Update on rollout of COVID-19 vaccines

Dear fellow King County employee,

Last week I announced $7 million to create high-volume community vaccination sites and mobile teams so that as many people as possible in our community can receive COVID-19 vaccinations as quickly as possible.

My strategy is closely aligned with Washington State Department of Health (DOH) guidance for vaccine allocation, prioritization, and distribution. DOH has released a priority plan for vaccinating people in the next tiers, starting with Tier B1 potentially later this month. It has also released a chart showing estimated timelines for vaccine distribution, which contains some professions in which many County employees work, including corrections, transit, and law enforcement.

The rollout of vaccines is exciting news and is central to our efforts to end this pandemic, and people are anxiously awaiting news on when they may be eligible for vaccination. Read more.

New work from local artists depicts the impacts of COVID-19 and racism

Crossposted from Public Health Insider.

New works by seven local artists and community creatives offer fresh ways of understanding the intersection of the COVID-19 pandemic with race, bias and culture.

The art features messages of hope and resilience and emphasizes that our health and well-being as individuals, and as a community, depends on one another.

These works are a direct response to the bias and stigma that we saw grow out of the of the COVID-19 pandemic. They not only help us reflect on the community solidarity that we have consistently seen throughout this pandemic response, but also suggest ways of creating a better future, during this uncertain time. Samples of the artwork follow, below. Read more.

(Above: Matt Echohawk-Hayashi, “In Our Community Whatever Affects One Affects All”)

Reminder: 2021 Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration, January 14

Community members and King County employees are invited to join in honoring our nation’s foremost human rights leader and King County’s namesake, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, in a virtual celebration on Thursday, Jan. 14.

The theme for the 2021 Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration is “Creating the Beloved Community” and the accompanying quote is “A democracy cannot thrive where power remains unchecked and justice is reserved for a select few. Ignoring these cries and failing to respond to this movement is simply not an option — for peace cannot exist where justice is not served.” – US Congressman John Lewis. Read more.

(Above: Tsehaye Hadish, Beneath the Colors and Beyond the Strokes)

Free live, virtual exercises classes for King County employees continue with news days and times

In response to employee requests, Balanced You, in partnership with Vivecorp, continues to offer free, live, virtual exercise classes.  King County employees and anyone in their home, including children, are welcome to join. Classes are on Zoom, and, due to popular demand, we have added some additional classes and times!

Total Body Strength Class: Mondays at noon and Wednesdays at 5 p.m. This class is designed to focus on total body muscular strength and endurance. Equipment can be used but is not required to attend. All fitness levels welcome.

Yoga Class: Tuesdays at 5 p.m. and Fridays at noon. This class offers a yoga practice with a strong emphasis on deep breathing, core connection, and overcoming stiffness or pain in the body. All fitness levels welcome.

To register for classes, visit www.vivecorp.com/balancedyou using Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge as your browser. (Note: Internet Explorer is not compatible with the Vivecorp site.) For more information, visit this Balanced You blogpost.

Training on Teams coming up

Employee webinar: The Role of Hope, Joy, and Resilience

Please join us for our upcoming webinar, “The Role of Hope, Joy and Resilience” which will be held on January 13, 2021, from 1 to 2 p.m. This event will provide an opportunity for King County employees to acknowledge that we have gone through a lot in the last year and will show how finding hope and joy during these uncertain times may help us start the new year off right. The panel will be coordinated by Balanced You and our community partner, Mindfulness Northwest. We hope you will join us for this important discussion!

• Jan. 13, 2021 | 1-2 p.m. (PST) | Register here.

Special Online Event for Veteran and Military Employees, January 21, Noon - 1:30 p.m.

King County is hosting a special online event for veteran and military employees on Jan. 21. Employees and family members are invited to join us for one or all of the virtual presentations below. Register here (open only to King County employees and family members).

The event will include three segments:

• Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Award Presentation, featuring King County Executive Dow Constantine
• Veterans Benefits, Resources and Q &A
• Veteran/Military Affinity Group (V-MAG) Mission Statement

Read more and register.

King County funds community COVID-19 vaccination programs to speed health and economic recovery

To contain COVID-19 and fully re-open the region, Public Health -- Seattle & King County estimates that it will be necessary to vaccinate at least 70 percent of all adults, or approximately 1.26 million people.

Vaccines for high-risk health care personnel and staff and residents in long-term care facilities, designated as phase “1A” by state officials, kicked off on Dec. 17.

Executive Constantine put into place an aggressive strategy to rapidly roll out community vaccinations to ensure equitable access and reach people as quickly as possible. These sites are particularly important for individuals who are not connected to the health care system, who work multiple jobs or face barriers to accessing health care such as availability during regular business hours. Read more.