COVID-19 UPDATES
Note: Public Health notes that due to several issues related to processing laboratory results, it anticipates overestimated test positivity as the backlog is addressed.
As of today, Public Health -- Seattle & King County (Public Health) is reporting these numbers, which include data from over the weekend:
- 1,284 new positive cases of COVID-19 (includes 1,164 confirmed cases and 120 probable cases. Total number of cases to date is 153,566).
- 4 new COVID-19-related deaths (1,899 to date)
- 42 new hospitalizations (8,091 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:
Among all eligible residents (those 12 years and older), as of today, 86.7% of King County residents 12 and over have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 81.1% have received both doses.
- View updated County vaccination data here.
- View COVID outcomes according to vaccination status here.
To view a breakdown of COVID-19 cases by race and ethnicity, 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 586,754; the number of probable cases is 74,156, for a total of 660,910 cases.
- The total number of deaths statewide is 7,765
- The total number of hospitalizations is 36,754
COVID AND OTHER UPDATES
Quote of the Day: “Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters.” - Frederick Douglass, 1857
Where we stand with vaccine and mask requirements
 Photo from Yahoo
Just a reminder that as of October 25 in King County, proof of vaccination will be required for everyone ages 12+ at outdoor events of 500 or more people, indoor recreational events or establishments, restaurants, and bars. As of September 13 in Washington state, masks are required for everyone ages five and over at outdoor events with 500 or more people, and continue to be required in public indoor spaces (I noticed that wasn’t enforced at the weekend’s Mariners games). For more information, please see the County’s Current COVID-19 guidance page.
Dr. Fauci uses Public Health – Seattle & King County data in White House press briefing on Friday
In a presentation at the White House on Friday, Dr. Fauci used data from Public Health to make a crucial point about the effectiveness of vaccines: “This is just one bit of data, among many, from a variety of local locations throughout the country. In this case, it’s from Public Health — Seattle & King County. This is COVID-19 data over the past 30 days — essentially, Delta data. People who are not fully vaccinated are eight times more likely to test positive, 41 times more likely to be hospitalized, and 57 times more likely to die compared to people who are vaccinated.” If you haven’t gotten your first shot yet, please do so ASAP.
Can your employer require a COVID-19 vaccination?
This article by the state Department of Health clarifies vaccination requirements in the workplace and answers some of the most common questions about vaccine requirements in our state. You may also be interested in this article from The Seattle Times: Deadline nears for Washington state workers to get COVID vaccine under Inslee order.
For more on how employee vaccine requirements will work at the federal level, see this article: How a small government agency will enforce the vaccine mandate for 80 million workers - NPR
The latest news on COVID
 Note: For the latest on children and COVID, see the blurb below this one.
- Is the coronavirus getting better at airborne transmission? – The New York Times
- What we know — and don’t know — about Merck’s new COVID-19 pill. STAT looks at the unanswered questions about Merck's new COVID-19 drug, molnupiravir, and about other COVID-fighting pills in development. - Stat News
- Doctors grow frustrated over COVID-19 denial, misinformation – AP News
- COVID-19 live updates: U.S. is ‘turning the corner’ on latest pandemic surge, Fauci says – The Washington Post
- Why we need to upgrade our face masks—and where to get them – Scientific American
- Johnson & Johnson to seek FDA authorization for booster shot – The New York Times / The Seattle Times
- As rural Washington shoulders fifth COVID-19 wave, anger over masks, vaccines marks politics of the pandemic – The Seattle Times
- Trying to make sense of COVID’s mysterious 2-month cycle - The New York Times / The Seattle Times
- Get a fan and get vaccinated, the CDC says in its safety tips for the holidays – NPR
- King County health care leaders voice support for new vaccine verification law in joint statement – State of Reform
- Snoqualmie Tribe’s Vaccine Partnership wins County award for community resilience – Snoqualmie Valley Record
- A new way to visualize the surge in Covid-19 cases in the U.S. A new STAT analysis of COVID-19 case data reveals this new wave is already outpacing the spring and summer waves of 2020. – Stat News
- Some Seattle-area health care systems report high level of COVID vaccinations among staff — but worry mandate could further strain – The Seattle Times
- Opinion: Make them pay? The unvaccinated have already cost up to $850 million in Washington state – The Seattle Times
- AP: States and cities slow to spend federal pandemic money – AP News
- New Zealand acknowledges it can no longer completely get rid of the coronavirus - NPR
The latest news on kids, COVID and schools
 - How Washington state schools are using a historic amount of federal aid to operate during the pandemic – The Seattle Times
- As childhood COVID infections hit pandemic highs, experts urge vaccination and testing - The Seattle Times
- WA's foster youth get a last minute extension of pandemic assistance - KUOW
- COVID vaccine mandate takes effect for NYC teachers, staff – AP News
- More community colleges are mandating vaccination – The Washington Post
This week at the Council
Note: Council meetings are still being held remotely.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, October 5th at 9:30 a.m. – Law and Justice Committee meeting: Discussion and possible action on a motion to establish a hate crimes unit, briefings on public safety recommendations and the Office for Law Enforcement Oversight (OLEO).
