COVID-19 UPDATES
Data Note: Public Health -- Seattle & King County (Public Health) is reporting that data for testing volume and percent positives are incomplete due to issues related to lab processing.
Since yesterday’s update, Public Health -- Seattle & King County is reporting these numbers as of this afternoon (taking into consideration the data note above), with overall good news in continuing low numbers:
- 93 new positive cases of COVID-19 (83,196 total).
- 1 new COVID-19-related death (1,416 total)
- 2 new hospitalizations (5,147 to date)
On Sunday, March 7th, Public Health reported:
- 162 new positive cases of COVID-19 (83,103 total).
- 0 new COVID-19-related deaths (1,415 total)
- 8 new hospitalizations (5,145 to date)
On Saturday, March 6th, Public Health reported:
- 123 new positive cases of COVID-19 (82,941 total).
- 3 new COVID-19-related deaths (1,415 total)
- 12 new hospitalizations (5,137 to date)
On Friday, March 5th, Public Health reported:
- 102 new positive cases of COVID-19 (82,818 total)
- 1 new COVID-19-related death (1,412 total)
- 12 new hospitalizations (5,125 to date)
Data Note from the Washington State Department of Health (DOH): “We plan to add data on the Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine to our dashboards starting March 10, 2021. The first doses of this vaccine were administered in Washington state on March 3, 2021.”
Statewide, according to the DOH, as of today:
-Total number of confirmed positive cases is 325,931; the total number of probable cases is 19,800, for a total of 345,731 cases.
- The total number of deaths statewide is 5,063
- The total number of hospitalizations is 19,677
COVID AND OTHER UPDATES
Quote of the Day: “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.” Maya Angelou. Very fitting for International Women’s Day!
Once you’ve been vaccinated
 Now that more doses are becoming available and vaccination efforts are finally getting underway, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has just issued guidance for those who have been fully vaccinated. More information below:
- When you’ve been fully vaccinated: How to protect yourself and others – The CDC
- Five reasons to wear a mask even after you’re vaccinated - PBS
- CDC says fully vaccinated Americans can spend time together indoors and unmasked – Stat News
- Plan to ditch the mask after vaccination? Not so fast. – The New York Times
Tracking emerging variants
- Oregon is the first U.S. state to have an identified case of a COVID-19 “Variant of Concern” – Willamette Week
- Washington state using new technology to track COVID-19 variants – KING 5
- Coronavirus variants and mutations: Tracking recent mutations, variants and lineages. – The New York Times
- New COVID-19 variants in Washington. Now what? – Washington State Department of Health (DOH)
New guide for vaccine appointments at a high volume County vaccination site
 A new visual guide explains how to make, change or cancel a COVID vaccination appointment at a County high volume site appointment online (PDF).
Video: Dr. Jeff Duchin on COVID-19 trends & vaccine distribution
 Dr. Duchin on Friday updated the media and public on the County’s COVID-19 response. You can view the video here.
Statewide vaccine milestones
 - Washington hits goal of administering 45,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine per day - Washington State Department of Health (DOH)
- State-led mass vaccination sites set to hit milestone: administer 100,000th dose of COVID-19 vaccine next week - Washington State Department of Health (DOH)
The UW looks back at one year of COVID-19: Remote learning and other adjustments
- One year since going remote, our community’s strength is inspiring – Pres. Ana Mari Cauce, UW Office of the President
- A year with COVID-19: A chronology of how the UW adapted — and responded — to the pandemic – UW News
- COVID-19 anniversary reaction: What it is and how to cope – UW Medicine
Video: Governor Inslee Press Conference
Gov. Inslee held a press conference last week at the State Capitol to discuss the state's ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The governor was joined for questions by Dr. Umair Shah, Secretary, Department of Health, and other DOH staff. You can view the video here.
This week at the Council
Tomorrow at 1 p.m.: Public Health briefing on County’s COVID-19 response and more
In addition to receiving an update on COVID-19, the Council tomorrow will take up several matters of importance. Proposals to be considered include establishing a community advisory committee on creating the new public safety department and appointment of the Sheriff, establishing a hazard pay requirement for grocery employees working in large stores in unincorporated King County, approving the County’s Climate Action Toolkit, and ratifying the County Executive’s emergency declaration to allow rapid work and analysis on the West Point Treatment Plant's electrical system. This is crucial to prevent future stormwater and sewage overflows.
The public is welcome to view the (virtual) meeting and submit public comments. For instructions on viewing the meeting and submitting comments, and to view the agenda and meeting materials, see this page.
Briefings on affordable housing and on accessibility issues in family court: Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.
At this Wednesday’s meeting of the Council’s Community, Health and Housing Services Committee, March 10 at 9:30 a.m., Councilmembers will be briefed on progress on affordable housing and on accessibility in the County’s family courts.
The public is welcome to view the (virtual) meeting and submit public comments. For instructions on viewing the meeting and submitting comments, and to view the agenda and meeting materials, see this page.
