[SEATTLE, Wash.] – (MTN) On Monday, Amazon announced the company was increasing the maximum base salary for full-time corporate offices employees from $160K to $350K a year, citing competitive pressure in a hot job market. A closer look at how Amazon has compensated tech workers in the past finds that the old model no longer works, and probably never will again.
When Jeff Bezos was CEO, the mantra for hiring was Amazon wanted, “missionaries, not mercenaries.” The company hired people who were closely aligned with their company values and who were more interested in the opportunity to work for Amazon, than the base salary and benefits.
In 2021 Amazon lost 50 people at the vice president level or higher, a significant brain drain, even for a company the size of Amazon. Low pay was a reason cited by a number of employees that departed in 2021 and left the company with significant staffing gaps. It is likely that some departures were fueled by Andy Jassy moving into the CEO role. It is not uncommon in the Fortune 100 for changes to be among the executive team with a new corporate leader, even during times of high satisfaction.
Amazon compensates its corporate office employees based on 11 different pay grades. having insight into how those levels work provides a better understanding of why Amazon is having hiring challenges.
For employees at the associate level, L1 to L3 in Amazon compensation speak, the change in the salary is meaningless. The next pay levels are L4 to L6, which is the backbone of Amazon’s engineering, product planning, marketing, and operations. At the higher levels, the salary cap combined with other forces has become problematic. The next group is senior managers, which are L7 to L8, and there is no L9. L10 are vice presidents, L11 are direct reports to the CEO, and L12 is the CEO. In simplified terms, you can think of L1 to L5 as non-commissioned officers in the military and L6 as the start of the officer ranks at 2nd lieutenant. At the top, L12 is equal to a four-star general.
Prior to 2021, the total compensation model worked well for Amazon. An employee would be offered a base salary. For an L6, that typically would be $150K to $160K a year. In addition, the new employee would receive a sizeable grant for Amazon Restricted Stock Units (RSU). The stock would vest over four years but on a schedule that was advantageous for Amazon. If a new employee was offered 600 shares of stock at $500 per share (simplified example) as part of their initial compensation package, the vesting schedule would look like this.
End of first year – 5% – $15,000
End of second year – 15% – $45,000
Six months later – 20% – $60,000
End of third year – 20% – $60,000
Six months later – 20% – $60,000
End of fourth year – 20% – $60,000
Employees would receive additional RSUs depending on their role, team, and performance that vested on the same schedule. After four years of full-time employment, the packages became extremely lucrative, with multiple grants vesting 20 percent at a time every six months.
The value of the RSUs is tied directly to the performance of the stock market, so the model above assumes the stock price never changed. On Aug. 23, 2015, Amazon stock closed at $482.18. A year later the stock was at $739.61 and the year after that it reached $1038.95. The next value at each vesting window were $1,362.44, $1,802, $1670.57, and $1,992.03. The real value of those RSUs for someone starting on July 24, 2015 would vest at these amounts.
End of first year – 5% – $22,188
End of second year – 15% – $93,505
Six months later – 20% – $163,493
End of third year – 20% – $216,240
Six months later – 20% – $200,468
End of fourth year – 20% – $239.040
The original total value of the stock went from $300,000 to $934,934. That is on top of the salary capped at $160,000 a year and wait, there’s more, a two-year signing bonus.
To provide a compensation bridge for employees who hit the salary cap, and would derive little to no benefit from the RSU shares until 2-1/2 years of employment, Amazon offered signing bonuses. To keep the example simple, an L6 employee could receive a bonus offer of $90,000 in additional compensation, paid out at $50,000 in the first year and $40,000 in the second. The bonus is guaranteed as long as they stay employed.
Over four years, wrongly assuming our hypothetical middle-manager never received another RSU share or an additional cash bonus, their total compensation would be valued at $1.67 million – $417,500 a year.
The average tenure at Amazon was under 12 months, so many didn’t even make it to the first vesting window for stock. For others, two years was enough, and the pay gap that was created between the second year vest and the start of acceleration was a bridge too far. For those who could thrive in the Amazon work environment, the path to becoming a millionaire was just three to four years away, until COVID arrived.
On Feb. 26, 2020 when the first COVID-related death occurred in the United States, Amazon stock closed at $1,979.59 a share. On July 7 it broke $3,000 and the stock has spent most of its time between $3,000 and $3,400 ever since. There have been a few peaks and valleys out of that range, but they have been short-lived.
Since the summer of 2020, the stock has been, for newer hires with visions of becoming a millionaire in under four years, flatlined. The chances that $300,000 in RSUs at hiring will be worth closer to $300,000 four years later has dramatically increased.
There is room for growth. Amazon’s market cap of $1.64 trillion is equal to the GDP of Canada, and several companies, including Microsoft, have reached a $2 trillion market cap. However, the handful of stocks that have reached that milestone, haven’t climbed much higher.
The acceleration of Amazon’s success as an e-commerce platform, an entertainment platform, and a provider of cloud computing services, all fueled by COVID, broke the existing compensation model. Additionally, with many tech companies fully embracing remote work, the competitive landscape to hire new talent also created new opportunities for talent already working for Amazon.
The reinvention of Microsoft and a major change in its corporate culture, along with the presence of tech giants Google, SAP, Facebook, eBay, TikTok, and Apple, have created a cutthroat job market for tech workers. The salary cap at Amazon, a flatlined stock, ethical questions about the treatment of warehouse workers, and a high-pressure work environment has taken away much of the allure of working for the global behemoth.
The high rate of employee churn has created another problem. Thousands of highly skilled workers who used to work for Amazon would never consider returning to Amazon. Within Puget Sound, the pool of available hires has continued to shrink while remote work, and the current tight labor market provides almost unlimited opportunities for anyone who can write code.
Historically, the rewards for the resume and the bank account outweighed the reputation Amazon has for being a toxic work environment. Like other large corporations, what group someone works in and who their managers are, frequently dictated the culture within that team. Land in a team with the right manager, working in the right team, and at the right time, and the professional and personal rewards are great.
The shift in compensation model signals more than just hiring challenges. It is a signal that the days of minting millionaires by the thousands on a yearly basis are coming to an end, and Amazon is moving to what was once called a blue-chip stock.
Knowledge is the best tool to fight against fear. A wise person chooses to be informed so they can make sound decisions. To join the fight against COVID misinformation, you can share this update through your social media platform of choice.
[KING COUNTY, Wash.] – (MTN) More than 8,000 Washingtonians have died from Covid-19 since February 29, 2020, as new cases and hospitalizations continue to slowly decline.
Vaccination rates increased across the state, although the gap between the most vaccinated and least vaccinated counties barely narrowed. Pediatric and adolescent hospitalizations increased over the weekend and we learned that Washington state is taking in 110 hospital patients from Idaho a week.
Almost 92% of Washington state employees are fully vaccinated or have an approved exemption and the Washington State Hospital Association reported over 88% of all medical workers are inoculated.
After multiple threats of a sickout, Washington State Ferry workers crippled operations over the weekend. Up to 170 WSF employees remain unvaccinated and years of system neglect amplified the staffing issues over the holiday.
Washington State University football coach Nick Rolovich announced he was opting for a special play when it comes to getting vaccinated and filed for a religious exemption. The day before the Seattle Kraken make their NHL debut, five players are under Covid-19 protocols.
Unvaccinated King County residents are 16 times more likely to die from Covid-19, and while vaccination rates in the Bellevue-Kirkland-Woodinville area continue to increase, Bothell and the northern half of Kirkland continue to lag behind the rest of the local area.
The Northshore School District moves to red status, with 12 confirmed Covid-19 cases at Lockwood Elementary. New cases were also reported in the Bellevue and Lake Washington school districts.
In local news, Amazon has announced it is indefinitely delaying the return of 50,000 officer workers due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation.
Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics formally applied for emergency use authorization for the anti-viral medication molnupiravir, which has shown promising results in helping minimize Covid-19 symptoms.
Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming remain Covid-19 hot spots we are watching closely due to the impact transfer patients have on our hospitals.
New cases were flat over the weekend which is significant. Historically, the data has shown an artificial bump on Mondays because it includes some data from the weekend. This is the first time since mid-August the data has shown a spike at the start of the week, providing a strong indicator that cases continue to decline.
Monday also provides updated countywide vaccination numbers. In Clallam County, 60.2% of all residents are fully vaccinated. The number of new cases in the least vaccinated counties is threefold higher than the most vaccinated.
Percent of Total Population Fully Vaccinated
Average 14-Day New Case Rate (unadjusted)
60.00% or above (5)
249.1
50.00% to 59.99% (14 counties)
482.9
40.00% to 49.99% (12 counties)
608.9
29.90% to 39.99% (8 counties)
749.1
14-Day New Covid-19 Cases per 100K average by Vaccination Rate, Not Adjusted for Population
Through October 10, Washington’s statewide 14-day rolling average is 388.2. Covid-19 cases per 100K.
Ferry County continues to be the Washington state hot spot with 1,175.7 new cases per 100K residents.
Counties in the 800.0 to 999.9 per 100K range include Columbia, Garfield, Grant, Klickitat, and Stevens.
Counties in the 600.0 to 799.9 per 100K range include Chelan, Douglas, Franklin, Grays Harbor, Lincoln, Mason, Okanogan, and Pend Oreille.
New cases were unchanged or drifted upward with one exception – adolescent cases and hospitalizations for 12 to 19-year-olds increased significantly over the weekend. Pediatric hospitalizations also increased from birth to 11, while all other age groups were flat or drifted downward.