For instructions on viewing the meeting and providing your input, and to view the agenda and meeting materials, see this page.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, October 5th at 1 p.m. – Full County Council meeting: Proclamation of Council support for the Snoqualmie Tribe’s Ancestral Lands Movement, Proclamation of October 2021 as National Disability Employment Awareness Month in King County and other items.
For instructions on viewing the meeting and providing your input, and to view the agenda and meeting materials, see this page.
Wednesday, October 6th at 9:30 a.m. – Committee of the Whole: Briefing on County’s COVID response, discussion and possible action on my motion that requests the Executive transmit a report to the Council exploring options related to acquisition of the park by King County for future county uses and on ensuring public safety at City Hall Park.
For instructions on viewing the meeting and providing your input, and to view the agenda and meeting materials, see this page.
Wednesday, October 6th at 3 p.m. – Regional Water Quality Committee: Report on water pollution abatement and update from the County’s wastewater treatment division, discussion of causes of untreated sewage discharge from the West Point Treatment plant last January, briefings and discussion of the County’s Clean Water Plan.
For instructions on viewing the meeting and providing your input, and to view the agenda and meeting materials, see this page.
Redistricting at the state level and at King County: Your input sought!
 Washington state congressional districts
First, an update on the state process and how you can help:
As you may know, both the state and the county are in the midst of updating their respective legislative district boundaries, using new data from the recently completed national census.
At the state level, in addition to re-drawing the state’s legislative districts map, the state Redistricting Commission will also set new boundaries for Washington’s 10 congressional districts. The Washington State Redistricting Commission is looking for your ideas on the new district maps. The Commission is inviting the public to draw and submit their own state legislative and congressional district maps. To ensure Commissioners have time to consider your suggestions during their deliberations, you should submit your proposed maps no later than October 22.
In addition, there will be two virtual meetings for the public to provide feedback to the Commissioners on the proposed state legislative maps (October 5th at 7 p.m.) and the proposed state congressional maps (October 9th at 10 a.m.). For more information on the meetings, click here.
You may also be interested in this article from Crosscut: Redistricting in Washington state: What's at stake in 2021.
An update on the County’s process and how you can help: Community Survey, Upcoming Town Hall meetings
The 2021 King County Districting Committee is responsible for redrawing King County Council Districts using 2020 Census data. By law, district boundaries must be realigned every 10 years to reflect changes in population distribution. Find out about the map options under consideration and how you can get involved in the process. The 4th Council District, which I represent, has the highest population gain in the County and consequently will lose the most number of residents. I’m very interested in hearing from constituents on their preferences.
The County Districting Committee is holding four town hall meetings in mid-October to gather community input on the proposed draft maps. The dates are: Sunday, October 17 (2 p.m.); Tuesday, October 19 (2 p.m.); Wednesday, October 20 (2 p.m.); and Thursday, October 21 (7 p.m.). You can also take the community survey – available in several languages – on this page.
Poll results: How Seattle voters feel about the City
 The Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce has released the results of a poll from August of this year of opinions among registered voters in Seattle. A couple of the key takeaways: The overwhelming concern among Seattle voters (two-thirds of whom self-identify as Democrats) is homelessness. According to the poll, most voters also believe downtown Seattle will not recover until homelessness and public safety issues are addressed, and two-thirds say they would not feel safe visiting downtown Seattle at night. You can view the full summary of the poll, which looks at opinions on police reform, and many more issues, here.
This Thursday: The future of Seattle: Building the city we want
 Crosscut invites the public to participate in a virtual event this Thursday, October 7 from 6-7 p.m to discuss the future of our city. Seattle is facing the same challenges as all fast-growing cities, heightened by the impacts of the COVID-19 shutdowns. Among the challenges, hybrid work models and half-empty offices; economic instability that threatens vulnerable communities and businesses; diverse neighborhoods upended by gentrification and displacement; and rising costs of living that make it unaffordable for artists. Moderator Mike Lewis, a reporter for GeekWire, will sit down with three leaders taking on these challenges and hear how they hope to rebuild Seattle to be the city we want it to be. For more information and to RSVP see this page.
Reminder – this Thursday: StolenYouth’s Annual Town Hall, from 4-5 p.m. PT
 Join StolenYouth this Thursday, October 7th from 4-5 p.m. PT to hear local and national experts discuss the dangerous realities of sugar dating (see next paragraph) and learn how you can talk to your children and friends about being safe online.
