COVID-19 Data Updates
To see the most up-to-date information on cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the County, see the Daily COVID-19 outbreak summary dashboard. You can also see the data broken down by demographics and geography on this page.
- 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.
To view the most recent statewide COVID-19 data from the state Department of Health (DOH), see this dashboard, which will now be updated three times per week rather than daily.
The graphs below show today’s reported cases, hospitalizations and deaths in King County. Really encouraging results!
  
Quote of the Day:
“When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” – Poet and activist Audre Lorde, in The Cancer Journals, 1980.
COVID News
Dr. Duchin’s press conference today
 Health Officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County (Public Health) Dr. Jeff Duchin briefed the public and took questions from reporters this afternoon. He discussed the status of the COVID-19 pandemic in King County, including cases, hospitalizations, deaths and vaccination efforts. You can watch the briefing here on Public Health’s Facebook page,or the video will be posted later on Public Health’s Youtube channel here.
State-level press conferences yesterday and today - - DOH and Gov. Inslee
The state DOH (Department of Health) held a virtual media briefing yesterday to discuss the latest developments in the state's battle against COVID. Participants included Secretary of Health Umair A. Shah, State Epidemiologist for Communicable Diseases Scott Lindquist, Deputy Secretary for COVID-19 Response Lacy Fehrenbach, Acting Assistant Secretary Michele Roberts, and COVID-19 Incident Commander Andrew M. Rose. You can view the press conference here on TVW and see this article from The Seattle Times: COVID cases dropping, hospitalizations begin to ease in Western WA.
And Gov. Inslee held a general media availability this afternoon in Olympia on a range of topics currently facing the state, including COVID. He was joined by King County Executive Dow Constantine, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards, Seattle City Council President Debora Juarez, and Spokane City Councilmember Betsy Wilkerson. You can view the press conference here.
Some immunocompromised individuals should receive four doses of COVID-19 vaccine
 DOH announced today that a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine can help reduce the chance of catching COVID in some people with weakened immune systems. Certain individuals who are immunocompromised may receive up to four doses of COVID-19 vaccine, which include two primary doses of an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna), an additional primary dose, and a booster dose. Read the full story here.
After your at-home COVID test
 You may have questions about what actions to take after administering a COVID at-home test. What if the results are positive? Negative? Could I have a false positive result?
Positive results from at-home tests should be reported to Washington’s COVID-19 hotline at 1–800–525–0127. This supports contact tracing efforts and prevents the disease from further spreading in our communities. The phone line is open Monday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Tuesday to Sunday (and observed holidays) from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Language assistance is available. It is also advised that you let those people know with whom you had contact within a few days earlier. If you used an at-home test, request a verification code through WA Notify to anonymously alert other WA Notify users who may have been exposed. See below for more information.
- COVID-19 self-testing – King County webpage. Full resources and FAQs on self-testing.
- What to do with your at-home COVID test results – The Seattle Times
UW Medicine offering free swab-tests at 15 locations
UW Medicine has 15 COVID-19 testing locations in the Puget Sound region. Sites in Ballard and at Lake Sammamish State Park reopened on January 31st after being temporarily closed on January 4th due to test capacity limitations at the height of the omicron variant’s surge.
Pediatric vaccinations, additional doses added to DOH’s data dashboard
 The DOH has added additional vaccination data to the state’s COVID-19 Data Dashboard to include vaccination rates for children ages five through 11 and people who received additional doses of COVID-19 vaccines. Read the details here. You may also be interested in the following media coverage on vaccines coming for children younger than 5:
- Pfizer asks for FDA authorization for COVID-19 vaccine for children under 5 – ABC News
- COVID-19 Vaccines for Kids Under 5: What Comes Next? – NBC News / Associated Press
- Moderna Expects Vaccine Data For Kids Ages 2-5 By March – Forbes
- The U.S. surgeon general tells parents that Pfizer’s vaccine for young children will get a rigorous F.D.A. review – The New York Times
Lancet Study links trust in government, lower corruption to better pandemic outcomes
A new study in the medical journal The Lancet shows a relationship between levels of trust in government and COVID infection rates and vaccination rates in the world population. Higher levels of trust in government and lower levels of government corruption are associated with lower infection rates and higher rates of vaccine uptake. Unfortunately, the United States is not ranked as high as most of us would like. Read the full study here.
