COVID-19 UPDATES
Since yesterday’s update, Public Health -- Seattle & King County (Public Health) is reporting these numbers as of today:
- 441 new positive cases of COVID-19 (92,599 total). Not good.
- 2 new COVID-19-related deaths (1,491 total)
- 13 new hospitalizations (5,503 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 354,201; the total number of probable cases is 26,138, for a total of 380,339 cases.
- The total number of deaths statewide is 5,357
- The total number of hospitalizations is 21,239
COVID AND OTHER UPDATES
Quote of the Day: “Do what you feel in your heart to be right – for you’ll be criticized anyway.” ― Eleanor Roosevelt
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, and for language assistance, 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).
- WA COVID Vaccine Finder - covidwa.com - is a volunteer-driven effort to help Washingtonians find appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine.
- 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.
- Sign up for the City of Seattle’s vaccination appointment notification list to be notified when appointments become available at any of the four city-affiliated vaccination clinics. The sites are Lumen Field Event Center (330 South Royal Brougham Way), North Seattle College Community Vaccination Hub (9600 College Way North), Rainier Beach Community Vaccination Hub, 8702 Seward Park Ave. S., and West Seattle Community Vaccination Hub (2801 S.W. Thistle St).
- If you live in south or east King County, check out additional options at kingcounty.gov/vaccine.
Use of Johnson & Johnson vaccine paused
 If you’ve already been vaccinated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, or if you had an appointment to receive that vaccine, you likely have several questions about the decision to pause (not stop) distribution of the vaccine. Here are some articles and updates about the decision to pause use of the vaccine:
- Pausing use of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine – Public Health Insider blog
- Statement from state Department of Health (DOH) on pausing J & J vaccine – DOH News
- CDC advisory panel delays decision on Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine – Stat News
- What you should do if you’ve received the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine – The Seattle Times
- Why would a COVID vaccine cause rare blood clots? Researchers have found clues – Stat News
Background on mRNA vaccines
 Benaroya Research Institute
Some information follows on the two vaccines that use mRNA, the Pfizer-BioNTech and the Moderna vaccines.
- Eleven things to know about mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 - Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason
- The story of mRNA: How a once-dismissed idea became a leading technology in the COVID vaccine race – Stat News
- Comparing the Covid-19 vaccines developed by Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson – Stat News
Tomorrow at 12:15 p.m.: King County Health Officer to provide update on COVID-19 trends and vaccine distribution
 Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin will brief the public and take questions from reporters tomorrow, Friday, April 16th. He will provide updates on trends in COVID-19 cases and share the latest information on COVID-19 vaccination efforts.
The briefing will be livestreamed on the Public Health – Seattle & King County Facebook page @KCPubHealth.
Watch yesterday’s DOH COVID-19 media briefing
The Washington State Department of Health yesterday hosted a virtual media briefing to give an update on the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The briefing and Q&A can be viewed here on TVW.
Russell Wilson will co-host vaccination special on NBC with President Joe Biden
 Russell Wilson and his wife Ciara will co-host - along with President Biden – an NBC special on COVID vaccination called "Roll Up Your Sleeves," airing this Sunday at 4 p.m. Pacific Time. Multiple celebrities will be featured and former President Barack Obama, former First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Anthony Fauci will all take part. Read more in this Yahoo article.
Tomorrow is the deadline for input to Metro on proposed changes on Route 40
 Tomorrow is the deadline to weigh in on proposed changes to Metro’s Route 40. 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 which 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.
Earth Day Virtual Town Hall: April 22nd at 6 p.m.
 Climate change is the most serious issue that humanity must confront to ensure the viability and livability of our planet for future generations. Successfully addressing this issue will require a worldwide effort and local action. I hope you will join my colleague, Councilmember Rod Dembowski, and me along with a panel of experts for this important virtual town hall meeting to learn what your county government is doing to address climate change and share your thoughts and ideas. Join us this Earth Day, April 22nd at 6 p.m. The event will be livestreamed on Facebook here. You do not need a Facebook account to participate. For resources and more information on environmental stewardship, see this page.
Elected officials and environmentalists sign letter to Congressional delegation
I was pleased to be one of more than 100 elected officials, organizations, businesses and others to join in a letter supporting funding of the Legacy Roads and Trails program. This letter was sent to all 12 members of the Washington Congressional Delegation last week. For more information on this important issue, see this page.
Blessing of the Fleet this Sunday at 11 a.m.
 Those of you who are long-time Seattle residents are probably familiar with this Seattle tradition. For those who aren’t, this year will be the 93rd annual blessing of the Seattle-based fishing fleet in advance of many of the boats preparing to leave for Pacific and Alaskan waters for the fishing season.
Please join me and others this Sunday, April 18th, at 11 a.m. for the virtual ceremony, led by Ballard First Lutheran Church (BFLCS). I’ll be presenting a recognition from the County Council. You will be able to view the event on the Church’s Youtube channel, or on the Church website here.
