COVID-19 UPDATES
Since yesterday’s update, Public Health -- Seattle & King County (Public Health) is reporting these numbers as of today:
- 277 new positive cases of COVID-19 (91,715 total)
- 0 new COVID-19-related deaths (1,483 total)
- 3 new hospitalizations (5,449 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.
Statewide, according to the state Department of Health (DOH), as of Saturday, April 10:
-Total number of confirmed positive cases is 350,940; the total number of probable cases is 25,290, for a total of 376,230 cases.
- The total number of deaths statewide is 5,322
- The total number of hospitalizations is 20,961
COVID AND OTHER UPDATES
Quote of the Day: “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
― Nelson Mandela, from Long Walk to Freedom
Finding COVID-19 vaccine appointments
- Vaccine locator for Washington state – just enter your zip code to find appointments near you: https://vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov. By phone, call the WA State COVID-19 Assistance hotline: 1-800-525-0127 or 1-888-856-5816 (then press #), 6 a.m. – 10 p.m. Monday, 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. (Tuesday – Sunday).
- King County’s (Public Health – Seattle & King County) COVID-19 vaccination page: https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/covid-19/vaccine/distribution.aspx. King County COVID-19 Call Center: 206-477-3977, is available 8a.m. – 7p.m., Monday – Friday. For language interpretation, say your preferred language when connected.
- City of Seattle’s COVID-19 vaccination page: http://www.seattle.gov/mayor/covid-19/vaccinations . You can also call the Customer Service Bureau at (206) 684-2489 from Monday through Saturday, between 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. for assistance. Interpretation is available over the phone.
Clinical trial starts at UW for new COVID-19 vaccine
 A Phase 1 clinical trial at UW Medicine will determine the safety, tolerability, and immune response to a new experimental vaccine candidate by Gritstone. See this article by UW News: Second-generation COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial starts.
We can finally relax our cleaning regimens...
 Some potentially good news according to The New York Times, “This week, the CDC acknowledged what scientists have been saying for months: The risk of catching the coronavirus from surfaces is low.” Read more in this article: Has the era of overzealous cleaning finally come to an end? But I’m still wiping my latte cups.
View last week’s press conferences on increases in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations and vaccination progress and supply
 Last Friday, April 9th, in his weekly press briefing, Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin of Public Health – Seattle & King County addressed the continued high COVID-19 case count in King County, as well as efforts to equitably distribute COVID-19 vaccines. View the video here. (Dr. Duchin provides briefings most Fridays; check the Public Health Faecbook page for updates.)
Last Wednesday, April 7, Washington State Secretary of Health Umair Shah provided an update on the state's vaccine supply and COVID-19 response. He was joined by Lacy Fehrenbach, Deputy Secretary of Health; SheAnne Allen, COVID-19 Vaccine Director; Scott Lindquist, acting State Health Officer; and Dan Laster, Vaccine Command and Coordination System (VACCS) Director. View the briefing here. (Dr. Shah appears to provide these briefings most Wednesdays; you can check TVW’s schedule page for listings.)
Last Thursday, April 8, at Governor Inslee held a press conference and gave updates on the state's COVID-19 pandemic response and the 2021 legislative session. He was joined by Penny Sweet, Mayor of Kirkland; Lisa Janicki, Chair of Skagit County Board of Commissioners; Lacy Fehrenbach, DOH Deputy secretary of health; and Nick Streuli, Executive Director of External Affairs, Office of the Governor. View the press conference here.
Tomorrow at 5 p.m.: Free conversation about the long-term impacts of the coronavirus on our lives
 We know the pandemic has upended our daily lives, but we are only beginning to grapple with its impacts on our mental health and the long-term implications for our society. Dr. Nicholas Christakis, a physician and a sociologist at Yale University, is the author of Apollo's Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live. He joins us to discuss the psychological burdens we each bear, the irreversible changes to our culture and what it will look like when we return to a new “normal.”
Join the Crosscut event tomorrow, Tuesday, April 13th, for a free conversation with Nicholas Christakis on the enduring impact of the coronavirus on how we live. See this page for more information and to register.