Sugaring or Sugar Dating is commonly defined as a transactional dating practice typically involving an older wealthier person (most often sugar daddy) and a younger person in need of financial assistance (sugar baby). The language around sugaring has become normalized in pop culture, making the practice seem acceptable and mutually beneficial when in fact it is a fast path to abuse and sex trafficking. To register for the webinar see this page.
You may also be interested in viewing this guidance on how to recognize When a Child Is at Risk for Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE). For more information on this issue, see the King County CSEC (Commercially Sexually Exploited Children) Task Force webpage. Also, if you know or suspect that someone has been a victim of human trafficking, please see this page for information and resources.
Reminder: Volunteer for Mental Health this weekend
HERO House is an organization that benefits and supports people living with serious mental illness by helping them find meaningful community connections and work opportunities at locations in Bellevue, Seattle and Everett. HERO House is looking for volunteers to help put on its second annual 5K race fundraising event on October 8 and 9. To help make a difference for individuals living with serious mental illness, sign up to volunteer today. More information on the event is available here.
Celebrating light rail, transit and transit-oriented development!
 I was very happy to able to join celebrations of our new transit stations in Seattle on Friday and Saturday. On Friday I joined other elected officials at a preview of Sound Transit’s three new light rail stations in the U District, Roosevelt neighborhood and at Northgate and was able to ride the train round trip. To get a taste of some of the celebratory excitement, view this video by King County TV, taped on Friday.
See the following articles for more on the grand openings and expanded transit options:
- New light-rail stations now open at U District, Roosevelt and Northgate – The Seattle Times
- Here's what light rail means to these North Seattle commuters – KUOW
- RapidRide bus service to expand through Seattle – Q13
- Welcome aboard! Thanks for joining us on this great ride – Metro Matters blog
Celebrating the new John Lewis Memorial Bridge for Pedestrians and Bicyclists
 On Saturday, I celebrated with the Mayor, state leaders and community leaders and members as we officially opened the new John Lewis Memorial Bridge for Pedestrians and Bicyclists over I-5 between the new Northgate station and North Seattle College. It was an exciting two days, as many of us present had been working to expand transit options in Seattle for decades!
 With Mayor Jenny Durkan, former King County Councilmember Larry Gossett and Seattle City Councilmember Debora Juarez
DID YOU KNOW?
... that autumn is prime season for toxic death cap mushrooms in western Washington? According to Public Health, “Fall rains bring blooms of Amanita phalloides, better known as the death cap mushroom. They are common in western Washington, and were found recently on the University of Washington Seattle campus. The death cap mushroom has no distinctive odor or taste and resembles other nontoxic varieties.” Read more here about how to forage safely for mushrooms.
Additional helpful and informative links
- Navy steams ahead with sonar testing despite state opposition, orca impacts - KUOW
- $617 million budget proposal heads to King County Council – Patch (First briefing on the proposal will be heard in Council’s Budget and Fiscal Management Committee on October 19th at 9:30 a.m.)
- In ‘historic’ move, free attorneys for tenants facing eviction to begin in a dozen Washington counties – The Seattle Times
- Crews race to limit damage from major California oil spill – AP News
- What climate scientists can teach us about dealing with climate change doom – The BBC
- Heat waves are dangerous during pregnancy, but doctors don't often mention it – NPR
- Most people in U.S. favor Afghan ally refugees: AP-NORC poll – AP News
- Why women are more burned out than men – The BBC
- King County Superior Court judges propose making virtual jury selection permanent – KING 5 News
Today’s moment of inspiration
 Photo by Rita Earl Blackwell
In 2014, Alex Tonner, who rescues dogs from shelters, “...set out to temporarily house dogs in prisons as a way to save them from overcrowded shelters where they would be killed for lack of space,” according to this story from Reasons to be Cheerful.
Tonner founded Paws for Life K9 Rescue and California’s first dog rehabilitation program in the men’s maximum-security prison in Lancaster, according to the story. The prisoners spend at least six weeks with each dog, and the dogs receive “Good Canine Certificates,” making them more adoptable. The program is a win for both the dogs and the prisoners. Thirty-nine of the Paws for Life participants, most of whom were serving life sentences, have had those sentences commuted. Here’s more from Reasons to be Cheerful: “Since its inception, the program has expanded exponentially. It has now saved and placed more than 680 dogs, expanded to three prisons (Lancaster, Mule Creek, and Vacaville), enrolled 185 incarcerated people as trainers, and added a service dog program where the dogs spend up to a year with the prison trainers to eventually help veterans and first responders suffering from PTSD. Every dog has found a home.” Read the full story – and view the photos – 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.
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