COVID-19 UPDATES
Since yesterday’s update, Public Health is reporting as of this afternoon:
- 221 new positive cases of COVID-19 (27,038 total)
- 0 new COVID-19-related deaths (803 total)
- 4 new hospitalizations (2,565 to date)
To view a breakdown of COVID-19 cases by race and ethnicity (updated on Mondays), click this link. Click here to view the “Key Indicators” data dashboard.
Yesterday, Wednesday, October 28th, Public Health reported 196 new positive cases of COVID-19 (26,817 total) and 3 new COVID-19-related deaths (803 total). The number of new hospitalizations was 2 (2,561 total). On Tuesday, October 27th, Public Health reported 100 new positive cases of COVID-19 (26,621 total) and 9 new COVID-19-related deaths (800 total). The number of new hospitalizations was 14 (2,559 total).
Statewide, according to the state Department of Health (DOH), as of today, the total number of positive cases is 105,557. Total number of deaths statewide is 2,359, and total hospitalizations are 8,467.
And, very disturbingly, this day is the worst single day for new COVID-19 cases being reported in the country -- 85,357 – since the onset of the pandemic!
   
COVID AND OTHER UPDATES
COVID-19 cases increasing across the state
Today the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) released the latest statewide situation report on COVID-19 transmission, which shows a general rise in the intensity of the epidemic in both western and eastern Washington.
Report findings show that transmission is increasing in western and eastern Washington - - from mid-September to mid-October, case counts and hospitalizations have risen on both sides of the state. The results also show that increases in western Washington are widely distributed geographically and across ages. Growth is particularly high in the 25 to 39 and 40 to 59 age groups and in the Puget Sound region (Snohomish, King and Pierce counties). This wide distribution suggests increases are due to broad community spread, not driven by a single type of activity or setting. Click the links above for full information on the findings.
Blood donations needed - - especially O Negative
 Bloodworks Northwest has announced that over the past couple of weeks, usage of blood components, red blood cells and platelets has increased. It is urging the public to donate. Appointments are required and all donors must wear a mask.
Due to increased usage of type O Negative by hospitals, some appointment slots have been reserved for this blood type. If you are O Negative and can donate in the immediate future, please call Bloodworks Northwest at 800-398-7888 or schedule@bloodworksnw.org for a special reservation time.
You can also schedule online at schedule.bloodworksnw.org or by phone by calling 1-800-398-7888.
When staying home isn’t safe
 Efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19 have resulted in dramatic increases in the number of County residents who are unemployed or furloughed, and/or who need assistance affording food, utilities, housing, and accessing health care. These stressors, added to social isolation and grief, can increase the likelihood of domestic violence and mistreatment of children and elders.
For further details and access to assistance and resources, see these links from Public Health:
- New report: Child & Elder Maltreatment in King County
- Domestic violence in King County during a pandemic (Includes links and resources for assistance, shelter, protection orders and more.)
- Family violence data dashboard
Resources for self-care, mental health and well being during this stressful time
 There is ample evidence that we’re struggling to cope with all the impacts of this pandemic. Gun violence is up, domestic violence is up (as stated above), drug overdoses are up. We can all use some tips and resources to help us get through this time.
The Washington Listens support line is a great resource for anyone who is in crisis or even is just feeling overwhelmed and in need of support. If you or anyone you know is struggling to manage stress from COVID-19, call the Washington Listens support line at 1-833-681-0211. Call 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Also, see the following resources and articles:
- Support for mental health and well-being - DOH
- Supporting others in crisis – Public Health
- Community support and well being – Public Health
- Coping with COVID-related stress – CDC
- King County health officials warn of increase in fentanyl overdoses – KING 5
Ideas for safer game days from the DOH
The DOH has some ideas for all the “12s” out there on how to stay safe on game days. Among the suggestions:
- Take the cheering online: Put on your team gear and yell at the screen with your friends via video chat. Recap the team’s performance on commercial breaks. Maybe even try a team trivia contest at halftime.
- Surprise delivery: Missing your game day tailgate? Order takeout and have it delivered to a friend who will also be enjoying the game from home.
- Home team advantage: If you do choose to have friends or family over to your home to watch the game, there is a risk of spreading COVID-19. Help keep yourself and your guests safe. Wear masks throughout the game. Limit the number of guests to just a few, and make sure you have room for everyone to spread out. Open windows to increase ventilation - bundle up as if you were at the stadium!
For more tips and ideas on how to share celebrations safely in the coming months, check out DOH’s Safer Gatherings website.
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Open Enrollment period starts November 1: Navigators can help
King County’s health insurance Navigators are once again offering personal help with the health insurance enrollment process through Washington Healthplanfinder — with special adaptations to protect against COVID-19.
Contact the Access & Outreach team at Public Health for assistance with enrollment.
Council to take up Fifth COVID emergency budget Tuesday at 1 p.m.