Thursday at 9 a.m. Tracking “Long COVID”
 Scientists and doctors are working to understand “long COVID” — a lingering range of symptoms that persist in some people after they have initially recovered from COVID-19 illness. In this live online Q&A, Andrew Chan, Professor in the Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, will describe what we know about long COVID. The conversation is free and will be live streamed on Facebook, YouTube and on The Forum website. The public may send questions for the panelists in advance or during the Q&A: theforum@hsph.harvard.edu or post them to @ForumHSPH or @pritheworld.
How cultural institutions are weathering the pandemic, and links to assistance
- New COVID relief grant for shuttered event venues opens up; some Washington venue operators already concerned – The Seattle Times
- Your guide to the most intriguing exhibits in the Seattle area this spring – The Seattle Times
- Lost income, empty galleries, a pivot to permanent collections: How Seattle-area museums are weathering the pandemic – The Seattle Times
Assistance:
- SBA COVID-19 relief options (for businesses, non-profits and shuttered venues)
- Washington State Department of Commerce COVID-19 Small Business Resources
- Washington State Department of Commerce Nonprofit Assistance Program
- City of Seattle’s Resources & Guidance for Businesses and Workers Impacted by COVID-19
Hate crimes are soaring
 Hate crimes against Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders have been in the news lately, but the incidence of all hate crimes has been rising and demonstrate clearly the fact that (as the Board of Health has declared) racism is truly a public health crisis. You may find the following articles of interest.
- Stop Asian hate – The Public Health Insider blog
- Opinion: The spotlight is on Asian Americans now. What will we do with it to build a more just society? – The Seattle Times
- Opinion: A reckoning is due for Seattle’s dark side, as hate crimes and bias incidents soar 63% – The Seattle Times
April 22nd: Center for Women & Democracy conversation on “The Next Normal”: Focusing on violence against Asian American, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islander Women
The Center for Women & Democracy has been holding a series of conversations on “The Next Normal,” discussing how to harness the power of women across Washington to create a just and equal future for all women. The April event (on Zoom) will focus on the needs of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women. The event is free of charge and will take place Thursday, April 22nd at 5 p.m., Pacific Time. Click here to register.
Friday deadline: Metro & SDOT seek feedback to make Route 40 faster and more reliable
 King County Metro and the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) have been working in partnership on the Route 40 Transit-Plus Multimodal Corridor Project. The goal of the project is to reduce bus travel times by 5-10% during peak periods, improve transit service reliability, and make it safer and easier to access transit.
For more information on the project and to complete the survey to let Metro know your thoughts on the proposed changes, see this page.
Wednesday: County conference on addiction disorders
 Join King County Council Vice Chair Reagan Dunn, substance use experts and me this Wednesday, April 14th, from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. for the King County Conference on Addiction Disorders: A Closer Look at Substance Use in a Time of Need. The (virtual) conference will cover a number of issues, including substance use during COVID-19, the science behind addiction, and other critical questions related to substance use. I will be presenting a proclamation with Councilmember Dunn toward the end of the conference. To register and for more information, see this page.
Justice delayed...and delayed...
- Opinion: Justice delayed: COVID-19’s staggering criminal-case backlog - The Seattle Times
This compelling Op-Ed was written by King County Superior Court's Presiding Judge Jim Rogers, and details the ongoing effects of COVID-19 on public safety and on our criminal justice system. I highly recommend reading it.
This Sunday: Blessing of the Fleet
 This Sunday, April 18th, at 11 a.m., Ballard First Lutheran Church will hold a virtual version of the 93rd annual Blessing of the Seattle-based fishing fleet at which I’ll be presenting a recognition. We’ll include full details in Thursday’s edition of the E-newsletter.
Does your organization need a new van? April 22nd is the application deadline for the County’s van donation program
Each year, the King County Council donates serviceable seven-passenger minivans that have been retired from Metro’s van pool program for use in transporting seniors, youth, people with disabilities, and low-income people. The County Council acted recently to amend this process so that during the continuing COVID-19 emergency, organizations may also transport goods and supplies (including, but not limited to, food, clothing, school supplies or medical equipment) to serve the needs of those populations.