Age Group
7-Day Case Rate
7-Day Hospitalization Rate
Ages 0-11
168.6
1.1 (up)
Ages 12-19
208.8 (up)
1.6 (up)
Ages 20-34
174.1 (up)
3.6
Ages 35-49
180.4
7.8 (down)
Ages 50-64
128.1 (up)
13.9 (down)
Ages 65-79
94.3 (up)
15.5
Ages 80+
96.7
35.2 (down)
7-day case rate and 7-day hospitalization rate is per 100K within the age group – the target for 7-day case rate is <25.0, but there are other factors such as vaccination rates within the age groups, how many total tests within the 7-day period, and the positivity rate within each age group
The USA Today COVID Tracker reported 50 deaths on Friday. The state of Washington is not reporting the percentage of positive cases. More than 8,000 Washingtonians have died from Covid-19 since February 29, 2020. The state crossed the sad milestone over the weekend.
Washington state hospitals accepting an average of 110 Idaho patients a week in 2021
An analysis of RHINO data from the Washington State Department of Health indicated that hospitals have been admitting approximately 110 patients from Idaho a week during 2021. The number represents a fraction of total average hospital admissions, which hovers around 500,000 patients in a normal year.
The data does not provide information on how many hospital admissions were Covid-19 patients and the report did not provide a weekly analysis. Eastern Washington hospitals reported last week they were feeling increased strain due to Idahoans crossing the border looking for medical care.
With 7 days to go, almost 92% of all Washington state employees are fully vaccinated or have been granted an exemption
Data released by the Washington State Office of Financial Management provided the clearest picture yet on how many state employees are vaccinated. On October 4, 89.5% of all state employees had provided proof they are fully vaccinated. Another 2.4% had medical or religious exemptions approved.
The same report indicated the Washington State Patrol was 89.9% fully vaccinated on October 4. Last week, the Seattle Times reported the WSP was 93% vaccinated on October 7. Using that data point as a barometer, it is estimated 94% to 95% of Washington state employees are fully vaccinated or have an approved exemption, with 7 days ago.
Only two organizations with more than 500 workers have vaccination rates below 85% – Washington National Guard at 79.1% and DSHS – Rainier at 83%. It is worth noting the Pentagon has given Army National Guard servicemembers until June 30, 2022 to be fully vaccinated.
Almost 93% of the 6,608 Washington State Department of Transportation employees are vaccinated or have received an exemption. Almost a third of DOT employees work for Washington State Ferries. Three weeks ago there were 450 WSF workers who had not confirmed their vaccination status. The number dropped to 250 on Thursday and 170 on Friday. Despite a full vaccination rate approaching 93%, unvaccinated ferry workers made their presence known this weekend.
As of October 4, 1,228 state workers had requested medical exemptions, with 866 approved. Officials are still evaluating 75 requests and 258 exemption requests were withdrawn. Another 315 employees had requested some degree of accommodation, with 255 approvals.
The state also received 4,849 religious exemption requests and so far has approved 4,219 with 42 still under evaluation. Only 184 religious exemptions have been denied, while 404 requests were withdrawn.
Approximately one percent of all state employees have joined a lawsuit attempting to block the state mandate. It is unlikely the plaintiffs will get relief. Both federal courts and the Supreme Court have sided with municipalities, counties, states, businesses, and schools in a number of similar court cases filed across the country.
88% of all Washington hospital workers are fully vaccinated
From janitorial services, cooks, and med techs to nurses, surgeons, and administrators, 88% of Washington state’s hospital staff will be fully vaccinated by October 18, according to a survey by the Washington State Hospital Association.
Cassie Sauer, CEO reported in a briefing today the remaining 12% include people who don’t plan on getting vaccinated, are partially vaccinated, have an approved exemption, have an exemption under review, or are waiting to learn if an existing exemption has been approved.
“The 2-5%, I want to emphasize, is a statewide number. There are some places that are going to have less and some places that are going to have more. And the place that seems to have the likeliest, biggest impact is rural eastern Washington,” Sauer said.
In New York, the state saw similar numbers among hospital workers days before its mandate went into effect. Final vaccination rates ranged from 85% to 100% depending on the role, type of facility, and location. Vaccination rates among nursing homes and long-term care facilities lagged behind hospitals.
Officials believe 95% to 98% will be fully vaccinated, on a path to vaccination, or have an approved exemption by October 18. Hospitals and facilities in Eastern Washington, particularly in rural areas, are expected to see more workers quit or face termination.
In Western Washington, 97% of EvergreenHealth and 98% of University Washington Medicine employees are fully vaccinated.
More than 200 Washington State Ferry sailings canceled due to years of neglect and a weekend sickout
Passengers and businesses were frustrated when Washington State Ferries canceled over 150 sailings on Friday, 120 on Saturday, and 50 on Sunday. A sickout by WSF employees in protest of a looming vaccination mandate was the final blow, that contributed to the chaos this weekend. However, the sailing issues have been two decades in the making.
In 2000, a Tim Eyman led initiative slashed Washington state car tab fees, and with it, a significant portion of the Washington state ferry budget. Two decades later the state lacks the funds to replace several ferries that are far past their useful life. The outdated equipment suffers more frequent breakdowns, forcing route cancelations and smaller vessels into temporary service.
A lack of vessels, a graying staff, and unpredictable work schedules was already straining the system. Disruptions due to equipment and crew failures were becoming more common before Covid-19 arrived in the Evergreen state in January 2020.
The number of ferry workers has also declined for two decades, and the Department of Transportation has problems recruiting people who are interested in doing maritime work.
WSF workers have attempted several other sickouts with little to no impact, but this past weekend was different. Officials have indicated that even 170 employees leaving could have a devastating impact on operations – and required Coast Guard certifications will make hiring new staff challenging.
Washington State Ferries is the largest ferry system in the United States and second-largest in the world. The state operates 23 vessels that sail 10 routes to 20 destinations. The oldest ferry is the MV Tillikum built in 1959 and rebuilt in 1994. Over 70% of all funding comes from fares. In 2020 due to Covid-19 ridership was only a fraction of normal. By the end of summer in 2021, ridership was 80% of normal.
The ferry system is converting three Jumbo Mark-II class ferries to electrical propulsion between 2022 and 2024. The Puyallup, Tacoma, and Wenatchee are slated for update with the Wenatchee was supposed to already be back in service but had an engine room fire in April 2021.
Washington State University football coach Nick Rolovich applies for religious exemption
As many have suspected for quite some time, Washington State coach Nick Rolovich finally confirmed that he remains unvaccinated and is in fact seeking a religious exemption to the state’s Covid vaccination mandate, he said after the Cougars’ 31-24 victory over Oregon State on Saturday.
“I’ll confirm that,” he said. “I’m not terribly happy with the way it happened. I hope there’s no player that I coach that has to wake up and feel the way I felt today. I don’t share it (to be) malicious, but that wasn’t a great thing to wake up to, to be honest with you.”
Rolovich is the highest-paid state employee in Washington, making almost $3.3 million per year.
Several Seattle Kraken players under Covid protocols day before NHL debut
The Seattle Kraken are expected to be without five players for the season opener at Vegas due to COVID-19 protocols, coach Dave Hakstol said Monday, according to the Associated Press.
Forwards Jared McCann, Joonas Donskoi and Marcus Johansson, and defenseman Jamie Oleksiak were placed on the league’s COVID-19 protocol list on Monday. Forward Calle Jarnkrok has been in the protocol since late last week. McCann, Oleksiak, Donskoi and Johansson were all missing from Monday’s final practice before the team departed for Las Vegas.
Travel Advisories
Due to an increase in acute care hospitalizations, we’re adding a recreational travel advisory to the East Hospital Region. This includes Adams, Asotin, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Wahkiakum, and Whitman counties. Acute care and ICU capacity have become limited, and the ratio of Covid-19 patients to other hospital patients is extremely high. Please reconsider non-essential travel plans to these counties.
We strongly advise against all nonessential travel to Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Hospital resources in these regions are constrained, and you may receive inadequate care if you experience a serious medical emergency.
We are also not adding a travel advisory for the Northwest Hospital Region which includes Clallam, Jefferson, Kitsap, and Mason counties but don’t recommend engaging in risky recreational behavior on the Olympic Peninsula. Although hospitals are very constrained, the region is adjacent to the Puget Sound and West Hospital Regions, which have adequate resources.
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Vaccination
Unvaccinated King County residents are 16 times more likely to die from Covid-19
The first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine became available in Washington state on January 17. Since that time 82% of all Covid-19 cases were among the unvaccinated, 90% of hospitalizations, and 90% of deaths.
Booster shots for eligible individuals are now available statewide. Individuals who received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine more than six months ago, are 65 or older, or are immunocompromised can receive their third dose immediately.
In the Kirland-Bellevue-Woodinville area, Walgreens, Rite-Aid, Bartell’s, and QFC are offering booster shots. Additionally, the third dose is available at the CVS located within the Target store at 17,700 NE 76th Street in Redmond.
Most locations require an appointment, which can be scheduled online.
King County, Washington is reporting over 87.1% of age eligible residents are vaccinated with at least one dose. The highest rates of positivity are in areas with low vaccination rates statewide. The FDA has provided full approval of the Pfizer vaccine for anyone 16 and over and EUA approval for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
COVID vaccines are free for anyone over 12 years old, and no appointment is necessary at most locations. Lyft and Hopelink provide free transportation, and KinderCare, the Learning Care Group, and the YMCA offer free childcare during vaccination appointments or recuperation.
