COVID-19 UPDATES
Since yesterday’s update, Public Health -- Seattle & King County is reporting these numbers as of this afternoon:
- 716 new positive cases of COVID-19 (69,188 total).
- 1 new COVID-19-related death (1,141 total)
- 19 new hospitalizations (4,466 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, January 10th, Public Health reported 527 new positive cases of COVID-19 (68,472 total) and 0 new COVID-19-related deaths (1,140 total). The number of new hospitalizations was 50 (4,447 total).
- On Saturday, January 9th, Public Health reported 877 new positive cases of COVID-19 (67,945 total) and 2 new COVID-19-related deaths (1,140 total). The number of new hospitalizations was 22 (4,397 total).
- On Friday, January 8th, Public Health reported 582 new positive cases of COVID-19 (67,088 total) and 6 new COVID-19-related deaths (1,138 total). The number of new hospitalizations was -2 (data adjustment, 4,375 total).
Statewide, according to the DOH, as of today, the total number of confirmed positive cases is 265,312. The total number of probable cases is 11,374, for a total of 276,686 cases. The total number of deaths statewide is 3,699, and total hospitalizations are 15,978.
   
COVID AND OTHER UPDATES
State update on reopening phases and plans
On Friday January 8 the state Department of Health (DOH) announced that based on the Governor’s Roadmap to Recovery Plan,all eight regions in Washington state will remain in Phase 1 until at least Monday, January 18, 2021. For more information see this article by The Seattle Times: Here’s what you can and can’t do under Inslee’s COVID-19 ‘Healthy Washington’ plan to reopen the state.
Speeding up vaccine delivery
 For information on efforts to improve the distribution and delivery of COVID-19 vaccines in Washington and throughout the nation, see the news articles below, some of which are based on Executive Dow Constantine’s press conference last Friday at which I spoke along with my colleagues Council Chair Claudia Balducci and Councilmember Rod Dembowski.
- Inside the slow rollout of coronavirus vaccines in Washington state – The Seattle Times
- King County to open mass coronavirus vaccination sites – The Seattle Times
- With virus surging, Biden to speed release of COVID vaccines – The Seattle Times
- US ramps up vaccinations to get doses to more Americans – AP News
- The Latest: BioNTech says it plans 2 billion vaccine doses – AP News
Effective masks, increased mask-wearing crucial the next few months
 - Along with vaccine rollouts, the U.S. needs a National Hi-Fi Mask Initiative – Stat News
- Biden to impose mask mandate on day one of presidency by executive order - Newsweek
- Why every state should adopt a mask mandate, in 4 charts - Vox
- The face mask mistakes people make without realizing it – Huffington Post
- Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public: When and how to use masks – World Health Organization
- Do's and don'ts of wearing a face mask at restaurants during COVID-19 – Huffington Post
- What you should know about the latest COVID-19 face mask study (September, 2020) – Huffington Post
The January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol; FBI warns of more threats to states and nation
As I mentioned in my last e-newsletter, I was shocked and extremely disturbed by the riot and storming of our nation’s capitol last Wednesday. Our state legislature convened today for its first session of 2021 under tightened security and understandable concern for legislators, staff and the media. For more on the current situation, including in state capitols across the nation, see the news articles below.
- FBI warns of plans for nationwide armed protests next week – The Seattle Times
- State capitols step up security amid new safety concerns – AP News
- Washington state Legislature convenes amid protests, heavy security – The Seattle Times
- Capitol assault a more sinister attack than first appeared – AP News
- Seattle police accountability office investigating actions of officers in D.C. during Capitol Building attack - KUOW
- Black Washingtonians question disparate treatment in images of white extremists storming Capitol – The Seattle Times
- Journalists recount harrowing attacks amid Capitol riot – The Seattle Times
- Media captures unprecedented storming of U.S. Capitol – The Seattle Times
- Inslee statement on security measures for 2021 legislative session – Governor’s office
Meeting minutes from the Pandemic and Racism Community Advisory Group (PARCAG) posted
The minutes from January 7th meeting of the Pandemic and Racism Community Advisory Group (PARCAG, convened by Public Health — Seattle & King County) have been posted here.
The PARCAG is composed of representatives from various community, business, and government sectors in King County who are working together to help slow the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) by accelerating the use of the recommended and required community mitigation strategies. The January 7th meeting includes discussion on implementation of COVID vaccine to date, next steps in COVID vaccine implementation (guidance on “Phase 1b”) and results of the PARCAG Survey.
Live Webinar: SBA Round 2 COVID-19 relief and PPP application: This Friday at 10 a.m.
New Coronavirus relief provisions were signed into law on December 27th, 2020. Seattle's District Office of the SBA will be holding a webinar to cover key elements of the legislation with a focus on the new round of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP loans) and the application process for small businesses, non-profits, cultural institutions and other qualifying organizations.
The webinar takes place this Friday, January 15th at 10 a.m. Click here to register. You may also be interested in this article:
- Small businesses can start applying for new PPP loans on Monday - CNN
Disturbing events at Seattle Children’s Hospital
First, I want to acknowledge and emphasize the good work done at Seattle Children’s Hospital and the vital role of the hospital in our region’s health care system. However, I’m extremely disturbed by reports of long-term, ongoing, systemic racism at Children’s that were brought to light when Odessa Brown Clinic Director Dr. Ben Danielson resigned in protest. The clinic is part of the Hospital. Dr. Danielson is a widely respected physician with whom I served on the County’s Board of Health.