Blood donors urgently needed
Our local blood supply has hit emergency levels. Public Health is asking everyone who is feeling healthy -- especially O negative and O positive donors -- to please schedule a donation ASAP and in the next three weeks. Schedule your donation today at http://schedule.bloodworksnw.org or 800-398-7888.
County Business and Other News and Events
2021 year end gun violence data report released by King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office
 Last month the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office released its 2021 year-end “Shots Fired” Report, a data analysis that shows the numbers of fatal shooting victims, non-fatal shooting victims, and total shots fired incidents for 2021. Read the full story here, and click here for the full report. You may also be interested in these articles:
- 2021 saw drastic increase in King County’s gun violence – Real Change News
- Gun incidents in King County in 2021 surpassed 2020’s record numbers – The Seattle Times
Highlights from this week's Council Committee meetings
- Committee of the Whole: At yesterday’s meeting of the Committee of the Whole, which I now lead as Chair, we heard from County Budget Director Dwight Dively about the county’s COVID-19 response and economic recovery. He reported that sales tax revenues are up 14% from pre-pandemic levels. Not surprisingly, big box retailers, bookstores, hobby stores and sporting goods stores as well as internet sales are seeing a huge increase in customers while hotels and restaurants have continued struggling. You can view Dively’s briefing to the Committee here. It starts at about minute 34:45.
The committee also had an initial discussion on a new proposal to develop an equitable development initiative that I am co-sponsoring with Councilmembers Rod Dembowski and Girmay Zahilay. Equitable development initiatives provide investments, programs and policies that consider past policy decisions, historic inequities and current conditions to improve access to opportunities for the most affected communities. This is a critically important issue that has the capacity to uplift communities that have long been left behind. We will continue our deliberations on this matter at the next meeting of the Committee of the Whole on February 16th.
- Law, Justice, Health and Human Services Committee: In Tuesday’s Law, Justice, Health and Human Services Committee, we heard compelling testimony from public defenders, correctional officers, prosecutors, DAJD leadership, and labor representatives about the untenable situation that the omicron variant has caused inside King County correctional facilities (see above blurb for more on this issue). At the beginning of the pandemic, the average daily population for King County jails was approximately 1,900 people, and the Executive brought that average down to 1350 to allow for social distancing. That number has been maintained; however, the omicron variant has caused a significant spike in positive cases inside the jail. That increase, along with pre-existing staff shortages and COVID-related mandatory staff absences, has created very difficult conditions for incarcerated folks and staff in these facilities. Tuesday’s conversation brought various stakeholders to the table to discuss what might be done and report transparently to the public on the situation. What was presented was alarming, but I would highly recommend watching the video here. The discussion starts at approximately minute 55:40. These briefings were also covered by several local media outlets including The Seattle Times and KING 5 News.
These issues are important to address, including as there’s a very high need for staff mandatory overtime during this time of COVID with so many staff unable to work because of being sick with COVID which also poses issues for inmate safety. In response to recent COVID-19 impacts stemming from the Omicron surge, the County’s Department of Adult & Juvenile Detention (DAJD) is taking key actions to help ensure the health and safety of employees and people in custody. DAJD continues to maintain modified visitation polices, booking restrictions, and PPE requirements that have been in place since early in the pandemic. Read the full story here from Executive Constantine’s office and see the following article for more information:
- King County takes action to reduce COVID outbreaks and ensure safety of inmates – The Seattle Medium
Reminder: Next Tuesday is the deadline for returning your ballot
 There are important school ballot measures to be voted on, as well as an election for King Conservation District (KCD, not part of King County government) for a position on the Board of Supervisors, which is being administered by King County Elections. The deadline for returning your ballot is next Tuesday, February 8th. For more information on these two elections see the links below:
- Full information on the February 8th election – King County webpage
- Information on the King Conservation District (KCD) election – KCD webpage
And see this page for complete information on voting and elections in King County.
