COVID-19 UPDATES
As of today, Public Health -- Seattle & King County (Public Health) is reporting these numbers for the last seven and last fourteen days:
- 2,571 new positive cases of COVID-19 in the last seven days (includes 2,351 confirmed cases and 220 probable cases. Total number of cases to date is 166,419). These numbers include 522 new cases since yesterday, November 3rd, and a 9% decrease in the reported number of daily positive cases in the last seven days, over the prior 7 days. Somewhat good news.
- 52 new COVID-19-related deaths in the last two weeks (2,033 to date). That number includes 5 new deaths since yesterday, November 3rd.
- 95 new hospitalizations in the last seven days (8,523 to date). That number includes 30 new hospitalizations since yesterday, November 3rd.
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, 88.9% of King County residents 12 and over have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 83.3% 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 648,779; the number of probable cases is 87,102, for a total of 735,881 cases.
- The total number of deaths statewide is 8,767
- The total number of hospitalizations is 40,732
The chart below shows cases in King County.
COVID AND OTHER UPDATES
Quote of the Day: “I invite you to stand with us. We hope that you would give up the old thinking, old ways and old habits. We extend our hands to you. But let me be clear! We won’t wait for you to act. We will lead even if you don’t. We will act even if you delay.” - Vinisha Umashankar, a 15-year-old climate innovator, addressing world leaders at COP 26 in Scotland on November 2, 2021.
COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11 authorized: what to expect in the first week
 See this article from the Public Health Insider blog for details on how the rollout of pediatric vaccine will work, how to get an appointment and more.
Although there is a waitlist for pediatric vaccination appointments at Public Health's vaccination sites (as I describe above in my introductory note), the County announced that availability of COVID-19 vaccine for children ages five- to eleven-years-old will begin this week at some pediatrician offices, community clinics, and vaccine partnership sites throughout the region, following federal authorization for this age group. The vaccine now authorized for younger children will drive down the risk of COVID-19 for kids and will help prevent transmission to family members and older adults in children’s lives.
Also, see the following:
- Inslee statement on vaccine approval for 5-to 11-year-olds – Governor’s Office
- Children ages 5 – 11 now eligible for Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine – DOH press release
- Washington state urges parents to be patient as COVID vaccine supply for kids 5-11 won’t meet demand at first – The Seattle Times
- The COVID vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11 has arrived in Washington state. Here’s what to know. - The Seattle Times
Dr. Duchin’s press conference this morning
 Dr. Duchin, Health Officer for Public Health, updated the media and the public this morning on the pediatric vaccine and COVID-19 trends. Among other items, Dr. Duchin mentioned that while new cases are slowing, the highest incidence of new cases at the County level is among those 5 – 17 years of age. He also said that the vast majority of COVID-related deaths (86%) are among people who have not been fully vaccinated. You can view the press conference here on Public Health’s Facebook page.
You may also be interested in this news article from the press conference:
Health officer clarifies: King County vaccine verification policy ‘required, not voluntary’ - MyNorthwest
COVID-19 infections among children and youth slowing after months of steady growth
The latest data from the state Department of Health (DOH) show that statewide, COVID-19 rates in children and youth increased rapidly from July 2021 to mid-September, but that has been followed by a decrease in recent weeks, at the state level. Pediatric vaccine availability is highly anticipated to further slow the spread of the virus in kids. Read more here.
Should I get a booster shot? Ask Miss Rona!
 “Ask Miss Rona” is a Q&A series started on Public Health’s Instagram to respond to community questions related to different topic areas of COVID-19. Questions come in from the public and are answered by subject matter experts at Public Health.
Preventing lead exposure in young children
 King County’s Hazardous Waste Management Program is reminding adults that lead exposure is a serious health risk -- especially for young children. You can prevent poisoning and protect your family by learning about sources of lead exposure here.
District 4 to benefit from WaterWorks funding
The County Council on Tuesday approved approximately $5 million in grants to improve water quality across King County. More than $400,000 of the $2.6 million in direct King County Council allocations went to projects that will take place at least partly in King County Council District 4, my district.