April 22nd is the deadline to apply for van donations
 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 recently amended 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.
King County’s Local Food Initiative
 While the pandemic has challenged nearly every aspect of our community, few have been hit harder than our local food economy. This year’s Local Food Initiative Annual Report shows how King County and food systems stakeholders joined forces in 2018 to develop long-lasting solutions that will create a more sustainable, more resilient local food economy. For more information on this initiative, see this page.
For-hire transportation: Notice of proposed fee changes: April 29th deadline
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the for-hire transportation industry. Since the first quarter of 2020, fewer trips have caused nearly 500 taxicab and for-hire vehicle “medallion” (license) owners to temporarily stop operating. As of March 1, 2021, many medallion owners are still not operating since the pandemic’s impacts continue to depress consumer demand for for-hire transportation. Many drivers have also stopped operating to avoid exposure to COVID-19.
In response to the pandemic’s effect on the for-hire transportation industry, the County intends to take action to provide immediate relief for licensees and to reduce barriers to re-starting for-hire transportation service. The County proposes reducing fees assessed to licensees, as described on this webpage. (Toward the bottom of the page, there is a button “Notice of Proposed Fee Changes – County Licensing Fees” that will expand when you click on it to show a summary of the changes.)
Written comments must be submitted on this comment form by 5 p.m. on April 29, 2021, and emailed to FAST@kingcounty.gov, or by mail to the For-Hire Licensing Office at the King County Administration Building, 500 Fourth Avenue, Suite 401, Seattle, WA 98104, or in the Records and Licensing Service drop box located in front of the 5th Avenue entrance to the King County Administration Building at 500 4th Ave, Seattle WA.
Seattle’s second firefighter-social worker team to cover Ballard and U District
The Seattle Times reports that the City of Seattle is “...expanding a program that sends firefighters with social workers to 911 calls involving people on the streets who need help other than a trip to the hospital.” Read the full story here.
Help develop the Regional Transportation Plan
The Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) is conducting a public online survey to support the development of the Regional Transportation Plan. It covers telework, travel after the pandemic subsides, transportation features around home and work, as well as special needs transportation services. The survey is available in English, Simplified Chinese, Somali, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Traditional Chinese. The survey is open to everyone.
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 the first disease for which a vaccine was produced was smallpox? The first inoculations against smallpox - using a process called variolation - were used in China in the 16th century. According to Wikipedia, “When smallpox was finally eradicated in 1979, it had already killed an estimated 300–500 million people in the 20th century.”
Additional helpful and informative links
- Seattle suddenly cancels 1,200 Lumen Field vaccine appointments – KIRO 7
- COVID-19 tests provide crucial clues about how to fight coronavirus, but they’ve fallen in Washington state – The Seattle Times
- Merck to continue tests of COVID pill, but stop trial in hospitalized patients – Stat News
- COVID-19 public health messages have been all over the place – but researchers know how to do better – The Conversation
- Six common concerns of vaccine-hesitant people – Healthy Women
- Dining during COVID: How to spot signs that a restaurant is doing it right - The Public Health Insider blog
- COVID: 'Israel may be reaching herd immunity' - BBC
- Overdose deaths have surged during the pandemic, C.D.C. data show – The New York Times
- Essential, invisible: COVID has 200,000 merchant sailors stuck at sea – The Seattle Times
- Helping minority-owned small businesses survive and thrive post-COVID-19- UW News
- In view of Billy Frank Jr.’s canoe, Gov. Inslee signs bill to send statue to D.C. – The News Tribune
- Washington Legislature approves ban on Native American mascots at schools – The Seattle Times
- Seattle and Atlanta theaters team up to connect Black theaters, nurture Black playwrights – The Seattle Times
- Editorial: Get grants moving to help entertainment venues survive – The Seattle Times
Today’s moment of inspiration
 Photo: The Advocate/YouTube/GNN
Here is another example of people looking out for one another. Andrew Fusaiotti, now 52 years old, was a frat boy at the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house (known as Fiji) on the campus of Louisiana State University in the 1980s. He and other fellow “frat boys” have stayed in touch over the years with Jessie Hamilton, who worked as a cook in Fiji house from 1982 to 1986. According to a story in the Good News Network, Hamilton “...treated the young men in her care like surrogate sons—listening to their worries, offering counsel, and even driving them to doctor’s appointments or ferrying them to the grocery store on occasion.”
The GNN story continues, “At the onset of the pandemic, Fusaiotti gave Hamilton a check-in call to see how she was faring. During the conversation, he was dismayed to learn she was still working multiple jobs and that retirement wasn’t an option in her foreseeable future.”
This phone call eventually led to an effort to pay off Hamilton’s mortgage, for which Fusaiotti tapped his frat brothers. Per GNN, “With contributions averaging between $600 to $1,000 from about 900 alumnae, all told, Fusaiotti’s drive raised $51,765.”
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.
|
