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).
Quote of the Day:
“The most important thing is to actually think about what you do. To become aware and actually think about the effect of what you do on the environment and on society. That's key, and that underlies everything else.” – Dr. Jane Goodall, 2010
COVID News
COVID cases rising in King County
 COVID cases are starting to rise again in King County, with 77.5 new cases per 100,000 residents in the past seven days. If you have not yet been vaccinated, or need to get your booster shot, please do so ASAP. As of last week, according to KUOW’s reporting on the data from Public Health and the Washington State Department of Health (DOH - - see article below), “Cases have risen 26% in King County over the last seven days, an average of 213 daily cases. Hospitalizations in King County have risen 58% (five average hospitalizations daily).” What hasn’t been going up so much is the number of new deaths which is definitely good news – hopefully to continue!
See the articles below for more information.
- Pandemic updates: Covid cases tick up in King County – KUOW
- COVID-19 infections again rising in King County. No cause for alarm yet, say health officials – The Seattle Times
Second booster dose recommended for some individuals
People age 50 and older and certain immunocompromised individuals can now get a second booster dose of an mRNA (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) COVID-19 vaccine at least four months after receiving their initial booster dose. The DOH updated its booster dose recommendations following guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup. See this page for details and see the following article for more information.
- Should you get another COVID booster? Consider these factors – The Seattle Times
- Who really needs a second COVID booster? Here’s what to know – AP News
- What do scientists think about second boosters? – The New York Times
Help is available for those isolating or quarantining at home
 If you need food or other assistance while you isolate or quarantine at home due to COVID, help is available through the COVID hotline. Call 1-800-525-0127, then press # The hotline is open Monday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and from Tuesday through Sunday 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wondering about the difference between isolation and quarantine? Here are the definitions:
- Quarantine is for people who are not currently showing symptoms but are at increased risk for having been exposed to an infectious disease. Quarantine is for people who could become sick and spread the infection to others.
- Isolation is used for people who are currently ill and able to spread the disease and who need to stay away from others in order to avoid infecting them. See the links below for more information.
- Recently updated isolation/quarantine guidance from Public Health
- Additional information on isolation and quarantine is available on the County’s COVID FAQ page under the “Federal, state, and local Public Health response to COVID-19” category.
- Exposed to COVID-19? What to do next – Washington State DOH blog
Equity in vaccination is a community effort
 Photo by Ben Stocking
Community organizations have been crucial partners with Public Health, in helping to organize vaccination events, like one (shown in the photo above) held at the Beverly Park Baptist Church in White Center organized by the Khmer Health Board and the Khmer Community of Seattle and King County.
According to Public Health’s Insider blog, “As of this month, over 85% of all eligible King County residents have completed their vaccination series.” The high levels of vaccination are striking given the existing and continuing inequities that have created obstacles to vaccination for people.
County Business and Other News and Events
This week at the Council
As this was the fifth week of the month, the full County Council did not meet directly, nor did most Council Committees, except for a special meeting of the Regional Policy Committee. Instead, Councilmembers participated in an all-day Council retreat which marked the first time we’ve been together in person in over two years.
Yesterday in the Regional Policy Committee, there was an informative and comprehensive discussion on Restorative Community Pathways, a cutting-edge juvenile diversion program funded by the County and established in conjunction with the Office of the King County Prosecuting Attorney, as well as a briefing from Public Health on the opioid crisis, and a motion relating to next year’s potential renewal of the Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy. You can watch the video from that meeting here.
County Council’s Womxn’s History Month Panel
 Also yesterday, we heard from five inspiring and powerful leaders! Karen, Toshiko, Cherryl, Sarah and Victoria (see details below) brought such honesty, power and humor to yesterday’s Womxn’s History Month panel, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have been the convenor and moderator with such terrific, wise panelists. If you didn’t get a chance to see it, I would highly recommend checking it out here. Thank you to the King County Legislative Branch Equity and Social Justice Team and the KC Women's Advisory Board for co-sponsoring, and to Reeni Nair, Tanya Matthews, and King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci for providing welcoming remarks.