Reminder: Sunday deadline for County High School students to apply for Youth for Parks Winter Workshop series
 The County Parks department is once again offering the Youth for Parks Winter Workshop Series. This program is for King County high school students interested in learning about careers and environmental topics related to parks and public lands. The program participants will also contribute to a group project to create a recruitment video for our Youth Conservation Corps. And I’m especially pleased that it was my amendment to the Comprehensive Plan a few years ago that brought back the YCC which had been eliminated long ago.
The program will take place each Saturday in March at two different locations in White Center. Participants will receive a $250 Visa gift card after completing the program. The application is due this Sunday, February 6th. Interviews will be held the week of February 13th. For details and to apply see this page.
County research vessel deploys buoy to help orcas – thanks to Councilmember Rod Dembowski and Port Commissioner Fred Felleman
I mentioned in our last e-newsletter that marine mammal scientists from SMRU Consulting were deploying a buoy into Puget Sound from King County’s research vessel SoundGuardian to measure underwater noise from vessels that pose risks to southern resident orcas. The study will help increase the frequency and quality of reports of orca sightings provided to pilots of large vessels so they can voluntarily slow down or change course, reducing the amount of underway noise and preventing collisions.
Late last year, I worked with Port Commissioner Fred Felleman and Councilmember Rod Dembowski to see what we could do to assist in this program – going so far as having introduced legislation to ensure collaboration between the county and the port. I am pleased an agreement has been reached and am eager to see these buoys in action. You can read more here in this article by KNKX: Buoy will monitor underwater noise in hopes of quieting Puget Sound for endangered orcas.
Metro launches new Strategic Plan dashboard
 King County Metro has launched a new, easy-to-use online dashboard that shows the agency’s performance toward meeting the goals outlined in its recently adopted 10-year Strategic Plan.
Available in 10 languages, Metro’s Strategic Plan dashboard provides an easy way for the public to understand progress in achieving the policy goals and vision shaped and co-created with the community. Data visualizations demonstrate progress toward each of the 10 policy goals, as well as Metro Connects, Metro’s long-range plan.
If you ride transit near Shoreline, Montlake Terrace or Lynnwood, Metro wants to hear from you!
 Five new light rail stations are opening between Shoreline and Lynnwood by 2025 and some bus routes will change to better serve the community. Learn more here, get involved by applying for the Mobility Board, and share your feedback in the survey.
County Wastemobile’s 2022 traveling schedule
 The Wastemobile team is gearing up to head out around King County, and the 2022 schedule is now available! From February to October, the Wastemobile will visit communities around King County (outside of Seattle) to make hazardous waste disposal easier and more convenient for residents and small businesses. Check out the schedule here and plan to attend an event where you can drop off your hazardous waste at no cost to you!
Celebrate Black History!
 As I mentioned above in my introduction, I want to draw your attention to this remarkable timeline of African-American history, beginning in the year 1500, from Blackpast.org. Click on any item in the timeline for more detailed information. This is well worth checking out.
I also mentioned above that the Northwest African American Museum (NAAM) has several free, online events this month to celebrate Black History. Coming up in the next couple of weeks, Interactive Storytime (focused on the ABCs of Black History) for children on February 13th at 1 p.m., and, especially exciting for history buffs, Lonnie Bunch III, the head of the Smithsonian Institutions, will be the Keynote speaker at an event on February 17th at 5 p.m. The event is free and online and Bunch’s topic will be, “The past, present and future of Black history.” We’ll keep you updated on more Black History Month events as the month progresses.