Review of first COVID emergency budget of 2021: Wednesday at 1 p.m.
The Council’s Budget and Fiscal Management Committee, which I chair, will hold a Special Meeting this Wednesday March 10 at 1 p.m. to consider the Executive’s proposed COVID emergency budget, the first of four expected COVID emergency budgets this year. (It’s being referred to as “COVID 6” following five COVID budgets passed in 2020.)
The public is welcome to view the (virtual) meeting and submit public comments. For instructions on viewing the meeting and submitting comments, and to view the agenda and meeting materials, see this page.
Amazon and Microsoft will brief Councilmembers on company investments in affordable housing: Wednesday at 3 p.m.
The meeting of the Council’s Regional Policy Committee this Wednesday, March 10, at 3 p.m. will include representatives from Amazon and Microsoft, who will update Councilmembers on their companies’ efforts to build affordable housing.
The public is welcome to view the (virtual) meeting and submit public comments. For instructions on viewing the meeting and submitting comments, and to view the agenda and meeting materials, see this page.
Video: A local organization adapts to COVID -19
 Many of you know about the fine work done by Ballard Food Bank, located in the County’s District 4. The Ballard Food Bank – like others across the country – went through huge changes when the pandemic struck. Its core group of volunteers – many of them seniors – could no longer work and new volunteers had to be recruited and trained. In addition, the number of people needing services increased rapidly, many of whom had never before used a food bank. View the video here, on the Seattle Channel.
Grants for “Shuttered Venue Operators” will soon be available from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
 Photo by Ludovic Migneault on Unsplash
Billboard Magazine announced that the SBA released a preliminary application checklist on Friday, March 5, for businesses that intend to apply for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program. While the application date is still pending, the checklist will help independent businesses that plan to apply prepare the necessary documents so they’ll be able to receive much-needed funding as soon as possible. Click here for more information.
Webinar: A shot in the arm: the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine in Washington
Next Monday, March 15th at 5 p.m., join Seattle Times journalists and Dr. Helen Chu, a University of Washington infectious disease expert, for the latest on the coronavirus vaccine, and to answer your questions. How and where is it being rolled out locally? Why is it taking longer than hoped? Is it being fairly distributed? What will widespread vaccines mean for herd immunity? Click here for more information and to register.
Video: Homelessness in America: The search for solutions during COVID-19
 On February 24th, Harvard’s Chan School of Public Health, with WGBH, hosted a forum on the state of homelessness in America after one year of the pandemic. You can view the video here.
DID YOU KNOW?
... that, worldwide, women are Heads of Government in only 22 countries, and only 24.9 per cent of national parliamentarians are women. According to the U.N., “At the current rate of progress, gender equality among Heads of Government will take another 130 years.”
Additional helpful and informative links
- We may never reach herd immunity on coronavirus — but it probably doesn’t matter – The Seattle Times
- Vaccine shortage affects over 100,000 older adults awaiting doses in King County - The Seattle Times
- Elders of color face major hurdles getting COVID vaccine – The South Seattle Emerald
- Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders fight for COVID-19 vaccine access in Washington – KING 5
- Study finds mask mandates, dining out influence virus spread – The Seattle Times
- L.G.B.T.Q. people face increased risks from COVID, but many don’t want the vaccine – The New York Times
- Graphic story: How one COVID-19 nurse navigates anti-mask sentiment - NPR
- Opinion: Using the new Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to create equity and trust – Stat News
- UW students join the front lines of the vaccination effort – UW News
- Opinion: Don’t let bureaucracy constrict the supply of COVID-19 vaccines – Stat News
- Who will actually go back to school? Many families of color, kids with health issues don’t feel confident – The Seattle Times
- Why diversity is important among WA doctors and health care providers - Crosscut
- UPDATING: Arts and entertainment venues open in Phase 2 of Inslee’s COVID-19 ‘Healthy Washington’ plan to reopen the state- The Seattle Times
- Seven signs those new N95s at your physician practice might be fake – American Medical Association
- Kaiser Permanente commits $500,000 in racial equity funding to local, grassroots organizations – The Seattle Medium
- Will race, income inequalities trip up Cascadia’s fight against climate change? – Investigate West
- For planet Earth, no tourism is a curse and a blessing – The New York Times
- Seattle shrinking? Seattleites moved out in droves in 2020, though most didn’t go far – The Seattle Times
- Don’t click on it: Unemployment scams flooding text and social media in Washington state - The Seattle Times
Today’s moment of inspiration
 Photo by Daniel Spils - Crosscut
I’ve mentioned before how inspired I’ve been by the ingenuity and creativity regular people have shown over the past year. Crosscut tells the story of Stacy Milrany, a Seattle artist who has said “...she was hoping to bring a bit of art, joy and connection into people’s lives as the isolating pandemic stretches on.” Her effort resulted in the Free Little Art Gallery on Queen Anne Hill in Seattle, where the public can take or leave pieces of miniature artwork. Read the full story here.
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