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:
- 32,301 new positive cases of COVID-19 in the last seven days (includes 30,989 confirmed cases and 1,312 probable cases. Total number of cases to date is 248,775). These numbers include 18,793 new cases since Friday, January 7th.
- 29 new COVID-19-related deaths in the last two weeks (2,196 to date). That number includes -1 new death since Friday, January 7th.
- 366 new hospitalizations in the last seven days (9,750 to date). That number includes 255 new hospitalizations since Friday, January 7th.
These numbers unfortunately reflect major increases. 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 eligible King County residents 12 years and older, as of today, 93.5% have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 86.5% have received both doses. Among residents 5 years and older, as of today, 89.7% have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 82.4% 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 864,064; the number of probable cases is 114,616, for a total of 978,680 cases.
- The total number of deaths statewide is 10,028
- The total number of hospitalizations is 47,807
The graphs below show the cases, hospitalizations and deaths in King County.
  
COVID AND OTHER UPDATES
Quote of the Day: “That brings me to the most important piece of advice that I can give to all of you: if you've got a good idea, and it's a contribution, I want you to go ahead and DO IT. It is much easier to apologize than it is to get permission.”- Rear Admiral Grace Hopper, 1983
Video: Update from King County health officer on the impacts of the Omicron surge
 King County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin held a public briefing on Friday, January 7th, answering questions from the news media and members of the community. Dr. Duchin provided a picture of where we are in the current Omicron-driven surge and shared guidance on how to lower your risk during this challenging period. I strongly encourage you to watch the entire hour which you can view on this page.
Updated guidance on isolation and quarantine
 You may remember that, at the end of December, the CDC changed its guidance regarding isolation and quarantine (“I/Q”), lowering the number of days from 10 to five days (at a minimum). The state and King County have also adjusted the I/Q guidance, which applies to the general public, employers, and workplaces.
It’s important to note, however, that schools, child care, and some other congregate settings will continue to follow the previous guidance and not the new guidance.
Washington State Department of Health (DOH) advises that employers refer to and follow all applicable worksite requirements outlined by the WA State Dept. of Labor and Industries (L&I). For more information on this see the links below.
- COVID-19 quarantine and isolation guidance – King County webpage
- CDC recommends changes to isolation and quarantine for COVID-19 (Published December 29, 2021) – Public Health Insider blog
Booster reminder and age update
Everyone 12 and older should get a booster dose as soon as they become eligible. Those under 17 can only get the Pfizer vaccine at this time. Visit the state DOH’s Vaccine Locator page to find a free COVID-19 vaccine appointment near you. According to the latest guidance, you are eligible for a booster shot:
- Five months after the second dose of Pfizer or Moderna (Note: ages 12-17 can only get the Pfizer booster at this time.)
- Two months after one dose of Johnson and Johnson (J&J)
The Pfizer or Moderna vaccines are recommended over J&J for both initial and booster vaccinations.
- Why do we need a booster? A UW immunologist explains – UW Magazine
Costs of COVID testing: Will insurance cover at-home tests?
We received a question from a constituent about insurance coverage for at-home COVID tests. After reviewing information from Public Health, our state DOH, and our state’s Office of the Insurance Commissioner, it is clear that insurance companies are required to cover all “medically necessary” COVID-19 tests. And, according to news reports, this month most insurance companies will also be required to cover the cost of at-home tests (see links below).
However, according to our state’s Insurance Commissioner, “Insurers are NOT required to pay for COVID tests that are required for employment or travel. You should check with your insurance company if you’re worried about whether or not you’ll be charged.”
The Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) also encourages the public to contact it if you receive a bill related to COVID-19 testing or are unsure about coverage. For more information, see the following links:
- How to get insurance to pay for at-home COVID tests, according to the White House – (Published today) – KUOW
- Health insurance and coronavirus (COVID-19) frequently asked questions – OIC webpage
- Frequently asked questions about COVID-19 testing – King County webpage
- Will insurance cover testing and treatment? – DOH webpage
- Insurers directed by Biden to cover 8 at-home COVID-19 tests per person per month – KIRO 7 News
- Learn more about the different types of COVID-19 tests and the pros and cons of each – King County webpage
- Where to Find a Covid PCR Test in King County – Seattle Met
- At-home coronavirus tests are inaccessible to blind people – The New York Times
Reminder: Sign up for a new health plan by January 15th for coverage starting February 1st
 Enroll by January 15th and #GetCovered starting February 1st. Sign up at https://wahealthplanfinder.org.