According to the DoH COVID Dashboard, 91% of all staffed acute care beds are occupied, and 16.9% of patients have Covid-19. Statewide, hospitals have the staff to support approximately 649 additional acute care patients. ICUs are at 86.7% of capacity statewide, with 28.0% of ICU patients fighting Covid-19 – an estimated 335 patients with 50% on ventilators. The state has the staff to support approximately 144 additional ICU patients.
The 7-day rolling average hospital admission rate for new COVID patients dipped to 103. The Department of Health reported 1,193 Covid-19 patients statewide on October 7, with 166 requiring ventilators.
Hospital status by region – ICU Occupancy should be below 80%, ICU COVID Patients should be below 20%, Acute Care Occupancy should be below 80%, and Acute Care COVID Patients should be below 10%
The East and Northwest Hospital Regions remain highly stressed.
– Bell Elementary (4*) – Blackwell Elementary (1*) – Carson Elementary (2*) – Dickinson/Explorer Elementary (1*) – Eastlake High (3*) – Finn Hill Middle School (4*) – Franklin Elementary (1*) – Frost Elementary (2*) – ICS (1*) – Inglewood Middle School (2*) – Juanita Elementary (3*) – Juanita High School (4*) – Kamiakin Middle School (2*) – Keller Elementary (1*) – Kirkland Middle School (1*) – Lakeview Elementary (4*) – Lake Washington High School (2*) – Mead Elementary (2*) – Muir Elementary (1*) – Northstar Middle (1*) – Redmond Elementary (2*) – Redmond Middle School (1*) – Redmond High School (2*) – Rosa Parks Elementary (3*) – Rose Hill Middle School (1*) – Timberline Middle School (2*)
None
Northshore
RED
– Arrowhead Elementary (4) – Bothell High School (30**) – Canyon Creek Elementary (15) – Canyon Park Middle School (11) – Cottage Lake Elementary (3) – Crystal Springs Elementary (17) – East Ridge Elementary (2) – Fernwood Elementary (1) – Frank Love Elementary (19) – Hollywood Hills Elementary (35) – Inglemoor High School (1) – Innovation Lab High School (2) – Kenmore Elementary (4) – Kenmore Middle School (21) – Kokanee Elementary (14) – Leota Middle School (3) – Maywood Hills Elementary (7**) – Moorlands Elementary (1) – North Creek High School (13**) – Northshore Middle School (1) – Secondary Academy for Success (4) – Shelton View Elementary (5) – Skyview Middle School (12) – Sunrise Elementary (8) – Timbercrest Middle School (4) – Wellington Elementary (26**) – Westhill Elementary (58) – Woodin Elementary (15) – Woodinville High School (10) – Woodmoor Elementary (19**)
– Lockwood Elementary (12**/22)
Local Districts Scorecard – * indicates positive cases only ** indicates 5 or more confirmed positive cases
We redefined the school district statuses. Information for classroom and building closures has been a challenge to obtain, both for closures and reopening. We are adopting moving any school with more than 10 active COVID cases reported into the red, and we’ve adjusted the third column to reflect this change.
Monday provides the best snapshot of the three school districts we track. The Northshore School District moved to status red again with 12 confirmed Covid-19 cases at Lockwood Elementary. Five other schools have 5 to 9 confirmed cases.
Highland Middle School in the Bellevue School District has 9 confirmed cases between students and faculty, and several other schools with more than 5 cases.
The Lake Washington School District updated its dashboard adding six schools with confirmed cases.
We continued to encourage parents to request improved daily data reporting from the Lake Washington School District.
Kirkland-Bellevue-Woodinville
Amazon delays return to office indefinitely – leaves final decision to business directors
“For our corporate roles, instead of specifying that people work a baseline of three days a week in the office, we’re going to leave this decision up to individual teams,” Jassey wrote in his memo.
“This decision will be made team by team at the Director level. We expect that there will be teams that continue working mostly remotely, others that will work some combination of remotely and in the office, and still others that will decide customers are best served having the teamwork mostly in the office. We’re intentionally not prescribing how many days or which days—this is for Directors to determine with their senior leaders and teams. The decisions should be guided by what will be most effective for our customers; and not surprisingly, we will all continue to be evaluated by how we deliver for customers, regardless of where the work is performed.”
Microsoft and Facebook previously announced delaying their return to office and have mandated their employees, contractors, and vendors to get vaccinated.
King County releases updated vaccination data
King County Public Health updated the vaccination rates by zip code, with the numbers improving throughout the region. The northern half of Kirkland and parts of Bothell continue to lag behind the rest of the eastside.
King County residents age 12+ who have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine through October 11, 2021
Zip Code
Percent vaccinated, at least one dose, 12 and older
98155
93.7%
98028
90.2%
98011
86.7%
98034
85.3%
98033
93.1%
98072
91.2%
98052
>95.0%
98004
>95.0%
98039
94.0%
98005
>95.0%
98007
90.0%
Vaccination rates for those 12 and older by zip code – at least one dose
National Round-Up
Johns Hopkins University Cumulative Case Tracker is reporting 22,194 new cases and 255 deaths nationwide on Monday. Most states do not report data over the weekend, and Monday is a bank holiday so the numbers do not indicate the current national trend.
Merck and Ridgeback Biotheraputics official apply for emergency use authorization for molnupiravir
Pharmaceutical companies Merck & Co. and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics announced Monday they requested emergency use authorization to the Food and Drug Administration for molnupiravir, an antiviral drug that offers the promise that COVID-19 could soon be treated by a pill. USA Today reported the two drugmakers have officially applied for the authorization.
Molnupiravir, an orally ingested antiviral pill, is used to treat mild to moderate adult cases of COVID-19 that are at risk of worsening to severe COVID-19 or hospitalization, according to the companies. It was created by researchers at Emory University in Atlanta and is given as four pills taken twice a day for five days.
An interim analysis from a clinical trial found the antiviral medicine reduced the risk of hospitalization or death by approximately 50%.
Alaska
Alaska reported an increase in new cases and the number of Covid-19 tests with positive results this weekend. After progress last week, the new case rate increased to 836 per 100K people and test positivity jumped to 10.7%. Officials also reported more than 2,750 new cases, mostly among people under 50 years old.
Hospitals are treating 184 Covid-19 patients, down slightly from last week. Resources remain very constrained – there were 18 ICU beds available statewide Monday morning. New
Hospitals in Anchorage, Bethel, and Valdez continue to be the most impacted by the ongoing surge.
Idaho Medical Association CEO Susie Keller says while the association is disturbed by Cole’s spreading of misinformation, including dissuading people from getting the COVID-19 vaccine, the complaint is narrowly focused on the claim Cole prescribed an unproven drug.
“We believe that he has violated sections of the Idaho Medical Practice Act by providing care that fails to meet the community standard of care by promoting the sale of drugs that are not medically indicated and by engaging in conduct that constitutes an abuse or exploitation of a patient arising out of the trust and competence placed in a physician by a patient,” Keller said.
Cole as referred to the vaccination as “needle rape,” is opposed to mask mandates, and has spoken at right-wing anti-vaccination events that have included speakers calling for violence and making Nazi comparisons. He is one of the key policymakers in Ada County, which includes Boise, in managing the Covid-19 response in the Gem State.
Covid-19 test positivity increased to 19.42% – a negative trend.
Just days after Wyoming hospitals asked state officials to draft plans for statewide implementation of crisis standards of care, state Representative Chuck Gray has called for a special session to block vaccine mandates.
“I wanted to update everyone about the special session vote,” Gray said on Wednesday. “We have received notification that we have successfully received over 35% of the votes in the first round of balloting. Next week, we will now proceed to the second round, where we need a majority.”
Legislators are being asked to consider convening the special session from October 26-28 according to the report in Oil City News. Gray said he would like to see the special session move forward in order to have a bill banning vaccine mandates pass prior to Banner Health’s (which operates the Wyoming Medical Center) deadline requiring employees get fully vaccinated by November 1 takes effect.
Knowledge is the best tool to fight against fear. A wise person chooses to be informed so they can make sound decisions. To join the fight against COVID misinformation, you can share this update through your social media platform of choice.
[KING COUNTY, Wash.] – (MTN) The big news today is about a little brown capsule called molnupiravir. The Phase 3 trial of the oral medication cut COVID hospitalizations and deaths by 50%, and Merck has applied for Emergency Use Authorization with the FDA. The impact of this new medication could go far beyond COVID with researchers at Emory University claiming it could be useful against other viral diseases.
New COVID cases and hospitalizations held steady statewide. A report in the Seattle Times indicated more than half of rural Washington transfer patients ended up in King County hospitals.
The Bellevue School District updated its COVID dashboard and revealed there are 37 confirmed COVID cases. In the Northshore School District, cases continued to grow at Bothell High School and Crystal Springs Elementary School reported 11 confirmed cases.
There are an estimated 604 adult acute care and 132 ICU beds available statewide, and approximately 56% of COVID patients in the ICU are on a ventilator.
The Nisqually Nation was forced to evacuate a COVID quarantine site in Roy, Washington after multiple threats were made. A post on Facebook falsely claimed it was a newly built government quarantine site for rounding up the unvaccinated.
Amazon continues to promote dangerous COVID treatments on its website.
Alaska Air Group announced they will require all employees to get vaccinated, but a hard deadline was not set.
Alaska, Idaho, and Montana continue to struggle with surging COVID cases.
Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor denied an emergency request by New York educators to block the state’s vaccine mandate. That’s a bigger deal than you think, and it wasn’t unexpected.
In the misinformation section, we tackle “it’s just the flu” very graphically.
New cases held steady statewide with no statistical difference from yesterday. In the South Central Hospital Region, which includes Benton, Franklin, Klickitat, Walla Walla, and Yakima counties, the 14 day moving average for new cases increased to 727.9 per 100K. The Puget Sound (Central) Hospital Region, which represents King County, was statistically unchanged at 244.5.
