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Health and Lifestyle, Local, National

All eyes on FDA and CDC for booster ruling tomorrow – local, state, and national update for November 18, 2021

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) New cases declined slightly while hospitalizations now rest on a seven-day-old plateau as Washington approaches the end of the 21st month fighting Covid-19. Sixteen counties no longer have “high transmission” rates.

In state news, British Columbia and Washington have eased border crossing rules, waiving COVID test requirements at some crossings. Drivers who need to bypass road closures due to flooding and mudslides can cross the border without the required PCR test, but only if they agree they are transiting between border crossing.

Governor Inslee backed down from plans to use stricter measures for Washington employers with 100 or more workers, as the nation waits to see what happens to the Biden Administration’s OSHA Covid-19 vaccination requirements.

The Washington State Department of Health announced that free in-home COVID test kits will be made available in nine counties.

Locally, the Bellevue School District is down to five confirmed COVID cases districtwide between students and staff. In the Northshore School District, Maywood Elementary is dealing with a surge of new Covid-19 cases, with 11 cases, eight confirmed this week.

Nationally the number of new cases is up 14% and more governors provided guidance or directives to make booster shots available to all adults. The vaccination deadline is ten days away from the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. The Pentagon reported 99% of sailors are vaccinated versus 93% of marines.

The NFL is dealing with another potential COVID scandal, with Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown accused of buying a fake vaccination card.

This update uses the latest data from the Washington State Department of Health (WSDOH), released on November 18, 2021.

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Washington State Update for November 18, 2021

Washington state Covid-19 update

New Covid-19 case rates are showing a pattern of county hotspots instead of widespread transmission. As an example, Chelan County just rolled over 60% of all residents vaccinated this week but is dealing with a bump in new cases.

There remains a significant difference between lower-vaccinated counties and counties where at least 70% of the total population is fully inoculated.

If Washington state wants to ever get to a place of endemic spread, the data indicates the bare minimum vaccination rate would be 70% of the entire population.

Percent of Total Population Fully VaccinatedTotal Population in GroupAverage 14-Day New Case Rate
70.00% or above (3 counties)2,343,250167.4
60.00% to 69.99% (4 counties)1,242,200328.5
50.00% to 59.99% (17 counties)3,664,000306.1
40.00% to 49.99% (9 counties)375,575285.1
31.80% to 39.99% (6 counties)151,850241.3
14-Day New Covid-19 Cases per 100K average by Vaccination Rate for Total Population, Adjusted for Population by County

Through November 17, Washington’s statewide 14-day rolling average is 264.5 Covid-19 cases per 100K. There are signs that a new plateau is forming with transmission rates too high coming into the start of the holiday travel season.

Chelan, Douglas, Klickitat, Lewis, Lincoln, Skagit, and Spokane counties have new case rates between 400.0 and 599.9. Okanogan and Grays Harbor Counties were just under 400.

Sixteen counties representing 3.52 million Washingtonians have a 7 day moving average case rate under 100.

The 7 day new case rate was unchanged and the hospitalization rate increased for elderly patients 80 and older..

Age Group7-Day Case Rate7-Day Hospitalization Rate
Ages 0-11119.80.7
Ages 12-19111.10.9
Ages 20-34116.72.8
Ages 35-49125.35.9
Ages 50-6494.99.6
Ages 65-7964.016.0
Ages 80+66.025.7 (up)
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 27 deaths on Wednesday and 39 on Tuesday.

British Columbia and Washington agree to ease border rules due to severe flooding and road closures

Canadian border agents will be waiving COVID-19 test requirements for people choosing to drive through Washington State to bypass highway closures between the Lower Mainland and the Okanagan due to flooding and landslides.

“Given the current situation in B.C., travelers who must transit through the United States to get to their residence in Canada are exempt from the COVID-19 pre-arrival test, the test in Canada, and quarantine requirements,” stated a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) spokesperson by email.

CBSA expects to be using pre-existing exemptions within federal government orders to apply to travelers who are simply transiting Washington State highways, such as between the Osoyoos border crossing and checkpoints entering Surrey.

Individuals will still need to present a valid passport to cross the international border.

Governor Inslee backs down on expansion of OSHA vaccine and test requirements

During media availability today, Governor Jay Inslee indicated the state was backing down on expanding pending Biden Administration rules that would require companies with more than 100 employees to have vaccinated staff or rest weekly. Earlier the governor had said the state was considering removing the testing requirement and applying the same standard to medium and large private employers that are required for state employees.

The new OSHA rules that were supposed to go into effect on January 5, 2022 are in limbo. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a stay of the mandate, calling it “staggeringly overbroad,” saying it failed to account for the different levels of risk faced by workers in different workplace settings. The court ruled OSHA may not implement the mandate unless another court overturns the ruling.

The 6th Circuit Court was selected using a ping pong ball to hear the broader case, which will likely head to the Supreme Court.

Nine Washington counties offering free at-home Covid-19 test kits

Nine counties in the northeastern, south central, and southwestern parts of Washington will offer free at-home COVID tests to residents.

