COVID-19 Data Updates
For up-to-date information on cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the County, see the Daily COVID-19 outbreak summary dashboard. The links to the data by demographics and geography are on the same page.
View all County COVID-related Data Dashboards here, including vaccination rates and outcomes according to vaccination status
View the most recent statewide COVID-19 data from the state Department of Health (DOH).
The graphs below show today’s reported cases, hospitalizations and deaths in King County. Great news that the rates are all continuing downward!
  
Quote of the Day:
“I always said if I lived to get grown and had a chance, I was going to try to get something for my mother and I was going to do something for the black man of the South if it would cost my life; I was determined to see that things were changed.” Civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer, 1965
COVID News
Data dashboard shows how vaccinated and boosted people have weathered the omicron surge
 According to this new article on Public Health’s Insider blog, “King County residents who have gotten a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccines are far less likely to get seriously ill than people who aren’t fully vaccinated, according to a newly updated data tool from Public Health – Seattle & King County...The data reported on the Outcomes by Vaccination Status dashboard has shown consistently that the vaccines are working.” Read the full story here.
The latest headlines on Omicron and its sub-variant
Although indications right now are that the pandemic appears to be “winding down” or “becoming endemic,” there are still plenty of concerns out there about the next iteration of this virus, as it has not stopped spreading across the globe and continues to mutate. Of particular concern right now is Omicron’s sub-variant, BA.2. You may be interested in these news stories:
- More contagious version of omicron spreads in U.S., fueling worries – KUOW
- As BA.2 subvariant of Omicron rises, lab studies point to signs of severity – CNN
- Is omicron leading us closer to herd immunity against COVID? – AP News
- Video: Watch: How — and why — coronaviruses mutate – Stat News
- As ‘stealth omicron’ advances, scientists are learning more – AP News
Blood donations desperately needed right now
 Public Health put out this call for help yesterday on twitter: “We're sorry to hound you - but the Red Cross is facing its worst blood shortage in 10+ years. In thanks for your pawsome support, get a $10 Gift Card from Amazon by email when you give blood or platelets in February [by Monday].” Sign up here to donate: http://rcblood.org/3qXIhND
Tomorrow: Two free vaccine community events
 - Join Public Health at St. Vincent de Paul's Thrift Store in Burien (13445 1st Avenue) for a community vaccination event tomorrow, Friday, February 25th, from 2 – 5 p.m. COVID-19 vaccinations are always free, no insurance is required. Moderna, Pfizer, and J&J available for those eligible over five years old. No appointment is needed.
- Also tomorrow, the University District Food Bank is holding a community vaccination event from noon to 2:30 p.m. COVID-19 vaccines & boosters are free, no insurance is needed. Pfizer, Moderna, or J&J available for those eligible over five years old. Appointments are requested -- see this page: http://bit.ly/udvax
Insurance Commissioner Kreidler extends emergency order on coronavirus testing and surprise billing to March 29
Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has extended two emergency orders. His order requiring health insurers to waive copays and deductibles for any consumer requiring testing for the coronavirus (COVID-19) and his order protecting consumers from receiving surprise bills for lab fees related to medically necessary diagnostic testing for COVID-19 are both extended until March 29. Read the full story here.
CDC releases two new reports on the health and well-being of children during the pandemic
The first report looked at pediatric emergency department visits. The study found that COVID-19-related emergency department visits increased across all pandemic years and among pediatric age groups, while overall pediatric emergency department visits decreased in 2020, 2021, and in January 2022 compared with visits in 2019.
The second report examined changes in pediatric emergency department visits for mental health conditions and found that adolescent girls (12–17 years) accounted for the largest increases in the number and proportion of emergency department visits for mental health conditions in 2020, 2021, and in January 2022 compared with 2019. Read more here.
Update on COVID protocols in County Superior Court
 Councilmembers received the following update last week from the Hon. Patrick Oishi, the Presiding Judge at King County Superior Court: “Governor Inslee announced Washington’s indoor mask mandate will expire for most public settings on March 21. But for the time being, the Court will stay the course with our current public health measures such as masking and social distancing. I will consult with our public health experts and senior leadership team to chart our public health course forward into the endemic phase. I absolutely foresee us taking a phased approach to lifting or adjusting the measures we have put in place.”