These community-led, collaborative projects will support our native plants and marine wildlife, including salmon, local watersheds, and green storm water infrastructure. The Council-based grants, administered through the WaterWorks Grant Program, will provide funding to 44 projects within the King County regional wastewater system. The grants awarded to organizations doing work in District 4 are:
- Forterra, $80,000 for “Thornton Creek Noxious Weeds Knockout Project”
- Long Live the Kings, $40,000 for “A Healthy Ship Canal to Save Salmon”
- Seattle 2030 District, $161,000 for “United for Water Quality at South Lake Union”
- University of Washington Green Futures Lab, $161,000 for “Sweetgrass Marine Living Shoreline Demonstration Research Prototypes” (See below for details on their Eco Art event this Sunday!)
For full details on the grants awarded in District 4, read more here.
County Council recognizes 50th anniversary of the Citizen’s Initiative to Save Pike Place Market
It’s almost impossible to imagine Seattle without the Market, but in the early 1960s, it was targeted for demolition for the purposes of “urban renewal.” Through the grassroots efforts of Seattle residents, the “Let’s Keep the Market” initiative was approved on November 2, 1971 as the Seattle community voted to save the Market. This initiative preserved the largest continuously operating public market in the nation and protected not only the Market but also a community of farmers, small independent businesses, and low-income and elderly residents.
On Tuesday, the County Council recognized the significance of this effort and celebrated 50 years since Seattle residents successfully fought back development at the site.
Read more here on the Pike Place Market blog, to learn about this years-long effort on the part of Seattle residents to preserve this jewel of our community.
Reminder – November 15th deadline: Applications for Food Assistance program grants from the State Dept. of Agriculture
 The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) announced that its Food Assistance Program is accepting applications for Flexible Funding grants, a new grant program to support Washington’s diverse hunger relief network. The grant is open to all food assistance organizations statewide, whether they currently contract with WSDA to distribute food or not. Applications are being accepted now through November 15. You can also view this pdf document for more information.
Next anti-human trafficking information session is November 18 from 1:30 to 3 p.m.
As you may know WashACT is the U.S. Department of Justice funded anti-trafficking task force that addresses both sex and labor trafficking in the Western District of Washington. In order to attend any WashACT meetings, you need to attend an information session first. The next information session is scheduled for November 18th and has been added to the events tab at https://www.kingcountycsec.org. The session will be held virtually on Thursday, November 18 from 1:30 to p.m.
St. James Cathedral’s annual Mass for the Deceased Homeless, November 11th
The public is invited to join St. James Cathedral next Thursday, November 11th at 5:30 p.m. for its annual Mass for the Deceased Homeless. Following the Mass, participants will gather in the St. James courtyard and read the names of those who died unhoused in Seattle over the last year. The Cathedral is located at 9th and Marion on First Hill in Seattle. For more information, see this page.
The 2021 State of the Sound report shows efforts to restore Puget Sound have helped but more is needed
 The Puget Sound Partnership released its biennial State of the Sound report, which assesses the health of the Puget Sound ecosystem and progress towards its recovery. While Puget Sound is not doing well, there are signs we are making progress.
Al Gore TED Talk: “How to Make Radical Climate Action the New Normal.”
According to Nobel Laureate Al Gore, a net-zero future is possible, but first we need to flip a mental switch to truly understand that we can stop the climate crisis if we try. The TED Talk includes discussion of how today’s global economy fails our planet and our people, failing to account for the real costs of carbon pollution and fueling skyrocketing inequality that threatens democracy. Watch the TED Talk here.
Community Eco Arts celebration this Sunday in Fremont
 Join Sweetgrass Arts and the UW Green Futures Lab this Sunday, November 7th from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. for speakers, poetry, and refreshments (from noon – 1 p.m.). The event will take place on the Burke-Gilman trail between the Fremont and Aurora bridges. The public is encouraged to come learn about the floating wetlands and contribute to a community arts project - all ages are welcome! Note that this is the Sweetgrass that was awarded a WaterWorks grant (see above).