Tomorrow: Gov. Inslee 2022 State of the State Address
Gov. Jay Inslee will deliver his 2022 State of the State Address tomorrow, Tuesday, in Olympia at 11:45 a.m. He will lay out his priorities for the legislative session, which began today.
There will only be a limited number of media and staff in the room. This event is closed to the public due to COVID concerns, the speech can be viewed here on TVW. All in-person attendees are required to take a rapid COVID-19 test prior to the event.
The economic impact of the pandemic on Washington state women: January 20th online
 Photo by Vitolda Klein on Unsplash
The COVID-19 pandemic and its economic repercussions have disproportionately impacted women and especially women of color. In the US, from February to April 2020, women lost 12.1 million jobs. Recent data show that women hold 2.3 million fewer jobs than they did pre-February 2020.
Join the Center for Women & Democracy and the Washington State Women's Commission as they host leaders and experts in policy, law, public service, and education in a discussion on the impact of the pandemic on women in Washington state and actions needed to increase equity for working women. The discussion will take place on Thursday, January 20th from 5 - 7 p.m. See this page for details on the discussion and you can register here.
Executive Constantine updates Proclamation of Emergency for winter storm flooding
County Executive Dow Constantine issued a Proclamation of Emergency last month following widespread flooding and ongoing challenges from the winter storms. On Saturday, the Executive issued another Proclamation of Emergency for the continued and new extreme winter weather conditions of heavy rain, accumulating snow, landslides, and coastal and river flooding that have further threatened public safety, property, and travel conditions. For resources and information on handling flooding, see the links below.
- Flood services and information – King County webpage
- Important phone numbers for flooding – King County webpage
- Sign up to receive County Flood alerts here – King County webpage
- King County declares emergency over flooding, ongoing snowstorm problems – Q13
This week at the Council
Note: Council meetings are still being held remotely.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, January 11th at 9:30 a.m. – Government Accountability and Oversight Committee – Agenda: Briefings on the 2021 election, the 2021 redistricting process and on “Emergency Preparedness Limited by Planning Gaps Audit.”
The agenda and meeting information, including instructions on viewing the meeting and providing your input can be downloaded on this page and will soon be available on this page.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, January 11th at 1 p.m. – Full Council - Agenda: Public hearing and possible action on ordinances related to Council reorganization of committees and leadership positions, the Executive’s weather emergency declaration, preparation of voter’s pamphlets and appointments to advisory committees. Possible action on a Maintenance Painter Apprentice Program negotiated by and between King County and Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 587 (Metro Transit Department).
For instructions on viewing the meeting and providing your input, and to view the agenda and meeting materials, see this page.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, January 11th at 1 p.m. (directly following the adjournment of the Council meeting) – County Flood Control District – Agenda: Final action by Board of Supervisors on district organization.
For instructions on viewing the meeting and providing your input, and to view the agenda and meeting materials, see this page.
Wednesday, January 12th at 3 p.m. – Regional Policy Committee - Agenda: Selection of Vice-Chair; discussion and possible action on adoption of 2022 Committee work plan, an ordinance regarding use of waste-to-energy technology, an ordinance implementing recommendations to the Children and Youth Advisory Board (CYAB), and ordinances regarding Best Starts for Kids. Briefing from the King County Regional Homelessness Authority.
For instructions on viewing the meeting and providing your input, and to view the agenda and meeting materials, see this page.
Executive Constantine announces $1.9 million in awards supporting creative economy recovery for over 180 King County events and festivals
County Executive Constantine today announced that 185 festival and event producers will receive awards from the $1.9 million Festival & Event Restart Fund as part of King County’s Revive & Thrive initiative to support the economic recovery of the creative sector.
My statement is included that reads: “Festivals showcase some of the most incredible talent, art, music, dancing, and food that the Northwest has to offer and bring people together to celebrate. Though the past two years have often not felt celebratory, it is vital that these community cornerstones continue into the future, as we are able to gather freely and safely together again. I’m very pleased that we were able to provide these award recipients with the funds and support that they need in order to continue their work and elevate our spirits in the coming months and years.”
Wednesday: Best Starts for Kids virtual Open House
 Best Starts for Kids will host a virtual open house this Wednesday, January 12 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. for existing and prospective community partners to learn more about the opportunities for funding in the first quarter of 2022. The purpose of the open house is to also make new connections, and spark new ideas with unfunded community partners and organizations doing amazing work with families, kids, babies, and youth in King County. For more information see this blog post.
