal for the County’s Biennial Budget to the County Council. To view details on the proposed budget, including the full budget book, executive summary and fact sheets, see this page.
The County provides critical local and regional services to millions of people, with a two-year budget of about $12.4 billion, 16,000 employees, and more than 60 different services. King County is facing an unprecedented budget shortfall in 2021-2022. The pandemic and resulting recession have led to sharp declines in sales tax revenues, creating significant gaps in many funds, including Metro Transit, the General Fund, and the Mental Illness and Drug Dependency Fund.
The Executive’s 2021-2022 Proposed Budget focuses on balancing the budget while maintaining vital services for residents, continuing progress on critical priorities such as public health, affordable housing and homeless services, and the environment, and advancing the County’s anti-racism agenda.
The County Council will now begin the budget review process. As Budget Chair, I will be chairing our first budget session next Wednesday, September 30th, from 9:30 a.m. - noon, with presentations being made by other County separately-elected officials and including an opportunity for public comment. For information on viewing the meeting and providing public comment, click here.
Also, see these news articles:
- Proposed King County budget includes new sales tax for housing, 450 job losses – The Seattle Times
- Skyway wins big in the proposed county budget, for once – The Stranger
- Constantine calls for investment in housing, advancing an anti-racist agenda – The Seattle Medium
State budget shortfall “cut in half”
There is one piece of relatively good budget news -- The Seattle Times today reported on the latest budget forecast for the state: As tax collections rebound, Washington state’s projected $9-billion budget shortfall is cut in half.
According to the article, “Washington’s projected $8.8-billion budget shortfall over the next three years has been slashed in half, as economic activity rebounded since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the early statewide restrictions to curb the new coronavirus.” View the latest forecast from the Washington State Economic And Revenue Forecast Council here(pdf).
King County investing in final push of 2020 Census in SeaTac, Tukwila, and South County
The County is investing $50,000 for a strategic push in the final week of the 2020 Census to ensure a fair count of all King County residents, and help boost return rates in SeaTac and Tukwila. The deadline to fill out and submit the census is in one week, next Wednesday, September 30th.
County Executive Dow Constantine and Councilmember Dave Upthegrove today announced a strategic investment of $50,000 to community-based organizations that will help boost participation of south King County residents in the 2020 Census. The funds are targeted to areas of the County where self-response rates are yet to reach their 2010 Census Self-Response Rates.
To fill out your census form online, click here. For more census information see these resources:
DID YOU KNOW?
You can help protect our waterways from polluted stormwater runoff, while saving water and helping your garden. Whether you're a Northwest gardener looking to ensure that your plants don't suffer in the long dry summer, or a business owner looking to manage stormwater runoff from your large roof, you may want to consider an old-fashioned technology: Rainwater Catchment with barrels or cisterns.
When storms occur and large quantities of water go down storm drains, it can pollute local waterways. In some neighborhoods, storm drains flow directly into sewer pipes and heavy storms can cause overflows. By harvesting the rain that falls on your roof, you are keeping stormwater out of sewer pipes.
You can buy or make a catchment system. If you live in certain parts of Seattle, you may even qualify for a rebate that will cover most or all of your installation costs!
See these Frequently Asked Questions about rainwater catchment, saving water and protecting Puget Sound.
Additional helpful and informative links
- Massive genetic study shows coronavirus mutating and potentially evolving amid rapid U.S. spread – The Seattle Times
- College openings fueled 3,000 COVID-19 cases per day, researchers say – The L.A. Times
- America's 200,000 COVID-19 deaths: small cities and towns bear a growing share - NPR
- Trick-or-treating, costume masks and Halloween parties discouraged by CDC this year - CNN
- How to create a pandemic pod for safe social interaction – The Philadelphia Inquirer
- Watchdog: Millions in danger of missing virus relief payouts - The Seattle Times
- Lift your head and lower your arms — you might just feel better (re: working from home) - NPR
- Seahawks’ Pete Carroll among three coaches fined $100,000 for not wearing face coverings properly - The Seattle Times
- Seattle City Council overrides mayor's veto of policing cuts – AP News
- Feces in a locker and other harassment: Racism is rife in King County Corrections, employees say - KUOW
- How British Columbia protects its people from wildfire smoke - Crosscut
- Opinion: We need unity and a multifaceted approach to West’s wildfires - The Seattle Times
- As wildfire smoke clears, King County’s airport communities continue fight for clean air - The Seattle Times
- As wildfire smoke permeates even indoors, is government doing enough to respond? – Investigate West
- Smoke on the vineyard: NW wine industry worries about possible smoke taint - KUOW
- Mental health support can't keep up with wildfires or hurricanes - Crosscut
- Climate disruption is now locked in. The next moves will be crucial. – The New York Times
Today’s moment of amazement
The bull who thinks he's a horse
 The Good News Network reports on Sabine Rouas, who met Aston, a baby calf, five years ago when she started helping out at a nearby cow farm. She formed a close bond with the newborn calf and convinced the farmer to let her buy him. “Sabine raised little Aston alongside her pony Sammy, now 10. She began noticing the baby cow was picking up the tricks she was teaching her new horse.”
According to the article, Aston “… quickly mastered trotting, galloping, stopping, going backwards, and turning around on command. He was even responding to Sabine’s voice, just like a horse.”
Despite his enormous size (over one ton), Aston learned to leap over one-meter high horse jumps in the dressage ring—with Sabine on his back. Sabine says the two of them get a great audience reaction at horse shows. “Mostly people are really surprised and initially they can be a bit scared because he’s big—much bigger than a horse.”
To view some amazing footage of Aston in the dressage ring, see this video.
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. Feel free to forward them to others who can subscribe by clicking here. And you can click here to visit the archive page where you can find all of my previous enews updates.
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