You may also be interested in this news on the County Superior Court. Congratulations to new Superior Court Judges Haydee Vargas and Jason Holloway!
- Inslee appoints two judges to King County Superior Court – Governor’s office press release
County Business and Other News and Events
Next week at the Council
Note: Council meetings are still being held remotely.
Law, Justice, Health and Human Services Committee: Tuesday, March 1st at 9:30 a.m. Discussion and possible action on the Restorative Community Pathways program’s implementation and on potentially pausing referrals to the program, and requesting the King County Prosecutor engage with South King County Mayors. Briefing from Executive Constantine’s office on King County’s criminal justice transformation work. The agenda, meeting materials and instructions on providing public comment are available on this page.
Full Council: Tuesday, March 1st at 1:00 p.m. The agenda is not yet finalized, but will include a proclamation recognizing March as Women’s History Month in King County. Once final, the agenda, meeting materials and instructions on providing public comment will be available on this page.
Committee of the Whole: Wednesday, March 2nd at 9:30 a.m. Briefing from Budget Director Dwight Dively on the County’s COVID status and response. Discussion and possible action on a motion requesting the executive establish an equitable development initiative (EDI) and prepare an implementation plan. The agenda, meeting materials and instructions on providing public comment are available on this page.
Regional Water Quality Committee – Special Meeting: Wednesday, March 2nd at 3:15 p.m. Reports on the Metropolitan Water Pollution Abatement Advisory Committee (MWPAAC) and the Wastewater Treatment Division. Discussion and possible action on the committee’s workplan. Briefing from the Wastewater Treatment Division staff on a proposed 2023 Sewer Rate/Capacity Charge. The agenda, meeting materials and instructions on providing public comment are available on this page.
Council recognizes the 80th anniversary of Executive Order 9066
 Image by Densho
At last Tuesday’s meeting of the full Council, my colleagues Councilmembers Claudia Balducci and Rod Dembowski joined me in reading a recognition of the 80th anniversary of Executive Order 9066, authorizing the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. We were joined in presenting this recognition by Tom Ikeda, ED of Densho. Sadly, Tom is retiring from having served as the executive director of Densho for 26 years. Best wishes to you, Tom. Video from the Council meeting can be viewed on this page. The recognition begins at approximately minute 2:18.
Executive Order 9066 was signed by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on February 19th, 1942. Without due process, about 120,000, including 9,600 in King County, Japanese Americans were forcibly removed from their homes and incarcerated for years in the United States’ version of concentration camps.
Great participation in last night’s Town Hall!
Last night, we had a lively and informative conversation with King County leaders on housing stability, public health, and community safety. We discussed the County’s response to homelessness, behavioral health challenges, affordable housing shortages, and how residents can get involved. I really appreciated the candor of the conversation and if you missed it, I would highly recommend watching it here.
Thank you very much to our speakers, Vazaskia Crockrell, Division Director for Community Health Service, Public Health -- Seattle and King County; Lisa Daugaard, Co-Executive Director/Policy, Public Defender Association; Marc Dones, CEO, King County Regional Homelessness Authority; Leo Flor, Director, King County Department of Community and Human Services; and Dennis Worsham, Interim Director, Public Health -- Seattle and King County, for sharing your insights and expertise with me and the residents of District Four as well as others. Thanks also to those who submitted questions in advance and during the event. I wish we would have had time to take up all of them but we did get to as many as time allowed. And while we did not have anyone from law enforcement on the panel, we did discuss what the County can and does do in addressing community safety (Seattle Police Department, not the County, has jurisdiction in the City of Seattle).
Used – but still usable – County vans being donated: Deadline is March 8
 Each year, Metro retires vans from its vanpool fleet and the Council grants some of those vans to community organizations that serve people in need. The vans can be used only to transport customers with special needs (seniors, low-income, youth or people with disabilities). Understanding that it’s challenging to transport people safely during a pandemic, the Council amended the Code last year to allow that, during the declared COVID-19 emergency, organizations may use their van to transport goods and supplies to people with special needs. Once the Executive’s declaration of emergency is lifted, the rules revert back and organizations will need to use their van only to transport clients with special needs.