Yesterday’s panelists were:
- Karen Arlette Gamez Lopez, Immigrant Rights Advocate and Community Organizer, Career Pathways Navigator for the WA Department of Children, Youth, and Families
- Commissioner Toshiko Hasegawa, Port of Seattle Position 4
- Cherryl Jackson-Williams, Family and Community Engagement Advocate, Member of King County Districting Committee
- Councilmember Sarah Perry, King County Council District 3
- Victoria Santos, Director of Strategic Development and Wellness Initiatives and one of the Co-Founders of the BIPOC ED Coalition of Washington State
Next week at the Council
Note: Council meetings are still being held remotely.
Law, Justice, Health and Human Services Committee: Tuesday, April 5th at 9:30 a.m. Briefing on King County’s Criminal Justice Transformation Work. Discussion of a motion requesting that the executive prepare an assessment report to inform possible renewal of the voter-approved veterans, seniors and human services levy. Discussion and possible action on motions on an independent report related to confinement of juveniles in county detention facilities and on a report on use of electronic home monitoring as an alternative to secure detention for adult and juvenile detainees. Action on appointments. The agenda, meeting materials and instructions on providing public comment are available on this page.
Full Council meeting: Tuesday, April 5th at 1 p.m. Recognition of annual Blessing of the Fleet. Public hearing and potential action on ordinances ratifying the Salmon Habitat Plan 2021 Update Green/Duwamish and Central Puget Sound Watershed; approving Fall 2022 public transportation service changes for King County; approving changes to the County Board of Health; and one relating to the sale of surplus property. Motions accepting the King County-Cities Climate Collaboration (K4C) 2022 Work Plan and Budget and confirming several appointments. The agenda, meeting materials and instructions on providing public comment are available on this page.
Committee of the Whole: Wednesday, April 6th at 9:30 a.m. Briefings on the County’s COVID response and a recap of the state legislative session. Discussion and possible action on an ordinance implementing the district court redistricting committee’s amendment to the districting plan, an ordinance relating to King County district court electoral district boundaries for 2022, and a motion declaring King County's support for the Cities for Citizenship initiative and directing the executive to sign the county onto the initiative as a participating community. The agenda, meeting materials and instructions on providing public comment are available on this page.
Regional Water Quality Committee: Wednesday, April 6th at 3 p.m. Reports from the Metropolitan Water Pollution Abatement Advisory Committee and the County’s Wastewater Treatment Division. Briefing on Sewer Rates and Capacity Charge and on Decennial Flow Monitoring/Conveyance System Improvement Program. The agenda, meeting materials and instructions on providing public comment are available on this page.
A warning from Public Health: Read this if you like eating raw oysters
 According to the Public Health Insider blog, Public Health has recently received multiple reports of people getting sick with norovirus-like illness (nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea) after eating raw oysters in restaurants. In just March alone, Public Health received reports of 13 people whose illnesses are likely linked to eating raw oysters. An additional 14 people became sick after being in close contact with the ill people who ate oysters. Most of the additional illnesses are among family members. Read the full story at the link above, and you may also be interested in this article:
- Raw Oysters linked to uptick in King County norovirus reports – Patch
King County Parks is the largest park system in the nation to earn Salmon-Safe certification
 After a rigorous review by the environmental nonprofit “Salmon-Safe” and its independent science team, King County Parks has become the largest park system in the country to earn this certification. The evaluation by Salmon-Safe concluded that the County Parks Department operations and practices protect downstream water quality and benefit threatened salmon species. The certification shows how King County Parks operates more than 200 parks, 175 miles of regional trails, 215 miles of backcountry trails, and 30,000 acres of open space. You can read the full story here.
