Public Health — Seattle & King County is monitoring changes in key economic, social, and other health indicators resulting from strategies to slow the spread of COVID-19. Just as the pandemic has had disparate impacts on parts of our population, mitigation measures present more hardship for some members of our community than others. The economic, social, and health impacts data project helps inform strategies and policies to minimize those harms and maximize outcomes for all residents of King County.

How are you using the data? Share your feedback via this brief survey.

Below are highlights, but you can view the entire dashboard here

Two calls to the WA Poison Center in August 2021 were about exposures to Ivermectin and Ivermectin-like agents

• There was a steep increase in exposure calls from King County residents to the WA Poison Center during early 2020 (the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic).  The number of calls then decreased during late 2020 and are again increasing in 2021. 
• The most common substances that callers were exposed to were analgesics (medications to reduce fever and relieve mild to moderate pain) and household cleaning supplies.
• The most calls about poison exposure involved children ages 0-5 followed by adults ages 35-45.  

ECONOMIC

Unemployment: slow and steady decrease

In mid-August, 59,274 King County residents (comprising approximately 3.9% of the workers in King County) were receiving unemployment benefits. This is a 50% decrease compared to mid-August 2020.

Please keep in mind - Federal pandemic enhanced unemployment benefits ended in early September 2021. 

SOCIAL

Domestic violence: protection orders for domestic violence increased slightly from 2019 

In August 2021 there were 248 Domestic Violence Protection Orders filed in King County Superior Court. This is a 5% increase compared to August 2019.

Food insecurity: SNAP enrollment still high

110,770 households in King County received basic food assistance through SNAP. This is a 13% increase  compared to January 2020. 

HEALTH

King County Medicaid enrollment: increasing 

There were 461,799 people enrolled in Medicaid in King County in July 2021. This is a 16% increase in Medicaid enrollment compared to January 2020. 

King County Medicaid enrollment: largest enrollment increases seen in younger adults 

There were 124,626 Medicaid enrollees ages 25-44 in King County in July 2021. This is a 31% increase compared to January 2020.  

This work is funded by Public Health — Seattle & King County, the Washington State Department of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’ s (CDC) Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases ( ELC) Cooperative Agreement (CK19 - 1904 ).

For questions, please write to: COVIDevaluation@kingcounty.gov

To sign-up for this newsletter please click here.