Four minivans are allocated for my district, so if your organization meets the above qualifications and serves individuals and communities in King County Council District 4, please email my Chief of Staff at adam.cooper@kingcounty.gov to learn more. Adam coordinates my efforts around this program, and will answer any of your questions as well as provide and help you with the required forms.
Thursday at 1 p.m.: Board of Health meeting, public is welcome
Although the County Council is currently on our one-week recess and regular council and committee meetings are not taking place this week, you may be interested in Thursday’s meeting of the Board of Health. Committee members will be briefed on the latest news on COVID-19 and vaccinations in King County, and will also receive an update on the state legislative session.
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.
4Culture project grants: Deadline is April 28th, 2021
 4Culture arts and heritage project grants support the cultural life of King County – and arts and culture are sorely needed at this time! Unfortunately, due to the economic impact of COVID-19, 2021, Lodging Tax revenues – which support these grants – are much lower than in years past. For full information on the grants, see this page.
Join me on social media!
If you aren’t following me on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, please consider hitting the follow button for regular updates. We’re still sending out eNews twice a week, but on days that we aren’t sending eNews, we are posting new information and helpful links on our social media in real time. I love having you as part of our eNews community, but would love to see you on social media, too!
DID YOU KNOW?
... that, according to HistoryLink.org, three days after Bothell was incorporated as a town on April 14, 1909, “... residents got an eyeful of incivility after a local newspaper publisher wrote a scathing editorial about poor performance at the local post office. The town's assistant postmistress took umbrage and horsewhipped the man right on Main Street?” Read the full story here.
Additional helpful and informative links
- Live: Coronavirus daily news updates, April 12: What to know today about COVID-19 in the Seattle area, Washington state and the world – The Seattle Times
- Some Americans want to choose which vaccine they get – NPR
- Pfizer and BioNTech say vaccine prevents Covid-19 in adolescents – Stat News
- States have been slow to order allotted vaccine doses, spurring calls for new approach (Washington state’s Dr. Umair Shah, Director of the state Department of Health, is interviewed.) - The Washington Post
- Treating COVID-19 in pregnant patients brings extra challenges, risks. – Contemporary ObGyn
- Can your unvaccinated children visit family indoors? What you should know – CNN
- What vaccinated people can do safely now, and what COVID precautions the rest of us should take – The Seattle Times
- How UW Medicine is using cloud computing to aid Seattle’s COVID response – UW News
- 'Can you hear me?' The annoyances that lead to zoom burnout - NPR
- Panic buying? Not anymore. Suddenly there's a surplus of hand sanitizer – USA Today
- Trouble with spring allergies? Put on your COVID mask, says UW doctor - MyNorthwest
- A better way to plan the post-pandemic Puget Sound - Crosscut
- Three North Seattle light-rail stations to open Oct. 2 – The Seattle Times
- Washington may soon be first state to guarantee lawyers for low-income tenants facing eviction – The Seattle Times
- Washington Legislature approves Juneteenth as state holiday – The Seattle Times
- The new shortage: Ketchup can’t catch up – The Wall Street Journal
- Opinion: Orcas need a quiet Salish Sea – The Seattle Times
Today’s moment of inspiration
 These three were born March 29th to first-time red ruffed lemur mom, Sally (see below). Photo by Woodland Park Zoo.
Well, it’s baby time at the Zoo and I could not resist one more moment of cuteness - - this time lemur triplets!
The red ruffed lemur babies were born on March 29. This is the first lemur birth at Woodland Park Zoo in 16 years. You may also be interested in this Seattle Times article: Triplets! Baby lemurs born at Woodland Park Zoo for first time in 16 years.
Red ruffed lemurs, like new mother Sally seen here, are an endangered species from the African island nation of Madagascar. Photo by Megan Blanford/Woodland Park Zoo.
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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