COVID-19 UPDATES
As of today, Public Health -- Seattle & King County (Public Health) is reporting these daily numbers (since yesterday):
- 599 new positive cases of COVID-19 (includes 526 confirmed cases and 73 probable cases. Total number of cases to date is 140,892).
- 11 new COVID-19-related deaths (1,808 to date)
- 23 new hospitalizations (7,640 to date)
To see the progression of the virus in King County since our last newsletter, you can view screenshots of the Daily Dashboard here. Note the correct date appears when you click on the document (one day earlier than is listed). The data are not updated over the weekends.
Vaccination rates in King County: As of today, 85.1% of King County residents 16 and over have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 82.6% have received both doses.
Among all eligible residents (those 12 years and older), as of today, 84.5% of King County residents 12 and over have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 78.3% have received both doses.
To view updated County vaccination data, see this page: https://kingcounty.gov/depts/health/covid-19/data/vaccination.aspx
To view COVID outcomes according to vaccination status, see this new data dashboard: https://kingcounty.gov/depts/health/covid-19/data/vaccination-outcomes.aspx
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 today:
-The number of confirmed positive cases is 531,294; the number of probable cases is 63,050, for a total of 594,344 cases.
- The total number of deaths statewide is 6,850
- The total number of hospitalizations is 33,440
COVID AND OTHER UPDATES
Quote of the Day: “No one is born hating another person because of the colour 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, 1995
Pres. Biden orders vaccine mandates for up to 100 million Americans
President Biden today ordered new federal vaccine mandates for “...private-sector employees as well as health care workers and federal contractors — in an all-out effort to curb the surging COVID-19 delta variant,” according to the Associated Press. Read the full story here: Sweeping new vaccine mandates for 100 million Americans.
Gov. Inslee announces statewide mask mandate for large outdoor events
Gov. Jay Inslee today announced that Washington state would expand its mask mandate to include large outdoor events in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. As of Monday, September 13th, anyone at an outdoor gathering of 500 people or more – regardless of vaccination status – will be required to wear a mask. An indoor mask mandate has been in place since August 23rd.
The new requirement mirrors closely King County’s mandate that took effect this week and comes as all 39 of Washington’s counties are in the “high” transmission range, according to the Centers for Disease Control tracker. You can watch the Governor’s press conference here on TVW and you may also be interested in in this article from The Seattle Times: Washington Gov. Inslee announces mask requirement for outdoor gatherings of 500 or more as COVID cases persist.
County planning to require vaccine verification at some indoor businesses
 King County Executive Constantine announced Tuesday that the County is working on vaccine verification requirements for some non-essential indoor business activities and other venues. The requirement would go into effect in October.
The County is currently conducting outreach with business and community organizations to develop the specific requirements. Several jurisdictions have already adopted some form of vaccine verification policy, including New York City, San Francisco and British Columbia in Canada, and Clallam and Jefferson counties in Washington state. For more information, see the full announcement here, or see one of the following articles.
- King County developing vaccine verification system as more venues require inoculation – The Seattle Times
- King County ‘vaccine verification’ system could start in October – Capitol Hill Seattle Blog
Public Health COVID briefing at Tuesday’s County Council meeting
Councilmembers were briefed on Tuesday on the status of the pandemic in King County. Click here to download the PowerPoint presentation presented by Dennis Worsham, Interim Director of Public Health – Seattle & King County. Note that the data shown in the slides were current as of Friday, September 3rd. As always, for the most current data, see the County’s data dashboards here.
The latest news on COVID-19
 Photo by Rusty Watson on Unsplash
Note: For the latest on kids and COVID, and sports and COVID, see the blurbs below this one.
