COVID-19 UPDATES
Since yesterday’s update, Public Health -- Seattle & King County is reporting as of this afternoon:
- 2,121 new positive cases of COVID-19 (49,739 total). A really shocking total!
- 9 new COVID-19-related deaths (903 total)
- 49 new hospitalizations (3,449 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.
- On Sunday, December 6th, Public Health reported 363 new positive cases of COVID-19 (47,618 total) and 0 new COVID-19-related deaths (894 total). The number of new hospitalizations was 30 (3,400 total).
- On Saturday, December 5th, Public Health reported 324 new positive cases of COVID-19 (47,255 total) and 0 new COVID-19-related deaths (894 total). The number of new hospitalizations was 23 (3,370 total).
- On Friday, December 4th, Public Health reported 758 new positive cases of COVID-19 (46,931 total) and 8 new COVID-19-related deaths (894 total). The number of new hospitalizations was 42 (3,347 total).
Statewide, according to the state Department of Health (DOH), as of yesterday, the total number of positive cases is 177,447. Total number of deaths statewide is 2,925, and total hospitalizations are 11,544.
   
COVID AND OTHER UPDATES
Video: Dr. Jeff Duchin on COVID-19 trends in King County and vaccine planning
 Dr. Duchin, Health Officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County (Public Health) briefed the media and took questions on Friday, December 4th. You can view the briefing here. For more on COVID-19 vaccine planning in King County, see this page.
Q&A: Testing and traveling during the holiday season
 Public Health answers some of the most common questions they’ve been fielding on testing and travel. Just to reiterate: staying home is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones.
Support for mental and emotional health during the pandemic
King County’s COVID-19 support page has been redesigned with new tools and resources to support your maintaining your emotional and mental health. Also, see this article on the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) blog: Coping with COVID: Developing resilience.
“The Coronavirus Pandemic: Airborne Transmission, Ventilation and School and Workplace Reopenings” – Remote program at Harvard University, Friday, December 11th at 9 a.m. Pacific Time
Seattle Times editorial
Following meetings with local elected officials (including me), The Seattle Times ran this editorial today on the urgent needs faced by local governments: Feds must act quickly to fund local COVID-19 response
Discovery Park beach reopens
As I reported in the last e-newsletter, the beach near the West Point Wastewater Treatment Plant in Discovery Park was closed last week after operator error during routine testing caused the emergency bypass gate to open slightly for three minutes on December 2nd, causing an overflow of fewer than 17,000 gallons.
Water quality testing has confirmed that the water is safe and the beach was re-opened on Saturday. The County also sampled water at the beach at Golden Gardens out of an abundance of caution, but samples show the water is safe and no further closure was required.
Pandemic (and other) waste hurts Puget Sound
 For details on what to flush and what NOT to flush, see this page from the County’s wastewater services. You may also be interested in this story from KUOW: Pandemic waste is adding to wastewater woes and Puget Sound pollution.
Ballard P-Patch closes funding gap with help from Amazon and King County
A donation of $270,000 from Amazon will allow the Ballard P-Patch, a long-time community treasure, to purchase the land where it is sited, ensuring that generations to come can benefit from organically grown food, learn sustainable gardening practices and participate in community events at the garden.
The campaign to raise the funds to purchase the land has been a years-long effort on the part of dedicated community members. Amazon also donated $50,000 to GROW, the fiscal sponsor to Ballard P-Patch and a land trust that holds title to six other gardens in the Seattle P-Patch program. This additional donation will fund food assistance programs and plot fee subsidies at the Ballard P-Patch for gardeners in need. I’m pleased the County’s contribution was the highest received with $1.25 million in Conservation Futures Tax funding approved in our biennial budget that passed the Council on November 17th. The P-Patch is a treasure for all of Ballard and beyond. Its continuation is one of the most exciting community projects in which I have been involved as a public policymaker. See the full press release here.
County Council meetings tomorrow
The Council’s Law and Justice Committee will meet virtually tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. and the full Council will meet tomorrow at 1 p.m. The public is invited to view both meetings and provide public comment. Full details – including meeting materials – are available at the links above. There’ll be a discussion by Councilmembers during the Law and Justice meeting on the two charter amendments approved by the public last month that dealt with the Sheriff.
Article highlights District 4 projects funded in County’s final biennial budget
This article in the Queen Anne & Magnolia News focuses on programs and projects in District 4 that received funding in the County’s biennial budget that passed the Council on November 17th. I was interviewed for the article.
Metro waives fees on new ORCA cards
 Good news for many as Metro announced it is joining other transit agencies in waiving the fee on new ORCA cards until February 28th to encourage contactless forms of payment to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Timely reminders from Metro
Metro is reminding all riders that face coverings are mandatory, and all passengers are asked to maintain physical distance and follow all safety guidelines.
Metro also reminds riders to plan ahead for the holidays. Metro will operate on a Sunday schedule on Christmas Day, Friday, December 25th, and on New Year’s Day, Friday, January 1st, 2021. The Vashon and West Seattle Water Taxis – and Water Taxi shuttle routes 773 and 775 - will not operate on either day.
DID YOU KNOW?
…that Seattle has a long history of sea-shanty (or “chantey”) singing? Not surprising, given the historic – and continuing – importance of our maritime businesses. Even in these pandemic times, the tradition is being kept alive by the NW Seaport Maritime Heritage Center with monthly “Virtual Chantey Sings.” See this 2019 article in The Seattle Times for more information.
Additional helpful and informative links
- King County may be in the eye of the current viral storm – The Stranger
- Two hundred thousand meals: Demand soars as Seattle-area seniors hunker down during coronavirus pandemic – The Seattle Times
- How ventilation plays a role in reducing indoor spread of COVID-19 - Crosscut
- A nurse and her entire family contracted COVID-19 under one roof. It started with a ‘selfless’ car ride - The Seattle Times
- What is WA Notify and will Washington adopt new CDC quarantine guidelines?- The Seattle Times
- The weakest link in WA’s new COVID-tracking app? Us - Crosscut
- Opinion: A better way to roll out Covid-19 vaccines: Vaccinate everyone in several hot zones – Stat News
- Opinion: Pandemic shaming can backfire. Here’s a better way. - Undark
- Washington coronavirus hospital admissions surge to highest level since pandemic began - The Seattle Times
- Health officials warn mental health issues could rise as COVID-19 cases increase – KING 5
- Opinion: Make science bipartisan again – Stat News
- Homelessness authority weighs in on battle over future of Renton shelter (and shelters in Renton) – Publicola
- Millions of hungry Americans turn to food banks for 1st time - The Seattle Times
- The pandemic has led to an enormous spike in pet scams - CNN
- The show must go online: COVID-19 forces Seattle-area performing arts groups to rethink tradition - The Seattle Times
- Sound Transit temporarily reduces peak-hour service on Link light rail - The Seattle Times
- Opinion: Why I won’t run for a second term as Seattle mayor - The Seattle Times
- Rantz: Seattle experiment says no jailtime for crime, but has taxpayers split bill - MyNorthwest
- Tell us your story about something good that happened in 2020 - The Seattle Times
Today’s moment of diversion
Cats social distancing — sort of.
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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