Kira Lewis, a public health nurse at the Spokane Regional Health District, says at-home tests take about 10 minutes, and could be taken Thanksgiving or Christmas morning before going over to a family member’s house.

“More testing in the community that’s accessible to all members of the public helps people make good decisions about their social lives and interacting with others,” she said. “That is important for the individual and it’s important for our community as a whole moving forward, continuing to have high rates of transmission in our area. We need to meet that with high rates of available testing.”

The nine counties are Adams, Benton, Cowlitz, Ferry, Franklin, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Spokane, and Stevens.

Travel Advisories

Due to severe flooding and strained hospital resources, we are maintaining the travel advisory for the Northwest Hospital Region. The region includes Clallam, Jefferson, Kitsap, and Mason counties.

We continue to advise to avoid all nonessential travel to Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, and Montana. Hospital resources in these states remain constrained, and you may receive inadequate care if you experience a serious medical emergency.

Finally, we continue to recommend avoiding recreational travel to Wyoming. The situation continues to improve but hospital resources remain constrained.

Thank you

Thank you to our new subscribers and those of you who have made one-time contributions. On behalf of the entire team, thank you for helping us keep the lights on!

In August, King County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin mentioned the N95 Project as a trusted source for N95 masks. A check on the website showed that a 50 count box of United States manufactured N95 masks are available for $40.00. We recommend wearing N95 masks indoors as they provide the best protection against COVID when properly fitted.

No promotional consideration has been given, or requested from the n95 project or any manufacturer of masks

Vaccination

More states open up booster shots to all adults

Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Utah joined eight other states already opening up booster shots to all adults, as more governors try to get ahead of the start of a sixth wave.

New York and Rhode Island haven’t made boosters available to all adults statewide, but are asking healthcare providers not to turn anyone away in counties with high transmission rates.

Arkansas and West Virginia reported encouraging news that many were taking advantage of the new guidelines.

Get Your Booster

If you are eligible for a Covid-19 booster shot Malcontent News strongly encourages you to not delay getting your second or third dose. It is fast, free, and easy. There is growing evidence that the half-life of Covid-19 vaccines is six to ten months, and the half-life for so-called natural immunity is 5 to 7 months.

According to the Washington State Department of Health, through November 7, 675,000 residents have received their Covid-19 booster. Over 1.8 million adults in Washington have a BMI of 25 or higher or are older than 65.

There is significant data that shows natural and vaccine-based immunity starts to fade after four to seven months and countries that implemented aggressive Covid-19 booster shot programs significantly reduced new cases and hospitalizations.

King County, Washington is reporting over 83.5% 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. The Pfizer vaccine has EUA approval for children 5 to 15 years old.

COVID vaccines and boosters are free for anyone 5 and older. Lyft and Hopelink provide free transportation, and KinderCare, the Learning Care Group, and the YMCA offer free childcare during vaccination appointments or recuperation.

For information on getting a vaccination in King County, you can visit the King County Department of Public Health website.

Malcontent News

Hospital Status

Hospital readiness continues to slowly improve except on the Olympic Peninsula. Although the number of COVID patients under care is in decline, the total number of hospitalized patients is unchanged due to deferred elective surgeries, increased movement among the population creating more injuries, and other wintertime diseases.

According to the DoH COVID Dashboard, 91.2% of all staffed acute care beds are occupied, and 12.3% of patients have Covid-19. Statewide, hospitals have the staff to support approximately 633 additional acute care patients.

ICUs are at 87.6% of capacity statewide, with 20.2% of ICU patients fighting Covid-19 – an estimated 238 patients with 49.1% on ventilators. The state has the staff to support approximately 147 additional ICU patients.

On Wednesday, the 7 day rolling average hospital admission rate for new COVID patients was 89. The Department of Health reported 882 Covid-19 patients statewide with 117 requiring ventilators. The number of hospitalized Covid-19 patients has been in the mid-800s to low-900s for seven days in a row.

Hospital RegionCountiesICU OccupancyICU COVID PatientsAcute Care OccupancyAcute Care COVID Patients
EastAdams, Asotin, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Wahkiakum, Whitman86.1%24.1%89.0%13.8%
NorthIsland, San Juan, Skagit, Whatcom67.3%26.6%81.5%12.5%
North CentralChelan, Douglas, Grant, Okanogan94.7%43.1%75.2%17.0%
NorthwestClallam, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason92.8%26.1%96.8%12.9%
Puget SoundKing, Pierce, Snohomish91.5%18.6%95.4%11.4%
South CentralBenton, Columbia, Franklin, Kittitas, Walla Walla, Yakima87.1%18.7%84.3%15.3%
SouthwestClark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Skamania70.0%13.5%85.7%9.0%
WestGrays Harbor, Lewis, Pacific, Thurston87.8%18.7%91.7%14.2%
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%