K-12 resources on stormwater, ecology and other topics for Puget Sound educators
 K-12 educators can now find updated STEM lessons and resources about ecology, clean water, runoff and stormwater. Also available are resources for teacher training and information on grant funding. See this page for links to all available environmental education resources from the County and see the links below for more information.
- Elementary Stormwater Runoff Education Resource Guide (pdf)
- Secondary Stormwater Runoff Education Resource Guide (pdf)
You may also be interested in the resources on this page from King County: Northwest natural yard and garden.
The official 2022 King County Noxious Weed List contains new additions
Rough Chervil, Chaerophyllum temulum, a new addition to this year's list.
Every year the King County Noxious Weed Control Board holds a public meeting to create the current year’s Noxious Weed List. The 2022 King County Noxious Weed List was made official in January and includes updates that are adopted from the annual Washington State Noxious Weed List as well as county-specific updates that are recommended by the noxious weed control program staff. This year’s update included six new weed additions and several changes to last year’s list. Read the full story – and see the list - here.
Metro’s battery bus fleet celebrates opening of charging facility and beginning of battery-electric bus service
 King County Executive Dow Constantine and King County Metro celebrated the opening of the test charging facility for Metro’s battery-electric fleet alongside the cities of Seattle and Tukwila, Seattle City Light, and representatives of New Flyer. The first battery-electric buses began service yesterday.
The opening of the new charging facility is a first step towards achieving Metro’s commitment to transition the fleet to zero-emission vehicles powered by renewable energy by 2035. The state-of-the-art facility is located in a community that has historically borne the brunt of the impact of air pollution. Read the full story here.
Reminder: Minor weekday service reductions on Metro
A reminder that Metro is making minor reductions to weekday bus service. Metro still will provide 99% of its more than 11,000 scheduled weekday bus trips across more than 160 routes. You can find the complete list of planned canceled trips here. These canceled trips will not operate due to ongoing workforce challenges. Metro continues to hire, train, and promote transit operators to provide bus, rail and streetcar service across King County.
2021 King County Elections Annual Report
 In 2021 King County Elections managed five elections and increased voter education and transparency. The full report on the Elections department’s accomplishments in 2021 can be downloaded here.
County funding opportunities
County Solid Waste Division funding available, Info session on April 6th
King County Solid Waste Division is making $1.8 million in funding available for local recycling, reuse and waste reduction projects through its Re+ Circular Economy Grant Program. Proposers are eligible for $20,000 to $300,000 per project. The application deadline is Friday, May 6th at 2 p.m. For full details, including language assistance and to apply, see this page. You may also want to attend an optional virtual information session on April 6th from 1 – 3 p.m., see the link above for details.
Two funding opportunities open with Best Starts for Kids (BSK) program
 The first BSK funding opportunity is a request for application (RFA) for the Infant Mortality Prevention Network. BSK, in partnership with Public Health and the City of Seattle Human Services Department, is requesting applications from community-based organizations to expand and deepen their existing programs and services that support healthy pregnancies, births, babies, and families. This funding opportunity closes on April 19th at 2 p.m. See this page for full details.
The second BSK funding opportunity is a request for proposal (RFP) for the “Stopping the School to Prison Pipeline” program. BSK seeks to partner with King County organizations to create opportunities and provide community-based resources that help dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline and expand pathways from school to life success for young people between the ages of 12-24 who face systemic and institutional racism within our criminal legal system, schools, and communities. This funding opportunity closes on May 9th at 9 a.m. See this page for full details.
This Sunday: The 94th annual Blessing of the Fleet
 As our Seattle fishing community prepares for another season of harvesting the sea, Ballard First Lutheran Church is as always hosting the annual Blessing of the Fleet this Sunday, April 3rd, at 2 p.m. at Fishermen’s Terminal. This year’s event will be held in person and the public is invited to the free event.
The annual Blessing of the Fleet honors the North Pacific Fishing Fleet, a key component of Seattle’s commercial fishing industry and an important part of the regional economy. The blessing asks for the safety of those who travel the seas, a fruitful harvest and good stewardship of their work, so the seas can be sustainable for future generations.
