It’s no secret that COVID tests have been hard to come by lately. Store shelves are empty, PCR drive-through appointments are booked, but testing remains an important tool to help limit the spread of COVID. When we have access to tests, we can be more comfortable knowing when it is safe to engage in social settings and when we should stay home.
 Beginning today, Washingtonians in select communities can order five free at-home tests from the Washington State Department of Health
Fortunately, that’s beginning to change. Now you can order four free tests for your household from the federal government and starting today, people in select communities across the state can order five free tests from the Washington State Department of Health.
Order your free tests today by clicking on the following links:
A clarification
One of the best parts about representing District 6 is that I’m able to engage and connect with so many thoughtful constituents. Last week, one constituent provided feedback about some of the COVID-19 data included in my January 14 update. Under the section titled, “COVID crisis is so dire we need the national guard,” I wrote that “King County has seen a 102% increase in new COVID hospitalizations over the last week.” Later in the section, I encouraged people to get vaccinated, noting that “[a]bout 80% of patients hospitalized during COVID aren’t vaccinated.” These are both accurate statistics, but the first represents one week and the second statistic more than a year since we've had vaccines available. The difference in spans of time could confuse the reader.
This instance illustrates the challenges of presenting complicated data during a pandemic, and it highlights how important it is to share clear and straightforward information.
 The above graphic compares COVID-19 outcomes among unvaccinated and vaccinated people in King County. Click on it to explore the data that illustrates how COVID vaccines are effective at preventing serious illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19.
What isn’t confusing is that no matter what data you look at, one conclusion stands out: COVID vaccines work. While we are seeing many breakthrough cases in people who are fully vaccinated, those who are vaccinated are far less likely to get severely ill, require hospitalization, and die. In King County, since the beginning of the Omicron surge (December 1, 2021), people who are not fully vaccinated were 12 times more likely to be hospitalized for COVID and 20 times more likely to die of a COVID-related illness. That’s even starker than the pre-Omicron surge, when people who weren’t fully vaccinated were 9 times more likely to be hospitalized and 9 times more likely to die.
Check out the COVID-19 outcomes by vaccination status to learn more about the benefits of getting vaccinated:
Public Health - Seattle & King County (Public Health) gathers and maintains a goldmine of COVID-related data for the public, researchers and all to access. Right now, Public Health regularly updates 9 data dashboards (an additional two are paused due to the recent surge in cases and capacity limitations), along with a collection of data reports related to COVID-19. You can find data broken down by geography, age, race and much more.
As we continue to navigate a constantly changing pandemic landscape, King County is dedicated to making decisions based on accurate, up-to-date data and sharing that data with our residents. Transparency and access to information are both critical parts of our community’s fight against COVID.
View all of Public Health’s data dashboards here:
Two years ago
 Click on the above image of a coronavirus to read about select moments in the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States and around the world beginning from its known origins to today.
Yesterday marked two-years since the very first COVID-19 case was detected in the United States, right here in Washington state. Since then, there have been 302,924 documented cases in King County and 10,407 hospitalizations. Tragically, 2,274 people in King County have lost their lives due to COVID.
As we try to regain a sense of normalcy and recover as a community, we must reckon with the fact that this pandemic has unalterably changed each of us. We have all been isolated from friends and family, missed milestones and celebrations, and limited our lives. Many have suffered from contracting COVID, weathering severe symptoms, lying in hospital beds on a respirator, and dealing with long-term health effects even after recovering. Many endured economic hardship, lost jobs, struggled to pay rent, and couldn’t afford enough to eat. Many, far too many, lost their lives or lost loved ones.
It’s not over yet, but we can each do our part to prevent more pain. We can get vaccinated and follow public health guidance. Let's do it for ourselves and for one another.
Spread the word!
Please forward this email widely and invite others to sign-up to my email updates to receive important and timely information for District 6 constituents.
Sincerely,
 Claudia Balducci
King County Council
District 6
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