- ‘Not even modestly good control’: Fauci says U.S. COVID cases 16 times too high to end pandemic – The Guardian
- ‘A lot of these people are not going to make it,’ official warns as Washington COVID hospitalizations continue rising – The Seattle Times
- Statement on hospital capacity and crisis standards of care – State Department of Health (DOH) press release
- How the Delta variant’s remarkable ability to replicate threw new twists into the COVID-19 pandemic – Stat News
- Is the outdoors still safe? Concerns about Delta prompt new guidelines - Yahoo News
- Microsoft return to U.S. offices delayed indefinitely - The Seattle Times
- Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle diverts after passenger makes threats and group violates mask protocol, officials say - The Seattle Times
- Breakthrough cases have you headed for the bunker? Experts say vaccines are working – KUOW
- One in 5,000: The real chances of a breakthrough infection. – The New York Times
- How the risk of side effects could change with COVID-19 vaccine boosters – Stat News
- ‘We should not be overly concerned’ about mu variant of coronavirus, Washington state and local health officials say– The Seattle Times
- United States boosts tracking of coronavirus strains as Mu variant draws scrutiny - Science
- New studies find evidence of 'superhuman' immunity to COVID-19 in some individuals – NPR
- Once all the rage, the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine has all but disappeared – The Orlando Sentinel / The Seattle Times
- Genetic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 indicates role of inter-state travel on transmission in Washington – UW News
- Report: Seattle could lose 200 cops over city’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate– New York Post
- Lack of a vaccine mandate becomes competitive advantage in hospital staffing wars – Kaiser Health News
- Women said the COVID vaccine affected their periods. Now more than $1.6 million will go into researching it – The Seattle Times
- Vast expansion in aid kept food insecurity from growing last year – The New York Times
- Opinion: Weakening IP protections won’t help developing countries fight COVID-19 – The Seattle Times
- Home blood collection device works for COVID antibody test – UW Medicine News
The latest news on kids, COVID and schools
 - Concern mounts over low vaccination rate of Washington's youngsters – KATU
- A COVID-19 case is confirmed at school. How does the district respond? – KOMO News
- Do school fountains spread COVID? Why one NC district is giving students water bottles – The News and Observer (North Carolina)
- Can kids get ‘long COVID' after coronavirus infections? – AP News
- COVID cases among children are surging in the U.S. as students head back to school – The Guardian
- Least vaccinated states lead spike in children’s cases, leaving some hospitals stretched – The New York Times
- How college students can cut COVID risk on campus, from dorm life to study sessions The Seattle Times
News on COVID and sports
- WSU, sports arenas across state now requiring proof of vaccination at games – The Spokesman Review
- Washington’s pro and college teams join ranks requiring proof of COVID vaccination or negative test – The Seattle Times
- Vaccinations, masks to be required for Kraken games, other events at Climate Pledge Arena - The Seattle Times
- Mariners to require proof of vaccination, masks during playoffs – Ballpark Digest
Get help with rent
King County is working with United Way of King County to manage applications for rent assistance. For individuals or households needing rental assistance, see this page for information. Each week, King County will randomly select registered tenants to participate in the program. Weekly selections will continue until all funds are disbursed.
King County’s Eviction Prevention and Rent Assistance Program (EPRAP) is working urgently to increase payments to tenants and landlords across King County, now that the federal eviction moratorium has ended (although the moratoria for our state and the City of Seattle remain in place through the end of the month).
The intersection of disability and homelessness: September 16 at 4:30 p.m.
 Why are over 64% of King County's homeless disabled? Why are there so few accessible housing units? How can a single person on fixed income afford housing? Join the King County Disability Consortium next week, September 16th, from 4:30 – 6 p.m. for a discussion of the intersection of disability with housing instability and homelessness.
For more information and to register for this event see this page. This is an online event presented on Zoom. ASL and CART provided. For other accessibility considerations, please email: events@disabilitypride.org
Poverty Bay–Vashon Island Septic Maintenance Rebate Program
 King County is offering a rebate of up to $300 for septic maintenance activities performed in the project focus areas of Northwest Vashon Island and Poverty Bay. The King Conservation District (not part of King County government) is administering the rebate for the County. Eligible maintenance includes maintenance inspections, riser installation, and pumping. See the link above for full details.
More contracting opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses with new King County and State of Washington agreement
On Tuesday, the King County Council approved legislation that increases contracting opportunities for small businesses owned by minorities, women and socially and economically disadvantaged people. King County and Washington state Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises will expand access to the county’s procurement and contracting opportunities for state certified minority– and women-owned businesses through implementation of a Fast Track Small Contractor and Supplier certification program. For more information and links to resources, see this page.
King County launches $20 million in grants for cultural sector
 Executive Constantine today announced that King County has allocated $20 million in federal ARPA funding to support the reopening of the cultural sector including independently owned live music venues, independently owned movie theatres, and arts spaces. This funding will support cultural organizations and creative businesses that have mass gatherings as a part of their business model and have been gravely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Applications will open on September 13th and will close October 18th. The application process will be announced at kingcountycreative.com.
Additional resources for the cultural field will be distributed by 4Culture, King County’s cultural services agency, and the City of Seattle Office of Arts & Culture. This program will open on September 23; for more information please visit 4culture.org/covid-19-response.
Belltown Art Walk this Friday!
Belltown Art Walk is back this Friday, September 10th from 6 to 9 p.m. Check out the map of 15 Art Walk locations and stop by the night market at 2305 1st Ave (corner of 1st & Bell) featuring Seattle-based black artists and makers. I hope to see you there!
Save the Date: Community Conversations on Healing, Organizing, and Building the Future We Want – September 22nd
 Communities of Opportunity is planning a free, virtual gathering of community leaders, activists, artists, organizers, storytellers, and others whose work is moving us towards the future we want. The event, Meeting the Moment, will elevate the work happening in communities across King County to support the work necessary to create a future of thriving and belonging across King County. The conversation will take place September 22nd from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. For details and to RSVP, see this page.
I’ll be at the Seattle Film Summit on Saturday...