Contact my Chief of Staff, Adam Cooper by March 4th for more information. He can be reached at Adam.Cooper@kingcounty.gov or by phone at 206-477-3763.
Board of Health repeals bicycle helmet law; I was sole “no” vote
 Last Thursday, the King County Board of Health voted to repeal the 1993 law requiring bicycle helmets based on well-documented disproportionate enforcement of the law. I was the sole Councilmember to vote “no” on the repeal. While I was the Board member who brought the issue of discriminatory enforcement of the law to the attention of the Board a year ago and obtained its agreement to add it to our 2021 Workplan, I did not believe the “solution” had sufficient merit. The clear majority of public comments provided at the Board of Health meeting came from the medical community, including ER docs, the brain injury alliance, and parents of kids brain-damaged for life from riding helmetless when injured.
I believe the repeal vote took the cart before the horse instead of delaying implementation for one year while we determine options, e.g., increasing safety infrastructure, prohibiting enforcement, retaining the law for minors, providing free helmets, and mounting a public interest campaign, all of which I had as amendments. People of color and the homeless also suffer injuries and fatalities. Fortunately, as Budget Chair last year I included funding in a supplemental budget funding for a full-time staff position at Public Health to develop a helmet safety plan and coordinate distribution of free helmets to those in need.
There was a good deal of news coverage on this vote, including at the national level. You may be interested in these articles:
- King County Board of Health repeals decades-old helmet law – Crosscut (I’m quoted.)
- King County repeals bicycle helmet law over discriminatory enforcement concerns – MyNorthwest
- Seattle bike helmet rule is dropped amid racial justice concerns – The New York Times
- Are helmet laws racist? – Outside the Beltway
- SPD Jails Shoplifters for Thefts as Small as $6.99; Pedersen Unilaterally Installs Bike Board Member; Helmet Law Overturned – PubliCola
- Seattle Cyclists Decide The Probable Cause Probably Isn’t Worth It – Above the Law
- Discriminatory Enforcement Leads To Repeal Of Bicycle Helmet Law By Board Of Health – The Seattle Medium
- Do no harm: king county board of health repeals inequitably enforced bicycle helmet law – South Seattle Emerald
- King County repeals mandatory bicycle helmet law – The Seattle Times
- Repeal of helmet law is a sign of change both in bike advocacy and local politics – Seattle Bike Blog
Regional Homelessness Authority (RHA) opening cold-weather shelters
 Photo by Tristan Hess on Unsplash
If you or someone you know is in need of shelter from the current extreme nightly cold temperatures, see the RHA’s list of cold weather shelters throughout King County, including in Seattle. Families with children should call the King County Emergency Family Shelter intake line at 206-245-1026.
Since the frigid weather began earlier this week the Regional Homelessness Authority has opened or expanded four emergency shelters in Seattle, and 11 across the rest of King County. The RHA is working with outreach providers to offer additional warming supplies, including blankets and sleeping bags, hand and feet warmers, socks, hygiene supplies, and other items as needed. Outreach workers also have updated information about overnight cold weather shelter.
RHA has also partnered with providers to open for warming during the day, in particular, the King County Library Systemhas been doing an excellent job of hosting folks inside who need to get out of the cold.
Update on state legislative session from County staff
Councilmembers received a helpful email update from Council staff today on the status of the state legislative session, which has only two weeks remaining in this year’s short session.
The supplemental operating budgets from both chambers were released this week, allowing an opportunity to review all four major budget proposals (operating budget, capital budget, transportation budget, and the new Move Ahead WA transportation package). According to Council staff, “Normally supplemental operating budgets make tweaks to the full biennial budget passed in the previous year, and address emergent and urgent issues. However, due to increased revenue projections and remaining federal COVID relief dollars, the supplemental budget proposals this year are much more substantial than is typical in a supplemental year. The Senate is expected to vote on the operating budget Saturday, with the House expected to take action early next week, setting the stage for a conference committee to negotiate the budget in the final days of session.”