Percent of Total Population Fully Vaccinated
Average 14-Day New Case Rate (unadjusted)
60.00% or above (3)
171.9
50.00% to 59.99% (12 counties)
506.9
40.00% to 49.99% (15 counties)
653.9
28.40% to 39.99% (9 counties)
734.4
14-Day New COVID Cases per 100K average by Vaccination Rate, Not Adjusted for Population
Through September 30, Washington’s statewide 14-day rolling average is 426.6 COVID cases per 100K, statistically unchanged from yesterday.
For the first time in over a month, no counties reported a new case rate over 1,000 per 100K residents. Based on this change we are updating how we report county performance.
Counties in the 800.0 to 999.9 per 100K range include Ferry, Frankin, Grant, Grays Harbor, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, and Stevens. Ferry County is a new hot spot, while cases in southeast Washington are on the decline. Stevens County is just under 1,000.
Counties in the 600.0 to 799.9 per 100K range include Adams, Asotin, Columbia, Klickitat, Cowlitz, Benton, Walla Walla, Garfield, Douglas, Lewis, Chelan, and Spokane. Adams County is just under 800 and Yakima County is just under 600.0.
We will keep descending these brackets until most counties fall below 450 per 100K residents. Currently, 28 counties still have widespread transmission of COVID.
New cases were up for 12 to 19-year-olds while hospitalizations were down for the same age group.
Age Group
7-Day Case Rate
7-Day Hospitalization Rate
Ages 0-11
195.0
0.6
Ages 12-19
220.6 (up)
1.3 (down)
Ages 20-34
191.7
5.2
Ages 35-49
189.8
8.8
Ages 50-64
137.6
15.2
Ages 65-79
104.3
20.0
Ages 80+
108.3
32.6
7-day case rate and 7-day hospitalization rate is per 100K within the age group – the target for 7-day case rate is <25.0, but there are other factors such as vaccination rates within the age groups, how many total tests within the 7-day period, and the positivity rate within each age group
The USA Today COVID Tracker reported 72 deaths on Thursday. The state of Washington is not reporting the percentage of positive cases.
Nisqually Nation forced to evacuate COVID quarantine site after threats
Because three or four generations can be living under the same roof, a COVID-positive person can have a significant impact on the entire household. The Nisqually Nation started using a 26-acre property in Roy, Washington last year enabling tribal members to quarantine away from family members. The tribe was forced to evacuate the site after an online misinformation campaign labeled the location a concentration camp.
The Facebook group Americans Against 2nd Class Treatment posted on September 28, 2021, about the site, claiming it was a “new COVID quarantine site” and they were “just getting to work on it.” In reality, the site has existed for more than a decade, and the Nisqually Nation bought the 26-acre parcel in 2014. Earlier this month, they cleared some timber between the buildings and Highway 702, making the location more visible from the road.
Comments quickly developed with people calling it a “concentration camp” and a “gulag.” The group went on to post that the Nisqually Nation was forced to hire security and block the access road with boulders due to ongoing threats at the property.
“Who does that,” said Nisqually Tribal Councilmember Hanford McCloud, “It’s beyond ridiculous.”
McCloud said about 30 people have stayed on the property in the last 18 months, giving them a safe place to recover and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
A caretaker and his family, along with two COVID-19 patients, were placed in a hotel, said Tribal Health Officer Mary Szafranski.
Amazon continues to recommend dangerous COVID treatments on its website
A surge of social media videos in the last two weeks on YouTube and Tik Tok has advocated nebulizing hydrogen peroxide as a preventative and home treatment for COVID. Content creators have danced around guidance medical guidance to spread the misinformation.
For the third time in 60 days, Amazon is at the center of controversy with the AI designed to drive more sales, recommending medical saline and hydrogen peroxide with nebulizer purchases.
Amazon recommendation for hydrogen peroxide and medical saline when purchasing a nebulizer – October 1, 2021
In August the online behemoth was called out for promoting Ivermectin, and publishing reviews with veiled dosing instructions for humans. A couple of weeks later, Amazon was dinged again for recommending books that spread COVID misinformation.
Multiple medical groups have appealed for people not to drink or nebulize hydrogen peroxide. The human body does not have a finite capacity to process hydrogen peroxide and the solution hasn’t been recommended for wound care in years.
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America wrote, “A concerning and dangerous trend is circulating on social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. People are breathing in hydrogen peroxide through nebulizers to try to prevent or treat COVID-19.”
“DO NOT put hydrogen peroxide into your nebulizer and breathe it in. This is dangerous!”
Alaska Air Group mandates vaccination for all employees
Alaska Air Group joined Delta and Hawaiian Airlines, mandating all employees of Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air, and McGee get vaccinated against COVID. The airline stopped short of setting a hard deadline, but employees who prove they are fully vaccinated by December 1 will receive a $200 bonus. The mandate impacts certain vendors and contractors also.
“Since our company does significant work for the federal government, we have determined that Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air, and McGee employees – all part of Alaska Air Group – do fall under this federal vaccine mandate, along with other major U.S.airlines,” Alaska Air Group said in a statement.
The airline reported on September 1, that 75% of its workforce was already fully vaccinated.
United Airlines reported yesterday that 320 of 67,000 employees decided to quit over the vaccine mandate they implemented earlier this year. Nationally compliance for vaccine mandates has ranged from 89% to virtually 100% across cities, counties, states, schools, hospitals, and private employers.
More than half of rural Washington COVID transfer patients ended up in King County
A Seattle Times analysis found that from July 1 to September 23, 229 of 414 COVID transfer patients in Washington state ended up in King County hospitals. The Seattle Times story is behind a paywall and The Slog written by The Stranger is more politically charged on this topic for our COVID coverage specifically. You can see this summary by the author Joseph O’Sullivan on Twitter.
NEW: Slammed by #covid19, rural WA hospitals have transferred hundreds of patients to metro areas since July 1.
We recommend avoiding recreational travel to Spokane, Yakima, Klickitat, Benton, Franklin, and Walla Walla counties. If the number of new cases in the South Central Hospital Region continues to decline, we will likely lift our advisory for this region in the next 3 to 10 days. We strongly advise against all nonessential travel to Alaska, Idaho, and Montana. Hospital resources in these regions are constrained, and you may receive inadequate care if you experience a medical emergency.
We may implement a travel advisory for Eastern Washington, based upon renewed hospitalization data now available from the Department of Health.
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Vaccination
Deadline for single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine and second dose for Pfizer and Moderna vaccine looms for state workers
Thousands of state workers have until Sunday to receive their second Pfizer or Moderna dose or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Over 68% of state workers reported last week they were fully vaccinated. Data from companies, schools, and other states such as Hawaii and New York, indicates final acceptance would likely exceed 95%.
Multiple unions have reached agreements at a municipal, county, or state level, to extend the deadline past October 18 for individuals who received at least their first dose. Additionally, workers with denied exemptions requests will be given extra time.
Pfizer vaccine booster shots are now available
Booster shots for eligible individuals are now available statewide. Individuals who received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine more than 6 months ago, are 65 or older, or are immunocompromised can receive their third dose immediately.
In the Kirland-Bellevue-Woodinville area, Walgreens, Rite-Aid, Bartell’s, and QFC are offering booster shots. Additionally, the third dose is available at the CVS located within the Target store at 17,700 NE 76th Street in Redmond.
Most locations require an appointment, which can be scheduled online.
King County, Washington is reporting over 86.2% of age eligible residents are vaccinated with at least one dose. The highest rates of positivity are in areas with low vaccination rates statewide. The FDA has provided full approval of the Pfizer vaccine for anyone 16 and over and EUA approval for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
COVID vaccines are free for anyone over 12 years old, and no appointment is necessary at most locations. Lyft and Hopelink provide free transportation, and KinderCare, the Learning Care Group, and the YMCA offer free childcare during vaccination appointments or recuperation.
According to the DoH COVID Dashboard, 18.7% of all acute care patients hospitalized in Washington have COVID. Currently, 91% of all staffed acute care beds are occupied statewide with approximately 604 available. ICUs are at 89.0% of capacity statewide, with 30.0% of ICU patients fighting COVID – an estimated 354 patients with 56% on ventilators. The state has approximately 132 ICU beds available.
The 7-day rolling average hospital admission rate for new COVID patients dropped to 105 – finally below the January 7, 2021 peak of 113. The Department of Health reported 1,274 COVID patients statewide on September 30 with 197 on ventilators. Hospitalizations dropped slightly while the number of patients on ventilators is unchanged.
Hospital Region
ICU Occupancy
ICU COVID Patients
Acute Care Occupancy
Acute Care COVID Patients
East
88.6%
44.6%
89.6%
26.7%
North
80.8%
28.5%
88.0%
13.1%
North Central
96.4%
58.9%
75.7%
26.3%
Northwest
92.3%
38.3%
95.4%
24.6%
Puget Sound
91.8%
23.4%
94.6%
14.4%
South Central
85.7%
34.9%
83.2%
25.4%
Southwest
74.3%
37.3%
88.3%
24.9%
West
89.1%
31.4%
87.6%
21.8%
Hospital status by region – September 30, 2021 – ICU Occupancy should be below 80%, ICU COVID Patients should be below 20%, Acute Care Occupancy should be below 80%, and Acute Care COVID Patients should be below 10%
There was very little change in the status of Hospital Regions.