Remembering the Holocaust
Many of you may have read or heard recently about the increases in anti-Jewish violence in the nation, including here in Seattle, where anti-Semitic graffiti was found near Jewish Family Services. Last week was International Holocaust Remembrance Day, an effort to help people across the world remember what happened. January 27th—the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau— was designated by the United Nations General Assembly as International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
On this annual day of commemoration, the UN urges every member state to honor the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and millions of other victims of Nazism and to develop educational programs to help prevent future genocides. We must continue to remember the past, even when the events are horrific, if we are to have any hope of not repeating history over again. See the articles below for more information:
- Anti-Semitic graffiti found near Jewish Family Service of Seattle – KING 5 News
- Opinion: When violence is targeted at Jewish people, anywhere, it is targeted at us everywhere – The Seattle Times
- Anti-Semitic incidents at decade high in 2021: report – Yahoo News
Nordic Museum offers free admission to school employees this month
 School employees and their guests can enter The National Nordic Museum in Ballard for free this weekend, February 5-6 and next weekend, February 12-13. To receive free admission, please show your school ID or other proof of employment in education at the Admissions desk. All members of the group may enter for free, but must arrive together to enter as a group.
Tickets are available at the door only — no phone or web orders. Guests may enter any time after 10am. If you know someone in education who would like to visit the Museum, please share!
Did you know?
...that, according to HistoryLink, on today’s date in 1887, the Washington territorial supreme court declared the woman suffrage act of 1883 unconstitutional by a vote of two to one? Of course, voters (all male) approved a state constitutional amendment passed by the Washington State Legislative (all male) to provide women (not all, though) the right to vote in 1910, ten years prior to the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution having been ratified in 1920 -- but think what might have been back in 1883…
Today’s moment of inspiration
 Civil Eats is telling the story of a hopeful sign as we start (hopefully) to recover from the pandemic. As you may remember, here in Seattle, we banned the use of plastic bags several years ago, and other local governments have followed suit. However, you may have noticed that during the pandemic, the use of single-use plastics has skyrocketed.
According to the story, the momentum to wean ourselves off of plastic “...came to a halt when stopping the spread of COVID-19 became the country’s top priority. Almost overnight, grocery stores closed their bulk-shopping sections, coffee shops stopped filling reusable coffee mugs, and individually wrapped everything took center stage.”
Now there are signs that communities, businesses and individuals are resuming their efforts against plastic waste. According to the article, “One of the most notable of those signs came from Kroger last month, when the nation’s largest grocery chain announced it was expanding an online trial with Loop, an online platform for refillable packaging, to 25 Fred Meyer store locations in Portland, Oregon.”
The movement is driven by consumers, as the Civil Eats article explains: “The growth in concern from customers—driven largely by the increase in public awareness of the world’s waste crisis and plastic’s long-term impacts like microplastic pollution in the oceans, in addition to mounting evidence about health impacts from substances like phthalates and bisphenols that can leach from plastic into food—is clear.”
There’s much more to this story - - including updates on several other grocers and retailers we are all familiar with. Read the full story here.
Additional helpful and informative links
- Live: Coronavirus daily news updates, February 3: What to know today about COVID-19 in the Seattle area, Washington state and the world – The Seattle Times
- A different COVID-19 vaccine debate: Do we need new ones? – AP News
- When to get free N95 masks from QFC and Fred Meyer in WA – The Seattle Times
- ‘Take back life’: More nations ease coronavirus restrictions – AP News
- Strained US hospitals seek foreign nurses amid visa windfall – AP News
- Where are hospitals overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients? Look up your state - NPR
- With COVID staffing crunch, who’s going to teach the kids? – AP News
- Army to immediately start discharging vaccine refusers – AP News
- King County homeless shelters left to deal with omicron mostly on their own – The Seattle Times
- WA counties rejected ballots from people of color, men, younger voters at higher rates – The Seattle Times
- States seek to protect election workers amid growing threats – AP News
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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