King Conservation District election
King Conservation District (KCD, not part of King County government) is a natural resource assistance agency authorized by Washington State and guided by the Washington State Conservation Commission. It promotes the sustainable use of natural resources through responsible stewardship. A five-member Board of Supervisors is responsible for overseeing all KCD programs and activities.
Four candidates are currently running for the Board and the election takes place January 18th through February 8th. Candidate statements can be found at kingcd.org/elections.
As in the last two years, the King Conservation District election will primarily rely on electronic ballot access, with alternative options for printing and mailing in ballots. Ballots will be available to eligible voters online from January 18, 2022, at 8:00 AM through February 8, 2022, at 8:00 PM. For full information on voting in the KCD election see this page. King County Elections will tabulate all ballots and report all results.
For more information about what else is on the ballot on February 8, 2022, see this page.
King County’s annual celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life and legacy
 King County will celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy this Thursday, January 13th, from noon – 1 p.m. In keeping with Public Health guidance and safety, this year's event will be held virtually. I will be speaking as the representative for the County Council.
The theme and accompanying quotes for the 2022 Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration are: “The time is always right to do what’s right”, and “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” (Both from James Baldwin.) I hope you can join us this Thursday at noon.
Celebrate the MLK holiday this weekend: Free film festival starts Friday
 The public is invited to join Dr. Clayborne Carson, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Centennial Professor Emeritus at Stanford University, and his team at The World House Project this weekend for a film festival featuring documentaries speaking to Martin Luther King, Jr.'s vision of the World House.
The World House Documentary Film Festival, is a free, weekend-long, virtual event celebrating the 2022 Martin Luther King, Jr., Holiday, starting this Friday January 14th and continuing through Monday January 17th.
For the 2022 King Holiday, the World House Project at the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law within Stanford University's Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies will host the free, four-day virtual film festival. This virtual event will feature over 30 documentaries, musical performances, interviews and panel discussions that speak to Dr. King's still unanswered question: Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? For details on the event see this page. To register, go to this page.
Community members invited to help on King County's Racism Is A Public Health Crisis Initiative: Serve on the Gathering Collaborative
 You’re invited to join the Racism Is A Public Health Crisis Gathering Collaborative, a group of community members that will take part in a community designed and led process to equitably spend $25 million of federal funds that starts to undo the harms of racism compounded by the pandemic, influence the County's next budget cycle, and establish a longer-term vision for King County to become an anti-racist government.
The Gathering Collaborative is the vision of the Racism Is A Public Health Crisis "Ambassadors & Amplifiers" -- leaders trusted from communities most harmed by systemic racism and colonialism, brought together by Abigail Echo-Hawk, Dr. Ben Danielson and King County Executive Dow Constantine. If you are interested in joining the Gathering Collaborative, share your interest and priorities by filling out this form.
The Gathering Collaborative seeks community members who can uplift and share the wisdom of their communities. For more information, see this page, or contact King County staff at kingcounty.antiracism@gmail.com.
County opens temporary sobering support shelter at Yesler Building
As of last Friday, the County is using the Yesler Building to accommodate the King County Sobering Support Shelter due to a critical need at this time. Pioneer Human Services will manage the health-supervised shelter and has limited the occupancy to 35 people per night. Hours of operations will be seven days a week, between the hours of 5 p.m. – 8 a.m. for approximately six months.
King County’s Emergency Service Patrol, which provides 24/7 triage and transportation services to people with substance use issues in the downtown Seattle area, will bring people to the Yesler Building and will be available in the morning to help them connect to other services, including the King County Jefferson Day Center in the 4th and Jefferson Building. For more information, see this blog post.
King County Metro plans minor service reductions through January 21
 King County Metro is recovering from recent winter storms and facing reduced workforce availability. Through January 21, Metro will operate more than 90% of scheduled service, however an increased number of trips will be canceled. For full details, please see this article.
Before traveling, please allow for additional travel time and use Metro’s real-time travel tools to confirm whether your trip is operating or canceled - - see below.
- Visit Service Advisories for information about your route.
- Sign up for Transit Alerts for route-specific and system-wide updates by email or text.
Chronic pain study seeks enrollees for non-drug treatments
The UW is seeking participants for a study on chronic pain. The study, Living in Full Even with Pain, will be treating participants with either mindfulness meditation, cognitive therapy, or “activation skills” – skills to increase activities, especially activities that bring pleasure and are meaningful – to see what works best for people and why.