– Alcott Elementary (1*) – Barton Elementary (1*) – Dickinson/Explorer Elementary (2*) – Ella Baker Elementary (3*) – Eastlake High (1*) – Evergreen Middle School (1*) – Franklin Elementary (2*) – Finn Hill Middle School (1* – see below) – ICS (1*) – Inglewood Middle School (2*) – Juanita Elementary (1*) – Kamiakin Middle School (3* – see notes below) – Keller Elementary (2*) – Kirkland Middle School (1*) – Lake Washington High (1*) – Lakeview Elementary (3*) – Muir Elementary (1*) – Redmond Middle School (1*) – Redmond High School (1*) – Renaissance Middle School (1*) – Rush Elementary (2*)
See notes below
None
Northshore
RED
– Arrowhead Elementary (14) – Canyon Creek Elementary (31**) – Canyon Park Middle School (12**) – Cottage Lake Elementary (17) – East Ridge Elementary (16) – Fernwood Elementary (13**) – Frank Love Elementary (30) – Hollywood Hills Elementary (29) – Inglemoor High School (8) – Innovation Lab High School (11) – Kenmore Elementary (13) – Kenmore Middle School (49**) – Kokanee Elementary (60) – Leota Middle School (6) – Lockwood Elementary (32) – Maywood Hills Elementary (21**) – Moorlands Elementary (48) – North Creek High School (27) – Northshore Middle School (17**) – Ruby Bridges Elementary (9) – Secondary Academy for Success (16) – Shelton View Elementary (20**) – Skyview Middle School (63**) – Sunrise Elementary (23) – Timbercrest Middle School (44) – Wellington Elementary (74) – Westhill Elementary (38) – Woodin Elementary (17**) – Woodinville High School (23) – Woodmoor Elementary (23**)
– Bothell High School (14*/137) – Crystal Springs Elementary 11*/45)
Local Districts Scorecard – * indicates positive cases only ** indicates 5 or more confirmed positive cases
We redefined the school district statuses. Information for classroom and building closures has been a challenge to obtain, both for closures and reopening. We are adopting moving any school with more than 10 active COVID cases reported into the red, and we’ve adjusted the third column to reflect this change.
in the Northshore School District, Bothell High School currently has 14 confirmed COVID cases between students and faculty and Crystal Springs Elementary has 11. The number of quarantined students at Bothell High school swelled to 137.
The Bellevue School District updated its COVID dashboard overnight. The district will be providing updated data daily, but no longer reports on the number of students and faculty quarantining.
We received a confirmed parent report on Wednesday of one new COVID case at Finn Hill Middle School with 52 students moved to quarantine.
We received a confirmed parent report on Thursday of two new COVID cases at Kamiakin Middle School with 27 additional close contacts.
We received a parent report on Thursday of one new COVID case at Old Redmond Schoolhouse (preschool) with an unknown number of close contacts.
Because Lake Washington doesn’t update its dashboard daily, we are adding these as footnotes. We have not added the Old Redmond Schoolhouse to the scorecard above because it is not officially listed on the Lake Washington School District dashboard.
Karen James, who taught 4th Grade at Barnes Elementary, died on Monday, September 27, according to the Kelso School District.
A district spokesperson said they could not comment on the cause of death, however, they later said, “Late yesterday [Thursday, Sept. 30] afternoon we learned of one additional positive COVID-19 case in Miss James’ classroom.”
We continued to encourage parents to request improved daily data reporting from the Lake Washington School District.
Kirkland-Bellevue-Woodinville
No update
National Round-Up
Johns Hopkins University Cumulative Case Tracker is reporting 110,010 new cases, 2,718 deaths nationwide, and 699,000 COVID-related deaths since February 29, 2020. Based on the Johns Hopkins University data, the United States will reach 700,000 confirmed COVID-related deaths tomorrow morning (other dashboards reported 700,000 deaths last night and earlier today).
Merck seeking FDA Emergency Use Authorization for pill that treats mild and moderate COVID
Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics have been studying an oral antiviral medicine called molnupiravir which, during Phase 3 testing, reduced the risk of hospitalization and death by 50%. Phase 3 testing has been so successful Merck is submitting an application for Emergency Use Authorization in the United States and plans to submit marketing applications to other regulatory agencies worldwide.
The test program was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multi-site study done in 23 countries across 5 continents. There were 1,550 patients enrolled and to date, they have data from 775 people. Molnupiravir reduced the risk of hospitalization or death by almost 50% compared to the placebo group. Through Day 29, no deaths were reported in patients who received molnupiravir, as compared to 8 deaths in patients who received a placebo.
“More tools and treatments are urgently needed to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, which has become a leading cause of death and continues to profoundly affect patients, families, and societies and strain health care systems all around the world. With these compelling results, we are optimistic that molnupiravir can become an important medicine as part of the global effort to fight the pandemic,” said Robert M. Davis, chief executive officer and president, Merck.
Unlike monoclonal antibodies which must be administered in a clinical setting by injection or IV, molnupiravir is a pill that can be prescribed by a doctor and taken at home.
“With the virus continuing to circulate widely, and because therapeutic options currently available are infused and/or require access to a healthcare facility, antiviral treatments that can be taken at home to keep people with COVID-19 out of the hospital are critically needed,” said Wendy Holman, chief executive officer of Ridgeback Biotherapeutics. “We are very encouraged by the results from the interim analysis and hope molnupiravir, if authorized for use, can make a profound impact in controlling the pandemic.”
An Axios report this evening states that in the fall of 2019, an Emory University professor presented the drug to the Trump Administration. The professor reported the school had developed a new powerful antiviral medication that could treat influenza, Ebola, and many other viruses. In February 2020, as COVID arrived in the United States, the professor came forward again, asking for funding for Phase 2 and Phase 3 testing to evaluate the effectiveness of the medication against COVID. The Trump administration declined to fund the research.
The drug could be a game-changer in the battle against COVID worldwide. Pills are easier to transport and store, don’t need preparation, and don’t need to be administered at a hospital or clinic. The medication is also being tested as an emergency preventative for individuals exposed to COVID but who have not tested COVID positive. The impact for the immunocompromised and elderly could be dramatic.
Approval by the FDA and ramping up distribution is likely months away. If molnupiravir can deliver these results globally, it has the potential to end the ongoing public health crisis. If Emory University has successfully created a broad-spectrum oral antiviral, this discovery has the potential to rival penicillin.
JetBlue requiring employees to get COVID vaccination
Kavanaugh, who is fully vaccinated, tested positive on Thursday night, the court said in a statement. The justice’s immediate family tested negative and he has no symptoms.
His positive diagnosis for coronavirus means he won’t be on the bench Monday, the start of the new term, and what would be the first in-person session with all nine justices.
Alaska
Alaska reported 1,044 new COVID cases today and a new case rate of 1,066 per 100,000 residents, indicating that the state may have hit a peak. The remote state continues to have the highest new case rate on the planet. Hospitals in Anchorage Bethel, and Valdez continue to operate under crisis standards of care protocols.
The 202 hospitalized COVID patients are essentially unchanged from yesterday. The number of available ICU beds jumped to 23 and the number of ICU patients dropped to 107. There are 83 ICU patients on ventilators, 35 with COVID.
Amanda Frey, a nurse at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, sat down after a long day at work recently and made a brief video describing what it’s like to die with COVID-19: gasping for breath, terrified and beyond comfort.
“COVID-19 patients that die transition from being OK to actively dying very suddenly, and often without warning. They start to experience a state of panic and air hunger that is very difficult to manage and causes severe anxiety,” Frey says. “The medications that we usually use for patients at the end of life don’t help as much with COVID-19 patients when they’re dying. So what we’re seeing are deaths that are not only isolated but they’re also very traumatic.”
Newsom’s latest order, the first of its kind nationwide, will roll out in two phases for students learning in person. The mandate will first take effect for students ages 12 and over after the FDA grants full approval to that entire age group.
California is the first in the nation with a statewide vaccination mandate for primary school students. Implementation depends upon fully FDA approval of at least one of the COVID vaccines for children 12 to 15. Although no date has been set, full approval is expected during the first half of 2022.
Earlier this week, we blasted Jordan Herget, the CEO of Portneuf Medical Center, for reporting that the hospital in Pocatello was operating normally and they didn’t expect to have to move to crisis standards of care. From ambulance bays to emergency departments, any medical professional can tell you the worst thing you can say aloud is, “gee, it sure is quiet tonight.”
“Our situation hasn’t improved. A week later we’re very much in an emergency just like we were a week ago and our staff are being pushed to our limits,” Hergett said.
“In our adult ICUs, our youngest patient today is 22 years old,” St. Luke’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jim Souza said. “About 70% of our patients are 55 years or younger in the intensive care unit. And in the intensive care unit, 25% are younger than 40. They’re sicker. They’re staying longer. The average length of stay in the ICU is up by two whole days, and their mortality rate is significantly higher than it was in the December surge.”
The VA Hospital in Boise requested a mobile morgue to support the hospital facility which is at capacity. Idaho has struggled with the influx of corpses in the last two weeks. Officials have been forced to stack bodies, store them in railroad cars, and store embalmed bodies in non-refrigerated areas.
Typically, ivermectin is rarely used on humans, Edge said, and he filled only three legitimate prescriptions for the drug in the past year. The most recent prescriptions he’s received came from out-of-state doctors, he said, “which is always a little bit of a red flag anyway.”
When he looked up one prescriber online, Edge found a list of doctors that people can call and, for a fee, get a consultation over the phone and then a prescription for ivermectin.
Asked later if she felt that speaking at an event where the tone seemed overwhelmingly against school boards that have voted to install mask mandates, Arntzen said, “I don’t believe this disrespects anyone in the educational community.”
