COVID-19 UPDATES
Since yesterday’s update, Public Health -- Seattle & King County (Public Health) is reporting these numbers as of today:
- 302 new positive cases of COVID-19 (88,369 total).
- 2 new COVID-19-related deaths (1,466 total)
- 14 new hospitalizations (5,345 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.
Statewide, according to the state Department of Health (DOH), as of yesterday, March 31:
-Total number of confirmed positive cases is 341,361; the total number of probable cases is 23,125, for a total of 364,486 cases.
- The total number of deaths statewide is 5,247
- The total number of hospitalizations is 20,551
COVID AND OTHER UPDATES
Quote of the Day: “You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
In two weeks, all Washingtonians over 16 will be eligible for a COVID vaccine
Yesterday Governor Jay Inslee announced that all Washingtonians 16 and up will be eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine starting April 15th.
Millions of other Washingtonians were already made eligible yesterday as the state entered a new phase. The new list of those eligible includes: all people 60 and older; people 16+ with two or more underlying health conditions; restaurant, food service, manufacturing and construction workers in congregate settings; and people who live, work or volunteer in settings like prisons, group homes and places where people experiencing homelessness live or receive services.
You may be interested in these articles from The Seattle Times:
- All Washingtonians 16 and up will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccine in mid-April; here’s how this will work.
- Why Washington’s rollout of COVID vaccine eligibility has been slower than in other states.
State’s online eligibility tool for vaccine eligibility no longer required
As of yesterday, Washington state will no longer be requiring the use of the PhaseFinder tool to determine eligibility for receiving a Covid-19 Vaccine. For more information on prioritization guidance see this page and for help locating a vaccine, see this page.
Hints and resources for getting your vaccine appointment
 - How to get a COVID-19 vaccine in Seattle, King County and Washington state- The Seattle Times
- VaccinateWA – Find COVID-19 vaccine appointments in Washington State – The Washington State Department of Health (DOH). Just enter your zip code!
- Getting vaccinated in King County – Public Health – Seattle & King County
- The COVID-19 vaccine in Seattle – City of Seattle
- UW’s COVID-19 vaccine information page – UW News
Tune in tomorrow at 12:15pm for an update on COVID-19 from Jeff Duchin
 Dr. Jeff Duchin, Health Officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County, will provide an update on trends in COVID-19 cases and share the latest information on vaccination efforts. The briefing can be viewed live at http://facebook.com/KCPubHealth
Pregnancy and the COVID-19 vaccines
 Pregnant people in Washington state became eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine about two weeks ago. If you are pregnant or considering a future pregnancy, you probably have lots of questions around risks and benefits of the vaccine – and Public Health – Seattle & King County (Public Health) has the answers here.
Newly upgraded air filters and more fresh air on all Metro buses
Metro has made several improvements to improve passenger and employee health over the past year. As of last month, all buses are now using new, more stringent air filters. The new filters have a minimum filtration rating of “MERV-9”, the highest level possible while still allowing air to circulate. Read the full story here.
Nearly 80 years since Japanese Americans were forced into internment camps
 In early 1942, the first Japanese Americans were forcibly removed from their homes and into concentration camps. West coast states were on the front lines in implementing these policies and, according to HistoryLink, “... Bainbridge Island's Japanese American residents were the first in the country to be removed [from their homes], most likely because of the nearness of the Bremerton Navy Yard and other military installations.”
At the time, a total of 14,400 Japanese Americans lived in Washington State and more than 9,600 Japanese Americans were proud to call King County home. Almost 1,500 never returned to their homes.
By the war’s end, nearly 13,000 Washingtonians—120,000 Americans in total—had been brutally robbed of their liberty and forced to live, rear their children, and care for elders while imprisoned by barbed wire fences and armed guards. At this moment in our nation’s history, let us pause to remember this atrocity. We must work diligently to end hate and discrimination in all forms—interpersonal, systemic, and otherwise. Never again is NOW: Nidoto Nai Yoni (Let It Not Happen Again).
To read about the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial, which commemorates the first instance of the removal of Japanese Americans from their homes, see this article from the National Parks Service.
Letter of apology from Public Health to leaders in the faith and Black communities
Public Health’s letter to faith-based and community leaders in the Black and African American community after canceling a community vaccination event originally scheduled for March 13th is reprinted here in The Seattle Medium.
