Booster shots or not? Kids and COVID, coping with heat and wildfire smoke, help select new law enforcement oversight director...

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Banner image showing King County Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles.

July 12, 2021

gasworks park

Photo by Alex at Unsplash

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Many of us have been confused and puzzled by recent seemingly contradictory messages about COVID vaccine booster shots in the last few days.  I’ve included the most up-to-date information on this discussion below, including a joint statement from the FDA and the CDC.  Hopefully, the articles below provide some insight, as we await clarification from medical experts on when, whether and how booster shots may be required.

In addition, as you’ll see below, the World Health Organization is urging rich nations to forego booster shots, when many countries have only vaccinated a tiny percentage of their populations.  This is, after all, a global pandemic.

Many of us have also been experiencing anxiety about the predicted continuation of extreme heat, drought, wildfires and wildfire smoke we are facing this summer.  More on this below, as well as resources for protecting yourself, neighbors and loved ones.  Fortunately, according to this story in The Seattle Times, western Washington should be free from wildfire smoke in the immediate future: The Seattle area is safe from wildfire smoke (for now) thanks to wind from the west.  Hopefully this lasts. 

This has also been a busy time at the Council and we have a busy week ahead of us (details below).  We’ve been working on our third emergency COVID budget for the year (eighth since the beginning of the pandemic).  We have also decided to delay the discussions on ranked choice voting until next year, to allow time for adequate study and discussion.   

As always, I would like to hear from you. You can call me at 206-477-1004 or you can reach me by email at jeanne.kohl-welles@kingcounty.gov.   

All the best and I hope you are staying safe.