“My role is here,” she continued. “My role is, number one, in the healing process in the discord we have between the school board room, where they might be in Montana, and to parents, whoever they might be, and putting the emphasis on children.”
Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor denied the emergency request without comment. A federal appeals court earlier in the week permitted New York’s mandate.
The Supreme Court ruled in 1905 in Jacobson vs Massachusetts, that municipalities, counties, and states had the power to mandate vaccines as part of public health efforts. The decision has been litigated dozens of times over the last 116 years, as recently as August.
When an emergency filing is made with the court, the Justice that is assigned to that region can render a decision or request that the entire court to hear the case. In August, Associate Justice May Comey-Barrett ruled independently on a challenge filed by students at the University of Indiana. Justice Comey-Barrett also denied the appeal without comment.
In the landmark 1905 case, the Supreme Court ruled that the 10th Amendment gave states the power to make public health decisions.
It’s just a cold. It’s just the flu.Content warning, some viewers may find this disturbing.
Tik Tok user Mae Mae documented her hospital journey in August and September after she caught COVID. She was partially vaccinated when she became ill and ended up hospitalized. In her videos, her condition continued to deteriorate, and the cannula she is wearing indicates she was on high flow oxygen.
You read stories from respiratory therapists, nurses, and doctors of COVID patients who become exhausted as they struggle to breathe – but we don’t see it. Mae Mae went to the line of needing to go on a ventilator before she bounced back.
This is COVID – this is what it looks like. It is not a cold, it is not the flu. Mae Mae survived and is still dealing with lingering symptoms.
Knowledge is the best tool to fight against fear. A wise person chooses to be informed so they can make sound decisions. To join the fight against COVID misinformation, you can share this update through your social media platform of choice.
[KING COUNTY, Wash.] – (MTN) There is stronger evidence that cases are plateauing at a very high level in Washington state, while hospitalizations, the number of people in the ICU, and patients on respirators increase. School started from a number of districts across Washington today, and most districts start tomorrow in Western Washington.
On the national front, hospitalizations are approaching January 2021 levels, while the recent FDA approval of the Pfizer vaccine for people 16 and older is moving the needle on vaccine hesitancy. The quest to find home remedies for COVID has taken a dark turn, with some people turning to a herbicide as a preventive. The state of New Jersey cracked down on an Instagram influencer who was selling fake vaccination cards, as well as some of her customers with a litany of felony charges.
We cannot provide insight into the epidemiological curve for new cases compared to last week because the data today is through August 19, 2021. Starting tomorrow, we can go back to discussing the daily trend.
Through August 19, the statewide 14 day rolling average for Washington declined to 500.7 COVID cases per 100K. Columbia (1,170.8 per 100K) and Franklin (1,079.0 per 100K) are reporting an extreme number of new cases. Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Cowlitz, Douglas, Grant, and Lincoln are not far behind. Among the counties with the highest new case rates, almost all were flat or declined for the first time in at least three weeks.
The Washington State Department of Health reports a data backlog for test positivity, with the published number 14 days old. According to Johns Hopkins University Medicine, the positivity rate for the last 30 days is 13.52%, and over the previous 7 days, 13.22%. These numbers indicate continued widespread community transmission driven by the unvaccinated and under testing of the population. The fastest-growing age group for positive remains 20 to 34-year-olds.
The 7-day Case Rate for children ages birth to 11 is 24.7 per 100K and for children, 12 to 19 it is 20.8 per 100K.
“The people we are seeing in the hospital are typically people who are unvaccinated, either teens who are not vaccinated or younger people who are not eligible to be vaccinated,” said Dr. John McGuire. “We are clearly in a fifth wave here in Washington. And commensurate with that, we are seeing an increase in the number of kids needing hospitalization and needing intensive care.”
Washington State Fair announces COVID safety protocols day after state hospital officals call for its cancelation
Public health officials in Pierce County announced a series of safety protocols for the Washington State Fair scheduled to run from September 3 to 26, in Puyallup.
“As a condition of opening, Dr. Anthony L-T Chen, Director of Health at Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, will issue a health order that requires masks be worn at all times at the Fair, indoors and outdoors, regardless of vaccination status,” a news release said. “With COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations at an all-time high in Pierce County, this will help prevent and limit the spread of the virus.”
The fair will have masks available and will not be checking vaccination cards or doing screenings. State Fair CEO Kent Hojem made it clear that mask wear will not be optional. As additional precautions, officials will:
Employees will be tested for COVID prior and during events
The number of rides has been cut by 10% to provide more space for social distancing
The number of vendors has been cut by 25%
Extra handwashing and sanitizing stations will be available
Full FDA approval, significant problems with school reopening, and the grim toll that the Delta variant is taking on the nation is attributed with driving the shifting opinions.
King County, Washington is reporting over 83% of age eligible residents are vaccinated with at least one dose. The highest rates of positivity are in areas with low vaccination rates statewide. The FDA has provided full approval of the Pfizer vaccine for anyone 16 and over.
COVID vaccines are free for anyone over 12 years old, and no appointment is necessary at most locations. Lyft and Hopelink provide free transportation, and KinderCare, the Learning Care Group, and the YMCA offer free childcare during vaccination appointments or recuperation.
According to the DoH COVID Dashboard, 17.7% of all acute care patients hospitalized in Washington have COVID. This beats the old record of 17% set yesterday. ICUs are at 88.4% of capacity statewide with 33.5% of ICU patients with COVID.
The new hospital admission rate for COVID patients is 177 per day, also a new record. On August 30, there were 1,465 patients hospitalized with COVID and 241 on ventilators. This is a significant increase from yesterday when the state reported 182 patients on ventilators.
Data for pediatric patients for acute care and PICU is not available.
Several hospitals reported they were adding tents as triage space for patients to provide better social distancing and isolation as emergency departments burst at the seams. Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, which operates St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, St. Anthony Hospital in Gig Harbor, St. Clare Hospital in Lakewood and St. Elizabeth Hospital in Enumclaw have or will be adding tents outside of their entrances. This is in addition to MultiCare facilities in Tacoma and Puyallup.
Back to School
School District
Status
Quarantines
Closures
Bellevue
GREEN
None
None
Lake Washington
GREEN
None
None
Northshore
GREEN
None
None
Local School Districts Scorecard
First day of school for area districts:
Lake Washington School District – September 1
Bellevue School District – September 1, 1st through 12th, September 3, kindergarten
Northshore School District – September 1, 1st through 12th, September 1 or September 2 for kindergarten on a staggered start
The Lake Washington School District is reporting 1,500 students have moved to remote learning after opening up registration again in mid-August. The Bellevue School District is accepting applications for remote learning through midnight tonight as demand surges across the Puget Sound region.
Under normal conditions, a hospital would have a 3 to 5 days supply of oxygen onsite, and the tanks would be refilled once or twice a week. In the hardest-hit areas, hospitals are dropping to a 12 to 24 hour supply, and only getting enough to last 2 or 3 days at each refill.
During the January 2021 peak, the industrial use of oxygen in restaurants, welding, and manufacturing was curtailed due to national shutdowns. Suppliers are being hit with a perfect storm of record medical grade and industrial demand, a trucking shortage, and state officials refusing to make emergency declarations.
After the story broke and started to spread, Amazon added a notice to searches for “ivermectin for humans” and “ivermectin covid.”
Big tech is pushing Ivermectin unchecked across their platforms
CNBC reported today that Amazon is directing users to the anti-parasitic drug Ivermectin for animals. The Amazon search algorithm was displaying results for ivermectin after typing just “iv” into the search box, including ivermectin for horses, ivermectin paste, ivermectin pills, and ivermectin injectable.
User reviews made references to dosing information for “horse families” and false claims of being a cure for COVID (there is no cure, for COVID, only therapeutics).
Amazon isn’t alone. Yesterday there were reports that MSN, the 37th most visited web property in the United States with almost 900M monthly visitors, was running ads and paid content for “horse dewormer” on its homepage.
MSN displaying paid content for horse wormers on its homepage on August 30, 2021
A search for “COVID” on Google News has highlighted a debunked editorial in the Wall Street Journal for a month under the “For Context” section called, Why is the FDA Attacking a Safe, Effective Drug? We featured that editorial in our misinformation section earlier this month.
Searches on Twitter, Tik Tok, Instagram, and Facebook for “ivermectin” easily bring users to groups and creators information on alleged dosing information, where to buy, and how to treat. Calls in Florida to poison control have increased 700%, and people are reporting in online groups finding what they describe as “rope worms” in their feces. Intestinal parasites are exceptionally rare in the United States, and health officials are reporting that people are destroying their intestinal linings. You can do some Google image searches, but we wouldn’t recommend it if you’re stomach is weak.
Arkansas
New cases continue to decline as hospitalizations and ventilator use grows. Arkansas set a new record with 388 residents on ventilators out of 531 in the ICU – that’s a staggering 73% of all ICU patients. Outcomes for patients who go on ventilators improved dramatically in the second half of 2020, as doctors learned more about COVID. The ground gained has been lost due to patients showing up sicker than before, and the Delta variant being more virulent.
Arizona
School started in Arizona a month ago, and pediatric cases are exploding. Children under 15 years old now represent 25% of all new COVID cases, and parents are becoming increasingly frustrated with only 30% of the state’s 215 school districts providing some form of daily update.
Dr. Chris Beyrer, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said having a “more systematic,” more transparent strategy for preventing and tracking school-based cases would go a long way toward curbing the spread of the virus.
“What we have is a patchwork — a great deal of variability in policies and practices,” Beyrer said. “While local nuances are important, there’s nothing like rational statewide and national planning to get this right. And we’re just not there.”
