We stand in solidarity with our Asian American & Pacific Islander community

from Public Health Insider

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-Asian racism and xenophobia have shaken and traumatized our communities. We denounce racism, colorism, and any actions taken to harm someone because of their race or place of origin.

In response to this hate, we see art as an important form of community healing. Today, we’re sharing art pieces from some incredible local artists — Che Sehyun, Yvonne Chan, Toka Valu, and Tori Shao — who have shared their art with us to celebrate the power of community care, the healing potential of our traditions, and the vision of collective liberation.

Read more here.

Is It True? COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Checking

It is easy to come across incorrect information about the safety of the coronavirus vaccine. Some of the misinformation circulating online and by word of mouth is unsettling. It can be hard to know what to believe, so Public Health – Seattle & King County created a webpage to help you understand the facts.

FACT: The COVID-19 vaccine will not infect you with the coronavirus.

Misinformation: There has been misinformation that COVID-19 vaccines could give you COVID-19.

Reality: There is no virus in mRNA vaccines, like the approved Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. Some vaccines contain weakened versions of the virus that they are seeking to protect against, but the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines do not. They use mRNA, a “molecular blueprint” that the human body naturally produces, to instruct our cells to make a protein that looks exactly like the one found on the surface of the COVID-19 virus. The body learns to identify that protein so that it can step up an immune response if a COVID-19 virus enters the body. Since there is no COVID-19 virus at all in the vaccine, it can’t cause a COVID-19 infection.

Get the facts and answers to your questions here.

What to know about getting a COVID-19 vaccine

Our state is now in Phase 1a and Phase 1b, Tier 1 and Tier 2 for vaccine distribution and many King County employees who have been on the front lines during the pandemic are now eligible, including staff working in congregate settings in public transit, corrections, courts, and first responders not covered under earlier phases.

Read the updates here.  

2021 Employee Survey participation update

Close to half of all eligible employees have already completed the 2021 Employee Engagement Survey and let County leaders know about their experiences at King County. The deadline to participate is Friday, March 26.

As of Thursday morning, March 18, nearly 46% of participating employees have completed the survey. You can see a complete breakdown of participation rates here.

If you haven’t completed the survey, look in your King County inbox for an email from KC Employee Survey (kcemployeesurvey@us.confirmit.com) with the subject line “Welcome to the King County 2021 Employee Survey.”

Read more here. 

Transit Appreciation Week 

Transit Appreciation Week is an opportunity to acknowledge the transit employees who keep our buses, Water Taxi, Light Rail, Streetcar, and Access fleet moving. It’s also a time to let you know about the Metro staff that you might not see, but who are vital to the smooth operation of your trip. 

Read more here. 

National Nutrition Month with the new WW

March is National Nutrition month, which is a great time to find new cooking inspiration and learn how to add more nutrition to your daily meals. Balanced You is highlighting recipes and tips available through our program partner, WW (Weight Watchers reimagined).

WW is a reimagined, flexible approach to improving overall wellness that focuses on creating a healthier relationship with food and mood.

Take a look at some easy food swaps and learn more about the WW discount you receive as a King County employee.

Mindfulness classes      

Balanced You continues to sponsor Mindfulness classes through the winter months. Mindfulness is a practice that uses breath work, visualization, and other skills to support you in reducing stress at work and at home.

• Introduction to Mindfulness - During the hour-long Introduction to Mindfulness workshop, participants will review how mindfulness can help reduce stress, what reactivity and burnout are, and the science that supports mindfulness. Participants will also learn several simple, but effective mindfulness practices that they can integrate into their lives right away.
  • Tuesday, March 23 from 4-5 p.m.
  • Register here - free

• Meeting Anxiety with Mindfulness – Online – Feeling anxious? Overwhelmed? Exhausted? You're not alone. Take a break with this calming session. You'll learn simple, effective tools to manage stress at work and home. This class is free
  • Thursday, March 25 from 1-3 p.m.
  • Register here - free

Pet of the Week: Optimus

Hi! My name is Optimus (A530542) and I am available for adoption. I'm an American Foxhound mix, who's almost seven years old. I weigh about 120 pounds but I have gained a bit of extra body mass and will need help getting back to a healthy weight in my new home - this will mean regular walks for exercise and regulated meals and treats.

I am an affectionate lovebug who would be thrilled to cuddle up with you at home. I'm also a very smart dog! I know to "sit", "stay", "come", and "shake". I am very motivated to work for yummy food, so much of my feeding could take place in training sessions and enrichment feeding.

You can find out more about me and my other friends on our website at  www.kingcounty.gov/adoptapet. Note that RASKC has moved to adoptions by appointment only. If you have more questions, you can contact RASKC by phone at 206-296-7387 (PETS) or email pets@kingcounty.gov.

Featured Job: Transit Utility Service Worker