Small business pandemic grant applications are open
 The fourth round of small-business pandemic grants are available to apply for via the Working Washington Program. Grants of up to $25,000 are available for small businesses that had a 2019 revenue of between $50,000 and $5 million. For more information, visit this website: https://commercegrants.com/grant-4/
Womxn’s Voices panel a great success
 Our “Amplifying Womxn’s Voices: Challenges, Inequities and Moving Forward” panel held last Monday seemed to be a huge success. I am feeling inspired and honored to have had the opportunity to share the space and the conversation with these incredible individuals. Many thanks to our co-sponsors, the King County Equity and Social Justice Team represented by Vazaskia Crockrell and the King County Women’s Advisory Board represented by Zeeba Khalili. To our panelists—Hon. Claudia Balducci, Roxana Pardo Garcia, Kristina Logsdon, Sharonne Navas, ChrisTiana ObeySumner and Hon. Justice G. Helen Whitener, thank you for your energy and your expressions of your vulnerability and how we all move forward—you are all incredible.
If you missed the event, please consider watching the recording here.
Happy Anniversary to the Belltown P-Patch!
One of the hidden gems of my County Council District, District Four, is the Belltown P-Patch. At 25-years old, this urban P-Patch is one of the oldest in the city. In addition to the natural beauty of the gardens, the site features historic cabins and public art. More than 40 gardeners work tirelessly to create a wonderfully unique and vibrant space and also contributed over 250 pounds of vegetables to local food banks last year. For more information on this oasis in the middle of the city, see this page.
Next week at the Council
Briefing on safety audit on County jail system
At next Tuesday’s meeting of the Council’s Law and Justice Committee, Councilmembers will be briefed on an audit done on safety within the County jail system.
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.
Proclamations and COVID response briefing at full Council’s Tuesday meeting
At the next meeting of the full Council on Tuesday, April 6 at 1 p.m., two proclamations will be introduced. The first is a Proclamation of April 5-11, 2021 as Public Health Week in King County, and the Council will also take up a Proclamation of April 2021 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month in King County. Councilmembers will then receive a briefing from Public Health staff on the County’s COVID response followed by action on several proposed ordinances and motions.
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.
Briefing on County Executive’s COVID-19 response
Next Wednesday, April 7 at 9:30 a.m., Councilmembers will be briefed by County Budget Director Dwight Dively on the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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.
DID YOU KNOW?
... that April Fool’s Day is celebrated is many countries around the world, but the only place where it is an official public holiday is in Odessa, Ukraine? The origins of the holiday are unknown.
Additional helpful and informative links
- Live: Coronavirus daily news updates, April 1: What to know today about COVID-19 in the Seattle area, Washington state and the world – The Seattle Times
- World leaders unite to call for pandemic treaty, saying: 'No one is safe until we are all safe' - CNN
- Washington universities report uptick in COVID-19 cases among student body – KING 5 News
- Seattle area tops the U.S. for willingness to get a COVID vaccine, after a shift in attitudes – The Seattle Times
- UW study finds 89% of King County residents are wearing masks in public – KING 5 News
- Your immune system evolves to fight coronavirus variants – Scientific American
- King County reaches 1M COVID-19 vaccine doses administered. How many people are vaccinated? – Seattle PI
- Seattle opens fourth COVID-19 vaccine site – The Seattle Times
- Small number of fully vaccinated people in Washington test positive for COVID – The Seattle Times
- How long will coronavirus vaccines protect you? Researchers offer educated guesses - – The Seattle Times
- County Council approves sixth supplemental COVID budget, prepares for next – The Queen Anne & Magnolia News
- COVID-19 vaccine side effects hit some recipients hard; that’s not all bad. Here’s what to do about them – The Seattle Times
- How are vaccines changing dating habits? Here’s what readers say – The Seattle Times
- The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is said to be powerfully protective in adolescents – The New York Times
- How hard have Seattle-area arts and culture groups been hit by pandemic closures? New data provide snapshot – The Seattle Times
- Brutal attack on Filipino woman sparks outrage: ‘Everybody is on edge’ - The New York Times – A must-read!
- Podcast: Dr. Ben Danielson on racism and resigning from Seattle Children’s Hospital- Crosscut
- County approves spending $65 million for West Point treatment Plant upgrades – The Queen Anne & Magnolia News
Today’s moment of inspiration
 Photo by Dennis O'Donnell/Screenshot by NPR
Here’s an example of turning a negative into a positive - - as well as an inspiring example of a 75-year-old woman fighting back to protect herself. According to NPR, “Xiao Zhen Xie, the 75-year-old woman who was punched by a white man in San Francisco — and then fought back by smacking him with a board — will not keep the nearly $1 million that has been donated for her medical expenses. Her grandson says Xie insists on donating the money to help defuse racism against the Asian American community.” 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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