Parents have turned to crowd-sourcing information on social media to paint a picture on what is going on within their home districts.
California
Governor Gavin Newsome reported that 80% of all age-eligible residents in the state have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine. This is a major milestone for the state of almost 40 million residents, with a number of rural counties with continued low uptake of the vaccine. It is worth noting for the states west of the Rockies, California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, California is the only state that isn’t at or near crisis mode.
Nurse Davy Macias (she/her) was hospitalized with COVID in early August while 7 months pregnant with her fifth child. The hospital did an emergency delivery as her conditioned worried, and Marcias passed on August 26. She was unvaccinated and was holding off until after her pregnancy was complete. Other officials are reporting that the Delta variant is hitting pregnant women particularly hard across the United States. The FDA gave full approval to the Pfizer vaccine to people over 16, including pregnant women.
Georgia
Officials in Georgia are sounding the alarm as some hospitals are now rationing care and growing concern over looming hospital system collapse at a regional level. The state’s official count of COVID-19 patients in Georgia’s hospitals on Tuesday was just below the January peak number, but at times it has swelled past it. And every hospital across Georgia is now full to the point of overflowing. Georgia reported that hospitals had 5,656 COVID patients, about50 patients below the January peak of 5,709. But at some hours in recent days, according to the Georgia Hospital Association, the number has topped 5,900. The drop from the peak hasn’t been driven by discharges, but fatalities from COVID and those waiting for non-COVID-related treatment.
“I don’t mean to sound super doomsday-ish, but I think that if this growth continues, that we’re going to be risking regional hospital system collapse,” said Amber Schmidtke, a health care data researcher, who tracks Georgia’s COVID-19 trends.
“I know that that will scare people,” Schmidtke said. “But I think that that is what we’re risking. I’ve had M.D.s that are on the ground tell me the same thing: ‘This is unsustainable. We’re already at a point where we’re having to sort of triage care and decide who gets what based on limited resources and personnel.”
“I just left on Friday because I can’t do it anymore. I just can’t,” Rampy said.
“Although I’m used to people dying, I’m just not used to this many,” Rampy said.
75 have died at the North Georgia hospital where she worked during the first 30 days in August, and the hospital has 248 patients with COVID in the ICU.
“A number of young people are being hospitalized, particularly between the ages of 5 and 17. There is a doubling of that in Georgia,” said Dr. Gary Voccio, northwest district director for the Georgia Department of Public Health.
Floyd Medical Center, like many across the state, is struggling to cope with a tidal wave of COVID patients — at least 90% of whom are unvaccinated.
“(There are) No beds at any of the hospitals,” Voccio said. “The physicians are exhausted, the nurses are exhausted and it’s just time to get the vaccine. We are imploring, begging people to get vaccinated It could save your life.”
Kemp said the decision comes after receiving reports that healthcare systems have had trouble accessing necessary supplies, including reports of some rural acute care hospitals running out of oxygen.
Gov. Kemp also touched on his previous executive order, which deployed 105 medically trained National Guard members to 10 hospitals across the state. Over the weekend, he said an additional 75 guard members were deployed, bringing the total number up to 180.
Kemp said that while many hospital systems have requested guardsmen, they are limited in the number of those who are medically trained. However, his new executive order would also allow for the deployment of up to 2,500 National Guard members, should they be needed.
Police Capitan Joe Manning of the Wayne County Sheriff Department, who was a vocal critic of vaccinations and posted frequently on social media about ivermectin, died of COVID on August 25. On his Facebook post, Captain Manning complained about Facebook “disciplining him” and how we was taking ivermectin daily as a COVID preventative.
Florida
Governor Ron DeSantis stayed true to his promise and cut the funding to Alachua and Broward counties over their implementation of school mask mandates. This is despite a Florida court ruling against the government over the ban. The United States Department of Education has already reached out to both districts and had previously promised to cover any gaps in funding. The counties of Orange, Duval, Miami-Dade, Hillsborough, Sarasota, Palm Beach, Indian River, and Leon also have mask mandates in place, but the governor has not taken further action at this time.
The state until early June posted on its website daily reports that provided extensive data about issues such as cases and deaths, with information also broken down by county. But Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration halted the daily reports in June and shifted to posting weekly information that is far less detailed.
The lawsuit alleges that the Department of Health and Surgeon General Scott Rivkees, the department’s secretary, have violated public-records laws at a time when the delta variant of the coronavirus has caused cases, hospitalizations, and deaths to surge in Florida.
“Due to the highly contagious nature of COVID-19 and its ‘continuing threat’ to Floridians, records revealing information about its impact, prevalence, and fatality is of obvious public importance,” the lawsuit said.
Until three weeks ago, according to the Herald, data collected by Florida and then posted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tallied deaths by the date they were recorded, which is reportedly common practice for showing daily statistics in many states.
On Aug. 10, however, the state changed its methodology and started counting daily new deaths by the date the person died instead of the day the death was registered. A handful of other states have also reportedly switched to such a process.
When recording COVID-19 deaths with the new method, which focuses on date of death, the numbers will generally appear to be on a recent downward slope, even during the current surge, the Herald reported, because it takes a certain amount of time to evaluate deaths and process death certificates.
The Herald laid out an example of the discrepancy between the two methods: the state’s death data would have exhibited an average of 262 deaths reported to the CDC in the previous week if the health department used the original reporting system, according to the newspaper’s analysis.
Instead, however, the new reporting system only tracked 46 new daily deaths over the last seven days. The change came one day after the state was criticized for showing inaccurate information on its COVID dashboard. Weesam Khoury, a spokesperson for the Florida state Department of Health, said they were working with the CDC to adjust the discrepancies.
“We will therefore need to cancel all elective procedures in operating rooms and elsewhere, including outpatient settings, where oxygen may be needed. Any cases that can be deferred safely should be deferred until the oxygen supply solutions are clearer,” he wrote. “At each HPH facility, surgical and facility leaders will be activating review processes to help with these decisions.”
Lt. Gov. Josh Green said the situation is all the more concerning given that cases continue to soar. The remote location of the island and the dependency on ships to supplement the supply creates additional challenges. State officials say they are working with the federal government.
Idaho
Kootenai Health in Coeur de Alene is getting additional support from a 20 person Department of Defense team, delaying a potential move to “crisis standards of care.” In a press conference today Idaho Governor Brad Little activated the national guard, deploying up to 150 servicemembers to provide support for medical facilities, performing screenings, lab work, and other logistical duties that can help lift the burden on nurses and doctors. An additional 200 medical and administrative personnel will be made available to Idaho through a contract with the U.S. General Services Administration.
The governor described the activation of the National Guard as a last-ditch effort to avoid hospitals reaching crisis standards of care, where ventilators, hospital beds, and other resources will be allocated to those most likely to survive.
“On a daily call with hospitals this morning, we heard there are only four standard adult ICU beds available in the entire state. Where hospitals have converted other spaces to be used as contingency ICU beds, those are filling up too,” Governor Little said. “We are dangerously close to activating statewide crisis standards of care – a historic step that means Idahoans in need of healthcare could receive a lesser standard of care or may be turned away altogether. In essence, someone would have to decide who can be treated and who cannot. This affects all of us, not just patients with COVID-19.”
“Idaho hospitals are beyond constrained. Our healthcare system is designed to deal with the everyday realities of life. Our healthcare system is not designed to withstand the prolonged strain caused by a global pandemic. It is simply not sustainable. Please choose to receive the vaccine now to support your fellow Idahoans who need you,” Governor Little said.
Hospital officials asked to move to crisis care standards over the weekend, and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare has a briefing scheduled for tomorrow at 1:30 PM Seattle time.
Louisiana
There isn’t much news coming out of Louisiana specific to COVID as the Gulf state reels from the sucker punch Hurricane Ida delivered. Officials were able to relocate patients from damaged hospitals and nursing homes, and there were no fatalities reported related to that activity.
Thousands are in shelters without electricity or air conditioning and a limited water supply. In some good news officials now believe that power can be restored to 90% of people within three weeks, and some power should come back on in New Orleans tomorrow. So far, reports are favorable of people remaining patient, respecting curfews, limited crime, and good mask wear within shelters.
Ohio University President Hugh Sherman wrote, “All Ohio students, faculty, and staff at all locations are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by November 15, 2021. For vaccines that require two doses, both doses must be completed by this date. This applies to all employees, including those working remotely and all students except those enrolled exclusively in fully online programs and coursework who will not access University facilities on any campus in person.”
“It’s important to note, there will be an opportunity to apply for an exemption of the vaccine requirement for medical reasons or for reasons of conscience, including ethical and moral beliefs or sincerely held religious beliefs.”
Nadayza Barkley, of Bellport, Long Island was also charged with falsifying information in the COVID database. Clifford sold fake vaccination cards through her Instagram account for $200, and for another $250 Barkley would enter bogus data into the New York state vaccination database.
Prosecutors say Barkley entered more than 10 names into the state’s vaccine database while working at a Patchogue medical clinic and received payments for her work from Clifford through the services Zelle and CashApp.
The governor’s office confirmed Tuesday morning soldiers are in the Black Hills conducting COVID-19 testing, and Gov. Noem later in the day said in a statement she authorized the deployment at the request of Rapid City-based Monument Health.
“This past week, I had conversations with all three South Dakota hospital systems and asked them what they needed as cases start to rise again,” the governor said. “Monument asked for the National Guard to assist them in their testing efforts, and we are happy to help.”
New cases in the state have exploded in the three weeks after Sturgis, reaching levels last seen in January 2021. The state positivity rate has jumped to 30%, which indicates major under testing and unchecked spread of COVID. Just four counties, Pennington, the home of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Meade, Lawrence and Custer are responsible for half of all reported COVID cases in the state.