I know Dr. Danielson as being especially thoughtful, engaged, deliberative, and committed to his patients, the Black communities, and medicine. The charges he has brought forward rightfully resulted in the forced resignation of Dr. Jim Hendricks, president of Seattle Children’s Research Institute.
I fully support Dr. Danielson and I urge the Board and staff members at Children’s to be mindful of the need for a third-party (as opposed to an internal) investigation of this matter, and the importance of community members leading the effort rather than members of Children’s staff and Board. I am pleased to be part of a stakeholders group that has been meeting with representatives of Children’s management and Board to bring needed changes to both the Hospital and to Odessa Brown. In addition, the King County Board of Health will be taking up a resolution at our 1 p.m. meeting on January 21st that is open to the public. Information forthcoming. For more information, see this story from KING 5 News: Prominent Black doctor who accused Seattle Children's of racism moves to UW Medicine.
How to dispose of old electronics
 Did you finally replace your old cellphone (with the cracked screen and 30-minute battery life) this holiday season? Don’t let it, or any of your other old electronics, collect dust in the closet when there are lots of quick and easy ways to reuse, recycle, or dispose of them. Old electronics should not go in the trash, but you have some options for safely getting rid of them.
Metro begins process of constructing charging facilities for electric buses
 Metro is seeking companies to design and construct a charging facility for its growing fleet of battery-electric coaches. This project advances the County’s progress toward having a 100% zero-emissions transit fleet by 2040 or sooner.
The Interim Base Electrification project includes design and construction of electrical power infrastructure (in coordination with Seattle City Light), charging infrastructure, charge management systems, and other elements required to support the charging operations for 120 battery-electric buses at King County’s Interim Base at South Campus located in Tukwila. The project is scheduled to be completed by 2024. Read the full story here.
New texts from DOH will speed exposure notification across the state
 The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) will begin texting a verification code to every person in Washington state who tests positive for COVID-19. The goal is to help WA Notify exposure notification users alert fellow users faster if they’ve been exposed.
People who test positive for COVID-19 will still receive notification from their health care provider or testing facility - - that won’t change. But everyone who tests positive will now also receive a text. That text includes a link to activate a verification code within WA Notify, and anonymously alert users they may have been exposed.
Full Council meets tomorrow at 1 p.m.
The full County Council will meet tomorrow, January 12 at 1 p.m. For full details on the meeting, including how to view the proceedings, provide public comment, and to find the agenda and meeting material, please click here.
DID YOU KNOW?
… that the World Health Organization (WHO) calls misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic an “infodemic?” According to Wikipedia, “The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in misinformation and conspiracy theories about the scale of the pandemic and the origin, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the disease. False information, including intentional disinformation, has been spread through social media, text messaging, and mass media.”
The WHO offers specific guidance on how to report online misinformation on a variety of platforms.
Additional helpful and informative links
- UN: COVID-19 herd immunity unlikely in 2021 despite vaccines – The Seattle Times
- Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine not affected by mutation seen in contagious coronavirus variant, study indicates – Stat News
- A more contagious coronavirus strain has been found in 8 states and 33 countries. Here's what we know. – USA Today
- We lost to SARS-CoV-2 in 2020. We can defeat B-117 in 2021 – Stat News
- People without symptoms spread virus in more than half of cases, CDC model finds – The Seattle Times
- Opinion: Doctors on social media are being cyberbullied and sexually harassed. It’s time to change that. – Stat News
- Trial of COVID-19 blood plasma finds no benefit in severely ill patients – Reuters
- CDC reports more allergic reactions to Covid-19 vaccines, but cases remain few – Stat News
- China says WHO team to probe COVID-19 origins will arrive Thursday - Reuters
- Why experts say Amazon’s fund for Seattle-area affordable housing is huge, but not nearly enough - KUOW
- King County to create high-volume COVID-19 vaccination sites – KOMO News
- King County funds community COVID-19 vaccination programs to speed health and economic recovery – Executive News Release
- AUDIO: Head of UW Virology Lab answers your vaccine questions – KIRO Radio
- Mild COVID-19 elicits persistent immune memory – UW News
- As eviction ban stretches on, so does uncertainty and rent debt – The Seattle Times
- Scientists decry death by 1,000 cuts for world's insects – AP News
Today’s moment of inspiration
 Photo: GNN/James Anderson – SWNS
A British plumber, James Anderson, first started helping disabled and elderly people fix their plumbing and heating problems in 2017 when he was called on for a second opinion and realized the heating company was “…attempt[ing] to con an elderly and disabled man out of £5,500.” He then founded an organization called Depher (Disabled and Elderly Plumbing and Heating Emergency Response) and has since helped more than 10,000 families.
When the pandemic took hold, according to the Good News Network, Anderson expanded his services and has been providing “…food parcels, PPE, and even paying bills for people. A father of six children, Anderson says he’s spent £57,000 during the pandemic alone—but added it was ‘worth every penny’ if it kept people alive and warm.” 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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