Certain proposals are especially important for King County, including funding for behavioral health, reinvestment grants to communities disproportionately impacted by criminal laws and penalties for illegal drugs, COVID public health response, motion picture location and production incentives, utility and rental assistance, and several more crucial proposed allocations. We’ll keep you updated here!
This Saturday: Info session on East Link Connections, survey open now
 King County Metro and Sound Transit are seeking feedback from Eastside residents and riders on the future bus and Link light rail network. Fast, reliable Link light rail will serve 10 new stations in 2023, and changes and improvements are proposed to more than 50 Metro and Sound Transit bus routes to serve riders better.
Take the survey on the project. Learn more details here. You are also invited to join Metro and Sound Transit to preview potential route changes, talk with service planners, and provide feedback. Attend the next virtual information session this Saturday, February 26 from 10 - 11 a.m. You can register here.
Reminder: March 8th is the deadline for Conservation Futures 2023 Funding
 King County Conservation Futures (CFT) grants are used to buy or conserve parks and open spaces used for low-impact recreation such as urban greenspaces, natural areas, forests, community gardens, farms, and trails. CFT grants can be awarded to cities, the county, park districts, and eligible 501c3 nonprofit nature conservancies and historic preservation associations. Applications for open space acquisition funding are due on March 8th. Visit the Conservation Futures application webpage for details, application, process, schedule, and policy guidance. For more information about Conservation Futures, see this page.
Artist grants available from 4Culture
4Culture has several funding opportunities coming up and throughout the year. Three grant workshops are happening next Tuesday and Wednesday. For details see this page. Tuesday’s grant workshop is on Heritage Projects. On Wednesday there is a workshop on Preservation Special Projects and one on Art Projects for Individuals. See the link above for details.
State Department of Health (DOH) launches science contest for high school students
The Washington State Department of Health’s (DOH) Washington Tracking Network (WTN) is launching the inaugural Washington Tracking Network Youth Science Contest.
The Washington Tracking Network (WTN) is a DOH program focused on making public health data more accessible. WTN's mission is to provide health and environmental data and tools, develop partnerships, and inform data-driven policy and programmatic decisions, with the goal of improving health and health equity in Washington.
The WTN Youth Science Contest provides an opportunity for high school students across Washington to develop their science and communication skills while working with health and environmental data from their own communities. For full details see this links above.
Climate change in the news... especially wildfires (sigh)
You may have noticed increasing news coverage of our climate crisis. At the start of the 55th Session of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which convened on February 14th, the head of the World Meteorological Organization (The UN weather agency) stated, “The impacts of climate change are already “very visible” and “happening worldwide.”
See the following recent articles for more information:
- As climate change costs mount, Biden seeks to price damages – AP News
- UN: Wildfires getting worse globally, governments unprepared – AP News
- Video: 'Fire season is now year-round': Here's how climate crisis fuels wildfires – CNN
- Facebook fell short of its promises to label climate change denial, a study finds – NPR
- Energy agency: Methane emissions higher than countries claim – AP News
Belltown Community Survey closes Sunday, February 27th
Residents of the Belltown neighborhood are invited to participate in a short survey regarding design concepts for a new public space at the southwest corner of 1st Ave and Battery St. For information on the project, see this page. To fill out the survey, click here.
Monday: “Human Trafficking: The Pathways to Prevention”
 The Office On Trafficking In Persons, an Office of the Administration for Children & Families within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is hosting a conversation with experts from the African American and Bi-racial community. You are invited to join the discussion next Monday, February 28th at 9:30 a.m. Pacific Time.
“Human Trafficking: The Pathways to Prevention” is a conversation on personal reflections on gaps in service provision, challenges, as well as what’s going right for survivors of color. For more information and to register see this page.
New international arrivals facility to be unveiled at Sea-Tac airport – March 3rd
 The Port of Seattle is inviting the public to join an online “Reveal Celebration” of its new International Arrivals Facility. The “unveiling” will take place next Thursday, March 3, and you can join at either 7 a.m. or 4 p.m. The streamed video program will go behind the scenes for a look at the construction of this one-of-a-kind facility. To register, click here.