Monument Health reported at the start of August they had less than 10 COVID patients system-wide – they now have 110.
Misinformation
Glyphosate. If you read that and think to yourself, “isn’t that part of the herbicides in RoundUp,” you would be correct. You will also likely be stunned that in some of the darker corners of the Internet, people are advocating drinking Glyphosate as a preventative for COVID.
Pure Glyphosate is a herbicide invented in 1974, and in its pure form has a reputation of being relatively safe and not readily absorbed through the skin when used properly, However, if intentionally ingested, it can cause increased saliva, burns in the mouth and throat, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Most commercial products contain other ingredients beyond Glyphosate (such as RoundUp) and can make people extremely sick, or cause death if consumed. No, Glyphosate does not cure or prevent COVID, nor is it indicated to treat any illness in humans or animals.
[SEATTLE, Wash] – (MTN) Online retailer Amazon continues to wrestle with items for sale that embolden white nationalism with dozens of vendors selling “white privilege” cards. The cards of the same design declare, “White Privilege Card Trump’s Everything,” and are described as “inspirational” by sellers.
Although some may consider it humorous on the surface, two men in California have been indicted for conspiracy to destroy by fire or explosive a building used or in affecting interstate commerce. One of the men carried the same white privilege card for sale on Amazon.
The unfounded belief the 2020 election was stolen from former President Donald Trump allegedly inspired Ian Rogers and Jarrod Copeland to hatch a plot to blow up the Democratic Party Headquarters in Sacramento, California.
When investigators searched Rogers’ house in January, he allegedly had five pipe bombs, which court documents say were live. They also reportedly seized between 45 and 50 firearms, including at least three fully automatic weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
Amazon has come under fire for selling Nazi memorabilia and white supremacist items as far as 2018. As recently as last year, Amazon said they would not sell these types of products.
Amazon’s published policies for Offensive and Controversial materials state that “products that promote intolerance based on race, religion, and sexual orientation” cannot be sold on the platform. Despite this policy, multiple sellers were offering one-day Amazon Prime delivery, and at least one was offering a coupon promotion.
[NEW YORK] – (MTN) The same union-busters who prevented a worker’s union at an Amazon facility in Bessemer, Alabama, are now helping the company in Staten Island, New York. JFK8, New York City’s only Amazon fulfillment center, has a concerning workplace culture, according to several employees.
Amazon’s JFK8 employs consultants to prevent employee activism, but it’s one symptom of a system designed to increase productivity and one that mistreats women and employees of color, according to four current and former employees. Malcontent News also obtained two federal complaints filed against Amazon with the National Labor Relations Board regarding illegal union-busting techniques and harassment—complaints filed while some workers can’t afford rent and sleep in their cars.
According to a Truthout report, Amazon pays multiple union-busting companies like the Burke Group thousands of dollars to prevent organizing. Natalie Monarrez, an Amazon employee of three years, says on May 4 she spoke with Bradley Moss, President of the Eastern Division of the Burke Group. Moss is the same union-busting consultant who worked at the Bessemer location.
“He said the organizers [at Bessemer] were just Black Lives Matter protesters,” Monarrez said. “Then he shifted over to, ‘These guys in front [of JKF8 are] never gonna get off the ground. They’re just a bunch of thugs.’ I knew exactly what he meant.”
Monarrez says Moss was referring to union organizers outside JKF8 who pass out literature, connect with workers and host barbecues—and who are Black. It’s not the first time Amazon was racist; Vice reported in 2020 that during one executive meeting CEO Jeff Bezos attended, a company exec called organizer Chris Smalls, who is Black, “not smart or articulate.”
Hiring union-busters aren’t the only way Amazon prevents unionization. Employee and organizer Derrick Palmer recently filed a complaint with the NLRB after an incident on June 12. An Amazon manager took union literature and papers Palmer left on the break room table for other employees. Palmer says the manager wouldn’t reveal who told him to confiscate the material and says complaints have been filed previously for the same thing. After recovering his property, another manager tried to take similar literature from worker organizer Connor Spence.
Amazon has also put up anti-union signs in the bathrooms, according to Palmer, and Malcontent News obtained photos of anti-union digital signs inside the building with messages like, “Be careful who you trust.” Although there has never been an Amazon Labor Union, or ALU, at JKF8, the signs say the ALU has a “history of financial trouble.” This is in addition to a fence Amazon built around JKF8, which according to the Commercial Observer is designed to make organizing harder. Palmer filed charges with the NLRB because of the fence on May 11.
amazon anti-union ads ran on the amazon twitch platform in 2021
Employees say the internal culture is racist, too. Palmer says he believes being Black is part of the reason he hasn’t been promoted. After showing managers he had achieved enough “Matrix points,” a sort of internal tallying system of leadership and experience, management denied him an interview for promotion even though he had exceeded the requirements. Additionally, the New York Times reports that while many hourly workers are people of color, management is overwhelmingly white. Spence agrees, saying many managers are white men hired “fresh out of college.”
The company culture and union-busting do nothing to help employees who are struggling, Monarrez says. Monarrez, who also filed an NLRB report after a now-terminated manager physically prevented her from using the bathroom, says she and nearly 100 other JKF8 employees are homeless and sleep in their cars in the parking lot after work. Monarrez has been homeless for three years. She lost her job after the 2008 recession and had a difficult time finding work, so she moved to New York City and began working for Amazon in 2017.
Monarrez lives on just more than $19 an hour, but in New York City rent can be more than $2,000 per month for a one-bedroom apartment, which she can’t afford it. She says she’s gotten a gym membership so she can take a shower. However, it’s not easy to work 10-hour shifts handling around 1,800 packages per hour and not be able to afford basic necessities.
“I wish people knew the truth,” Monarrez says. “It’s really bad, and we need help.”
Smalls, Palmer, Spence, and other labor organizers at JFK8 are doing their best to help. Every employee Malcontent News spoke to knew about each other’s struggles and had established relationships. Smalls says the barbecues he hosts outside the building help workers come together.
Because JKF8 has about 5,600 employees, Spence says they need about 1,700 signatures to vote on creating a union. They’re making steady progress, and Spence says they may hit their goals and push for a vote this year. But if it takes longer, they’re willing to put in the work.
In Bessemer, union efforts failed after 738 voted for, and 1,798 voted against a union. However, Amazon installed a mailbox there, and some reports say it’s possible Amazon tampered with votes. In addition to union-busting tactics, JKF8 has a turnover rate of about 150 percent. Spence says this means that in a building of 6,000 people, they may hire and fire as many as 9,000 employees in a year, making it difficult to unionize.
amazon’s union busting training video – full version – from 2019
“It’s not the only reason they do it, but trying to prevent labor organizing is one of the components of that business model,” Spence says. “High turnover prevents labor organizing.”
Still, there are ways the public can help. Smalls says locals are welcome to come and volunteer and that anyone can donate.
“We are self-funded,” Smalls says. “Donate whatever you can on amazonlaborunion.org. Help us amplify anything online. If they can volunteer, they can come on down.”
Our live webcast from the former Seattle Anarchist Jurisdiction
The show from May 6, 2021, featured David Obelcz and our co-host Jennifer Smith. Patrons at the $5 and above level get access to our show notes and research documents.
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[SEATTLE] – (MTN) An employee of Twitch used their official work account repeatedly to express racist views after the Derek Chauvin verdict on the company’s platform. Twitch is primarily used as a platform to watch others play video games; it has become popular with content creators on many topics, including the arts, music, podcasting, news, and politics. Seattle-based Amazon purchased Twitch in 2014.
On April 20, 2021, the Twitch channel PTNewsNetwork, headed by Stephen Oatley, covered the Derek Chauvin verdict live. During the stream, a user with the screen name usctrojans117 made multiple comments. The white wrench icon indicates that the user is an employee of Twitch, using their work account.
Among the comments made in the moments after the verdict was read:
“#all_lives_matter”
“oh protests in Chicago where white people get killed EVERY DAY”
“The jury was scared to actually give him a fair trial and fair verdict”
“The rioters are going to riot, [sic] irregardless of the verdict”
“He had enough drugs in his system to kill someone, and one of the side effects of the drugs is restricted breathing, show heart rate, etc.”
“Because people will find any reason to riot and they want the country to implode…and for chaos to ensue and always be present”
“Yeah, let’s see about those ‘peaceful’ protests.”
Malcontent News reached out to Twitch multiple times for comment, but there was no response from their press team. There is no information if Amazon or Twitch is investigating the employee or speaking on behalf of Twitch and Amazon when they wrote these comments using their work account.
Oatley expressed outrage at the verdict and ended his stream.
The idea jurors were intimidated into a guilty verdict has been widely dismissed, including by far-right voices such as Jeannie Pirro of Fox News and local news personality Brandi Kruse. Evidence presented by multiple experts at the trial also rejected the idea that Floyd had lethal amounts of drugs in his system, nor did he display any of the symptoms of someone experiencing an overdose.
The nation was largely peaceful after the verdict was read, with only a couple of arrests in Seattle and some property destruction in Portland. Outside of the courthouse in Minneapolis and George Floyd Square, celebrations turned into quiet memorials and marches. Right-wing news sites tried to connect pictures of Chitt Week at Ohio State University with riots after the verdict.
Content creators have the option to allow comments during their stream, who can comment, and when they can comment. Historically, the gaming community was wrestled with misogyny, doxxing, and swatting. Like other social media platforms, Twitch has been grappling with the spread of misinformation and extremist ideology while balancing First Amendment rights.
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