The Council’s Committee of the Whole will take up the proposed Fifth COVID emergency budget on Tuesday November 3rd(election day) at 1 p.m. For details on the meeting and to download the agenda see this page. The meeting materials, agenda and instructions for viewing the meeting will be available prior to the meeting on the Committee’s webpage, though they are not yet posted. It is the final COVID budget for the year.
We expect final action to be taken by the full Council on the emergency COVID budget one week later, at 1 p.m. on November 10th.
As I chair the Budget and Fiscal Management Committee (BFM) and am the lead on the Biennial and the 4th Omnibus budgets currently before the Council, I have asked BFM Vice Chair Rod Dembowski to lead on the 5th Covid budget.
Biennial budget: Update on the process and opportunities for public input
The Council is continuing deliberations on the Executive’s proposed biennial budget and budget related ordinances. More opportunities for public involvement in the County’s biennial budget process are coming up.
For details on joining these virtual meetings please visit the Council's Budget and Fiscal Management Committee (BFM) web page. (Information on joining the meeting on November 17th will be provided later on the Biennial Budget page.)- Tuesday,November 10, 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.- Thursday, November 12, 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.- Full Council: Tuesday, November 17, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
For full information on providing public comment see this page. We anticipate the budget will be finalized on November 17thbut no later than November 24th. By the end of the day on November 17th, we will have passed eight budgets this year. What a year to serve as Budget Chair!
You can still register to vote in person until November 3rd; county Vote Centers open
You can register to vote in person (and vote) until 8 p.m. on November 3rd at a County Vote Center or at the County Elections Office in Renton. The County has Vote Centers open – including this Saturday - to register new voters in-person and provide assistance to voters who need help completing their ballot. There are seven Vote Centers located in Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, Kenmore, Federal Way and Renton.
You can also access your ballot online and print it off at home or you can pick one up at a Vote Center. If you do go to a Vote Center, elections officials are urging voters to please not wait until the last minute.
For additional information on the upcoming election, your ballot and voting, see this page or the homepage for the County Elections office. You can track your ballot here.
November 3, 2020 presidential election: Links to King County Results
As the elections workers start counting ballots next Tuesday, King County Elections (KCE) will post county results of the November 3rd presidential election Tuesday evening to the sites listed below.
Link to website: https://cd.kingcounty.gov/en/elections/results
Link to PDF: https://cdb.kingcounty.gov/results.pdf
Link to CSV: https://cdb.kingcounty.gov/webresults.csv
On Election Night, KCE will provide one posting of results soon after 8 p.m. Results will be updated thereafter on weekdays at 4 p.m. through certification of the election, expected on November 24th. For statewide election results on Tuesday night and after, see the elections results page of the Secretary of State’s office here.
DID YOU KNOW?
… that Jack-O-Lanterns were named for a mythological Irish figure named Jack O’Lantern? According to Irish folklore, a man called Stingy Jack invited the devil for a drink and convinced him to shape-shift into a coin to pay with. When the devil obliged, Jack decided he wanted the coin for other purposes and kept it in his pocket alongside a small, silver cross to prevent it from turning back into the devil. For the full story, read more here.
Additional helpful and informative links
- COVID-19: CDC advisory committee hones in on vaccine rollout recommendations – UW News
- Coronavirus: Gov. Inslee announces partnership with western states to independently review COVID-19 vaccine – KIRO 7
- The US is close to having 'exponential spread' in some areas, and the hardest part may still be ahead, former FDA official says - CNN
- Wave of new COVID-19 cases crashes across U.S. and Europe as winter looms - Reuters
- More than 100,000 U.S. lives could be saved by February if universal mask use is achieved, study shows - Newsweek
- COVID positivity rate about 4 times higher in south King County compared to rest of county – Q13
- Opinion: Washington must prioritize teachers in vaccine distribution plan – Seattle Met
- Opinion: Covid-19 has exposed the US' need to invest in public health - CNN
- US health official says pandemic clearly can be controlled – The Seattle Times
- Tips and options for how to creatively and safely celebrate Halloween – Q13
- Encampments, conditions at Seattle parks draw scrutiny as coronavirus pandemic drags on - The Seattle Times
- Supreme Court issues flurry of last-minute election orders – AP News
- A new push for supervised drug use spaces emerges in Seattle budget talks - The Seattle Times
Today’s moment of inspiration
 Photo from CNN.com
CNN reports on Anika Chebrolu, a 14-year-old from Texas who has just won a $25,000 prize for a discovery that could lead to a cure for COVID-19. The prize is the 2020 3M Young Scientist Challenge. But when she first began her research in 8th grade her focus was the flu, not COVID. According to CNN, “Initially, her goal was … to identify a lead compound that could bind to a protein of the influenza virus.” But she shifted her focus to COVID-19 when the pandemic struck. Read the full story here.
Keep in touch
Thank you again for taking the time to read my updates, which I am now sending out on Mondays and Thursdays. 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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