Online panel discussion on Russia-Ukraine crisis: next Thursday
Well, this is certainly a timely announcement. The public is invited to join the Council on Foreign Relations (CRT) next Thursday, March 3rd, from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. (PST) for a discussion on the Russia-Ukraine crisis, U.S.-Russia relations, and implications for European security. Log-in information and instructions on how to participate during the question-and-answer portion will be provided the evening of Wednesday, March 2nd, to those who register. Video and transcript of this virtual meeting will be posted later on the CFR website. See this page to register and for more information.
Did you know?
... that, on today’s date in 1986 the King County Council passed a motion renaming King County to commemorate the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968), rather than William Rufus de Vane King (1786-1853), the vice-president-elect for whom the county was named in 1852? King County was originally named by the Oregon Territory Legislature in 1852. The Washington Territory was created in 1853. Compiled from this article by HistoryLink.
Today’s moment of inspiration
 Photo of Ellen Craft
This is a fascinating story of the struggle one couple undertook to escape slavery. Ellen and William Craft were an enslaved married couple. They lived in Georgia, and Ellen was half-white and very light skinned. Ellen posed as a white man and William posed as her (“his”) slave. They made a five-day journey to the north, with a number of incredibly close calls where they were almost discovered.
According to the story as told in this article in the Good News Network, “Neither spouse could read, and considering the need to sign agreements for payments, hotel guestbooks, and passenger logs, they decided to feign illness in her right arm by bandaging it, hanging it in a sling, and claiming they were visiting a specialist in Philadelphia.” They later wrote a memoir of the journey called, “Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom.”
This is an amazing story. Read more here, and take a look at their subsequent lives after the Civil War here.
Additional helpful and informative links
- CDC to significantly ease pandemic mask guidelines Friday – The Seattle Times
- Live: Coronavirus daily news updates, February 24: What to know today about COVID-19 in the Seattle area, Washington state and the world – The Seattle Times
- Opinion: Pandemic predictions are tricky. Except this one: U.S. hospitals are not ready for the new normal – Stat News
- CDC: Some people should wait longer for 2nd COVID shot – AP News
- US vaccination drive is bottoming out as omicron subsides – AP News
- Doctors find limited use for less effective Covid pill – KUOW
- COVID-19 pill shows more promise in reducing risk of hospitalization – The Seattle Times
- Pregnancy-related deaths climbed in pandemic’s first year – AP News
- Got a COVID booster? You probably won’t need another for a long time – The Seattle Times
- Who might benefit from a 4th shot — and who might not - NPR
- COVID-19 shots unlikely to prompt rare inflammation in kids – AP News
- How to prolong the life of your N95 and KN95 masks – The Seattle Times
- Fast, cheap test can detect COVID-19 virus’ genome without need for PCR – UW News
- At least 39 King County deputies fired as area faces 'public safety crisis' – KING 5 News
- Twenty years ago, a landmark report spotlighted systemic racism in medicine. Why has so little changed? – Stat News
- More buses idled as supply chain issues hit Seattle-area transit – The Seattle Times
- King County property tax bills are arriving soon. See what’s happening near you – The Seattle Times
- [City] Council Member’s Homelessness Plan Could Include 10 New Mass Encampments for Up to 600 People – PubliCola
- Seattle-area corporations, billionaires give $10M to address homelessness downtown – The Seattle Times
- Climate activists should worry that Seattle housing market is going through the roof – Forbes Magazine
- Premature deaths from guns expose another toll of the firearms crisis – NPR
- Trayvon Martin, 10 years later: Teen’s death changes nation – AP News
- The poetics of Barbara Earl Thomas – UW News
- Beekeepers using tracking devices to protect precious hives – AP News
- The Wise Owl, Seattle’s newest bookstore, is the culmination of a mother’s dream and daughter’s passion – The Seattle Times
Keep in touch
Thank you again for taking the time to read my updates, which I’m now sending out once a week, on 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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