Did you know?
… that, according to HistoryLink, on today’s date in 1889, “…the first regularly scheduled electric [trolley] car [ran] over a Seattle trolley line formerly powered by a pair of horses? For about a year, this line remain[ed] the only electric streetcar line on the Pacific Coast.”
Today’s moment of inspiration
 Photo by David Fleetham/Alamy Stock
This is another story about an unexpected upside to the pandemic: Increased resilience and food security for Pacific Islanders. Hakai Magazine has a fascinating story about how pandemic restrictions, supply chain problems and market closures led communities to find creative solutions to keeping their neighbors fed.
According to the story, “Market closures and travel restrictions meant Solodamu [a village on Fiji’s coast] residents couldn’t raise cash by regular means such as selling produce in neighboring towns, or kava root in the capital city of Suva. But there were fewer financial obligations, too: churches and schools dropped their calls for donations, while weddings were cancelled and funerals kept to small numbers… Strong communal obligations ensured no one went hungry.”
According to the story, people in Fiji established and expanded community gardens, which many urban returnees relied on before their own plantings were ready for harvest. In Tuvalu, traditional food preservation techniques were brought back. Bartering also returned, sometimes with an updated twist. “The Facebook group Barter for Better Fiji, for instance, was founded in May 2020 and within a week had over 90,000 members.”
Solodamu resident Suliasi Lau looks back at the COVID lockdown of early 2020 with a note of nostalgia. “It was a beautiful time,” he told Hakai Magazine. “We couldn’t go to the shops because of the pandemic, but we could go fishing for free. We had a huge supply of greens like taro leaves, bele, and lettuces, and there were plenty of root crops—taro, yams, and cassava.”
This phenomenon was confirmed in a new study, entitled, “Local practices and production confer resilience to rural Pacific food systems during the COVID-19 pandemic”
There’s much more to this inspiring story, which I encourage you to read here.
Additional helpful and informative links
- The more contagious BA.2 version of omicron is now the most common in the U.S. – KUOW
- Live: Coronavirus daily news updates, March 31: What to know today about COVID-19 in the Seattle area, Washington state and the world – The Seattle Times
- Enumclaw COVID testing site closing April 1 – The Courier-Herald
- Improved cell response seen with ‘hybrid’ immunity – UW Medicine News
- Experts worry about how US will see next COVID surge coming – AP/The Seattle Times
- Americans ease up on masks, virus safeguards: AP-NORC poll – AP News
- 21 states file lawsuit to end federal mask mandate for public transportation – CNN
- Pandemic took a toll on teen mental health, CDC report says – The AP/ Stat News
- New maps show strong correlation between redlined places in Seattle and worse air quality – The Seattle Times
- Initiative Would Pave the Way for Social Housing in Seattle – PubliCola
- King County lost population last year for the first time in almost 50 years – The Seattle Times
- County Proposal Would Expand Right to Counsel Before Warrantless Searches – PubliCola
- County leaders move to explore publicly-manufactured concrete amid workers strike – The Bellevue Reporter
- Concrete-driver strike affecting Lynnwood light rail work – The Everett Herald
- West Seattle Bridge repair on track to finish in ‘mid-2022’ with concrete drivers’ limited return – MyNorthwest
- Editorial: People are pissed’: Seattle deserves a public-safety summit – The Seattle Times
- Ballard business leaders call for action after latest shooting – KOMO News
- Opinion: The benefits of King County’s juvenile diversion program – The Kent Reporter
- WA Legislature passes bill giving moviemakers more incentives to film in state – The Seattle Times
- British Columbia and Washington state aim to develop transboundary Nooksack flooding prevention and response initiative – Governor’s office press release
- Energy agency: 'Radical action' needed to hit climate goals – AP News
Keep in touch
Thank you again for taking the time to read my updates, which I am now sending out once a week. 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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