I’m so pleased to be participating in the Seattle Film Summit this Saturday at the Hyatt Regency in Renton. I’ll be a judge for the session on Creative Economy Idea Contest presentations, from 1 - 2:30 p.m. For more information, see this article in The Seattle Times: Action! Seattle Film Summit organizers say it’s time to build industry in state.
News on climate and extreme weather
 An editorial published by more than 200 medical journals worldwide called climate change the ‘greatest threat to global public health’ and warned of ‘catastrophic harm to health that will be impossible to reverse.’
- Editorial: Call for emergency action to limit global temperature increases, restore biodiversity, and protect health – The New England Journal of Medicine (Including this link a second time, in case you missed it on Monday.)
- Medical journals call climate change the ‘greatest threat to global public health’ – The New York Times
- HEATED: A conversation about how, why we reported our summer heat wave series – KNKX
- King County braces for more wildfires in rural areas – The Kent Reporter
- Farmers restore native grasslands as groundwater disappears – AP News
- Report: Solar could power 40% of U.S. electricity by 2035 – AP News
Climate Conversations: Extreme Events - - Next Wednesday at noon
 Join the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) for a conversation about how to prepare for and face increasingly extreme events in a changing climate. The discussion will take place next Wednesday, September 15, 2021 from 12 – 1 p.m. PT. Marshall Shepherd (University of Georgia) will moderate a conversation with Craig Fugate (former FEMA Administrator) and Marissa Aho (Washington State Department of Natural Resources) about the connections between climate change and extreme events, and about how communities and governments at different scales can plan for and become more resilient to the risks from extreme events today and into the future. Details and registration information are available here.
Plan ahead and save the date: Orca Recovery Day in October
 King Conservation District (not part of King County government) is reminding organizations, offices and individuals to start planning ahead for Orca Recovery day on October 16th. There are a wide variety of activities to help Orcas, preserve their habitat, improve salmon habitat (Orca’s main food source is Chinook, aka, “King” salmon) and help clean up Puget Sound. Groups and individuals can sign up to join an event organized by the Conservation District, or can host their own event. Sign up here to get involved.
A visit to the Kraken Community Iceplex
 I was absolutely thrilled to attend the grand opening this morning of the Kraken Community Iceplex. The Community Iceplex, which is opening to the public tomorrow, will host practices for the Kraken, in addition to providing ice rink access to local youth, and a public rink. The complex will also host a medical clinic, a restaurant, and offices, and is located right next to the Northgate Link Light Rail station that will be opening up on October 2nd. Here, I’m pictured with my King County Council colleague, Rod Dembowski. We had toured the construction site about six months ago. What a change and what a fabulous community space! Special accolades to Seattle City Councilmember Debora Juarez for her efforts in having it located in Northgate instead of Tukwila!
DID YOU KNOW?
... that on this day in 1958, King County voters approved a revised Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle (Metro) plan? According to HistoryLink, the new agency was authorized to build and operate regional sewage treatment and water quality facilities to address the worsening pollution of Lake Washington and other local waters.
A broader mandate – which included authority for transit and comprehensive planning to contain suburban sprawl - had failed in March 1958. Although the first referendum passed in Seattle on March 11, 1958, it was killed in the suburbs by lack of a mere 500 votes.
Additional helpful and informative links
- Opinion: Why are Americans paying $32m every hour for wars since 9/11? – The Guardian
- A Port of Seattle firefighter created a 9/11 memorial at Seattle-Tacoma airport to honor fallen first responders – The Seattle Times
- Desperate times for pet owners and vets as clinics, hospitals are overwhelmed - KUOW
- Regional Homeless Authority poised to assume control but will elected leaders let it? – KOMO News
- We've been writing the same article about Seattle homelessness for 124 years – The Stranger
- Seattle homelessness nonprofits struggle to hire, complicating plans to expand shelters and housing - The Seattle Times
- The King County Sheriff's Office has launched a new app that gives citizens easier access to public records, alerts and more – Q13 Fox
- Resettling Afghan refugees in WA: What’s different this time - Crosscut
Today’s moment of inspiration
 Gitanjali Rao at work
This is a must-read interview with an amazing 15-year old. I can guarantee you’ll be hearing about her in the future. Gitanjali Rao of Colorado already has half a dozen inventions to her name.
According to the story and interview by Reasons to be Cheerful, “Motivated by the water contamination crisis in Flint, Michigan, Gitanjali Rao was only ten years old when she created her first invention, a now patented lead test for water. For this, Rao, now 15, was named America’s Top Young Scientist of 2017 and TIME Magazine’s first-ever “Kid of the Year” in 2020.”
It is well worth reading the interview with this impressive, imaginative and seemingly fearless young woman, who is all about solving problems. When asked which projects she plans to tackle next, Rao said, “The biggest ones are definitely, number one, the contamination of our natural resources. Second, education opportunities, creating equality. Third, the spread of diseases and pandemics. I am working toward finding solutions for these three things in the next couple of years, but obviously, it takes time, effort and people.” Read more about her plans 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. (And, again, I will send one out next Monday on Labor Day.) 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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