A visit to Path with Art
 A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to stop by Path with Art’s studio and spend some time with volunteers, board members, and participants as they worked on some “Found Fashion” projects in preparation for a large event coming up — and I loved it! Path with Art’s work is at the nexus of art and social impact, using art to assist in recovery and build resilience with participants. Earlier this year, I was able to secure $1,500 in county funding to support this important work. Thank you for sharing your creativity and this beauty with us, Path with Art!
Above, from left to right; Participant artist Patricia stands with volunteer Rachael Androski, CEO Holly Jacobson, Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles, participant artist Melodie, and volunteer/board member April Cameron. Back row from left to right: Teaching Artist Malia Peoples and Program Director Emily Shallman.
DID YOU KNOW?
... that, on this day in 1958, Yakima state legislator Catherine May (1914-2004) was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming the first woman to represent Washington state in Congress? According to HistoryLink, May was one of the few women of her generation to win election to national office without first being appointed to replace a husband. She served 12 years in Congress before being defeated in her bid for a seventh term in 1970. Today, both of our U.S. Senators are women, and, of the ten Congressional districts in our state, six of the seats are held by women, two of them women of color.
Additional helpful and informative links
- UK authorizes Merck antiviral pill, 1st shown to treat COVID – AP News
- US mandates vaccines or tests for big companies by Jan. 4 – AP News
- Here’s a district-by-district look at vaccination levels in Washington state school districts - The Seattle Times
- People with substance use disorder are more vulnerable to COVID-19 - NPR
- Opinion: What Moderna owes the world – Stat News
- COVID is still crushing parts of the U.S. as the holiday season approaches – NPR
- City of Seattle employees, departments feeling strain from vaccine mandate-related staffing - The Seattle Times
- Countries pledge to cut heavily polluting coal, with caveats – AP News
- Three thousand miles from Glasgow, a town and its polar bears face the future – The New York Times
- Climate change: Facebook fails to flag denial, study finds – The BBC
- Seattle simplifies Ballard bike-trail design to end a 20-year delay - The Seattle Times
- Seattle’s Carkeek Park is one of the best places to watch the salmon complete their journey home to spawn - The Seattle Times
- Why we need to set clocks back Sunday, even though Washington voted to ‘ditch the switch’ in 2019 - The Seattle Times
- BIPOC or POC? Equity or equality? The debate over language on the left. - The New York Times
- 'Burned out'? Why won't more women return to the job market? – AP News
- The real costs of child care in America – Investigate West
- Whew. Finalists chosen for naming that new Washington state ferry — but some quibbles remain - The Seattle Times
Today’s moment of inspiration
 Winner of the “Fix Our Climate” Earthshot prize. Born on a climate-change affected South Pacific Island, Vaitea Cowan co-founded Enapter to turn back the tide. Just three years on, its green hydrogen technology could change the way we power our world.
For today’s inspirational moment, I wanted to highlight the winners and finalists of the 2021 Earthshot Prize. Each finalist or winner (some individuals, some teams) came up with amazing, innovative solutions to our environmental crisis. The innovations had to solve a pressing challenge facing our planet in the areas of restoring nature, cleaning the air, reviving the oceans, getting to a waste-free world, or fixing the climate. Winners and finalists are of all ages, from all around the world.
The innovations – and their inventors – are truly inspiring. Solutions include AEM Electrolyser technology that turns renewable electricity into emission-free hydrogen gas, a peer-to-peer energy exchange network, a solar powered energy capsule, reforestation and food-growing innovations, and so much more. I urge you to browse through the Earthshot Prize website to view the creative, brilliant ideas and meet inspirational leaders from around the planet.
Each of the five Winners will receive £1million prize money, a beautiful and one-of-a-kind Earthshot Prize medal, and a global network of professional and technical support to scale these cutting-edge environmental solutions.
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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