Participants will be randomized to mindfulness meditation, cognitive therapy, and participation in activities they love. You can read more here.
New poll results available: What Washingtonians think about the pandemic, economy and more
There is a new Crosscut/Elway Poll available on Washington residents’ views about the Legislature, the Governor, the pandemic, the economy, public education and the 2022 elections. You can read about it here at Crosscut or in this press release. The general take-away is voters are weary of the pandemic and worried about the economy. But they are deeply divided by party over what to do about either.
Help Crosscut decide on stories for 2022
Crosscut wants to know which story you most want to see this year. There are eleven issues areas including data on the unhoused population, Afghan refugees, accommodations for disabled people, climate change preparation, data on BIPOC students, city permitting systems and more. To view the full list and vote, click here.
DID YOU KNOW?
...that on this date in 1914, according to HistoryLink, “...the Port of Seattle's new fishing fleet dock on Salmon Bay [was] dedicated in an elaborate celebration featuring band performances, singing, lunch, speeches, and a parade of fishing boats?” Today we know the dock and location as “Fishermen’s Terminal.
Additional helpful and informative links
- Record COVID cases continue in King County. Here’s when Omicron could peak – The Seattle Times
- King County health expert is ‘mind-boggled’ by spread of Omicron variant – Bellevue Reporter
- UW Medicine town hall discusses increase in hospitalizations amid omicron-induced loss of staff – The UW Daily
- Video: COVID-related hospitalizations rise amid surge in omicron cases in King County – KING 5
- King County's top health official sounds COVID quarantine alarm for businesses – KOMO News
- ‘Deaths of despair’ spiked in Washington in 2020, exceeding deaths from COVID – The Seattle Times
- Your local school district may need to close’ temporarily, Washington state superintendent warns – The Seattle Times
- Staffing shortages impact some Puget Sound school districts - Patch
- More than plots on a chart: The 10,000 lost to COVID in Washington state – The Seattle Times
- Audio: Seattle Now: The pandemic starts now? – KUOW (A really interesting segment)
- Stay home or work sick? Omicron poses a conundrum – Associated Press/The Seattle Times
- Seattle-area landlords and tenants still awaiting promised government aid as debt continues to mount – The Seattle Times
- A tiny Florida company got more of a scarce COVID therapy than some big hospitals, raising equity questions – Stat News
- King County Metro partners with human trafficking prevention campaign – Intelligent Transport
- She didn’t want to die homeless. But in Seattle, there were few places to turn – The Seattle Times
- Eleven for ’22: Seattle’s big issues ahead – The Seattle Times
- Sea level on steroids: Record tides flood Washington coastlines – KUOW
- U.S. greenhouse gas emissions jumped in 2021, a threat to climate goals – NPR
- Seven things WA Legislature is expected to address in 2022 - Crosscut
- Washington State Ferries Year in Review: 2021 by the numbers – WSF/WSDOT newsletter
- Watershed moment in NYC: New law allows noncitizens to vote – AP News
Today’s moment of inspiration
 Dong Jianyi at his farm.
Imagine being able to grow summer vegetable all year long – even in extreme conditions – without using any electricity or fuel. Most greenhouses in cold climates need to use some form of heating, especially at night.
Dong Jianyi, a former geologist from Tangshan, China moved to Alberta, Canada to work in the oil and gas industry. According to this story from the non-profit Rural Routes to Climate Solutions, Jianyi decided to change careers after witnessing the volatility in the oil and gas sector. He went into farming.
“The first thing that came to me was farming,” Jianyi said. “Where I lived in China, there were so many passive solar greenhouses. But in Canada, I didn’t see any on the commercial scale.”
According to the article, “Passive solar technology works to trap and store solar energy. Solar energy is released slowly to heat up the greenhouse, which creates optimal growing conditions so Jianyi’s thin-skinned tomatoes can thrive year-round – even in one of the most bitterly cold growing zones on the planet.”
He believes that farmers can help mitigate the effects of climate change and the use of passive solar greenhouse technology is one example.
The article continues, “In the coming year, Jianyi plans to double his production from one to two acres. He wants to experiment with extending the growing season by using simple high tunnel insulation for field crops. Gradually, he hopes to build a second solar greenhouse. But as a new farmer he’s cautious of not scaling up too quickly.”
There’s much more to this story – and many more photos. Read the full story 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.
|