School Readiness

School DistrictStatusLess than 10 Active Cases10 or More Active Cases
BellevueGREEN– Bennett (1*)
– Bellevue (1*)
– International (1*)
– Puesta del Sol (1*)
– Somerset (1*)		None
Lake WashingtonYELLOW– Alcott (3*/11)
– Audubon (1*/7)
– Blackwell (2*/3)
– Carson (1*/3)
– Clara Barton (4*/24)
– Eastlake High (1*/17)
– Ella Baker (2*/4)
– Evergreen Middle School (1*/0)
– Finn Hill Middle School (5)
– Inglewood Middle School (5**/34)
– Juanita High (1*/12)
– Kamiakin Middle School (2*/27)
– Kirk Elementary (3*/13)
– Kirkland Middle School (1*/10)
– Lakeview Elementary (1*/1)
– Lake Washington High School (3*/7)
– McAuliffe (2*/6)
– Northstar Middle School (12)
– Redmond High School (1*/12)
– Renaissance Middle School (1*/6)
– Rose Hill Middle (1*/7)
– Rush Elementary (3*/0)
– Sandburg/Discovery (1*/4)
– Smith Elementary (1*/9)		None
NorthshoreRED– Arrowhead Elementary (0/1)
– Bothell High School (5**/9)
– Canyon Creek Elementary (4*/24)
– Canyon Park Middle School (1*/12)
– Crystal Springs Elementary (3*/34)
– Eastridge Elementary (1*/3)
– Fernwood Elementary (1*/2)
– Frank Love Elementary (0/6)
– Hollywood Hills Elementary (2*/0)
– Inglemoor High School (4*/1)
– Kenmore Middle School (1*/2)
– Kokanee Elementary (1*/1)
– Leota Middle School (2*/1)
– Moorlands Elementary (0/5)
– North Creek High School (2*/8)
– Northshore Middle School (1*/9)
– Ruby Bridges Elementary (1*/4)
– Shelton View Elementary (0/1)
– Skyview Middle School (0/1)
– Sunrise Elementary (1*/4)
– Timbercrest Middle School (2*/8)
– Wellington Elementary (1*/5)
– Westhill Elementary (2*/3)
– Woodin Elementary (3*/5)
– Woodinville High School (2*/2)
– Woodmoor Elementary (2*/3)		– Maywood Hills Elementary (11**/5)
Local Districts Scorecard – * indicates positive cases only ** indicates 5 or more confirmed positive cases – (x*/y) x is positive cases and 7 quarantined, quarantined does not include 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 ten active COVID cases reported into the red, and we’ve adjusted the third column to reflect this change.

Based on reader feedback, and improvement in the data we are receiving, we have adjusted how we are reporting data. The Lake Washington and Northshore School Districts are now reported as (X*/Y) or (X**/Y). X represents the number of positive cases while Y represents how many are in quarantine. The number in quarantine does not include positive cases. If there are two asterisks, that indicates five or more confirmed cases within the last 14 days at that school.

The Northshore School District moves to status red with Maywood Hills Elementary reporting 11 confirmed COVID cases and eight this week. It is the largest Covid-19 outbreak in terms of new cases reported at the same time in the three school districts Malcontent News tracks since school started.

The Bellevue School District stays status green with five confirmed cases in the last 14 days districtwide. Additionally, we can process quarantine data by the day, and we will start tracking those numbers next week.

The Lake Washington School District updates data once a week, and we’ve had no parent confirmed reports on new COVID cases this week.

We continued to encourage parents to request daily updates from the Lake Washington School District. This change would bring the three school districts we track into alignment.

Kirkland-Bellevue-Woodinville

No update

National Round-Up

Johns Hopkins University Cumulative Case Tracker reports 111,106 new cases and 1,622 deaths nationwide on Wednesday. The Delta variant continues to target the unvaccinated and a very small, but growing number of people vaccinated more than six months ago. New cases are up 14% since last week.

Vaccination deadline looms for active duty U.S. Navy and Marine Corps personnel

The Pentagon reported that 99% of sailors and 93% of Marines were either fully or partially vaccinated, with the November 28 deadline ten days away. Among the five branches, the Navy has the highest vaccination rate while the Marines have the lowest.

Marines and sailors who choose not to get the Covid-19 vaccine by the end of November will be released from the service, in a general but honorable discharge, officials with those services have said, making them ineligible for some benefits from the GI Bill.

The Orange County Register reported a message sent to the troops said “Marines refusing to take the vaccine absent medical exemptions, religious accommodations or pending appeal,” will be processed for discharge and additional disciplinary action or even a court martial is not out of the question. The Navy has issued a similar message.

Army will push out soliders who refuse to get Covid-19 vaccine

Soldiers who refuse to get the COVID-19 vaccine and have not requested an exemption will no longer be allowed to re-enlist or be promoted, effectively ending their military careers, according to a report by Defense One. The new directive applies to active-duty troops as well as reservists and National Guardsmen, including those serving in states whose governors do not require the vaccine. 

The Nov. 16 memo, signed by Army Secretary Christine Wormuth, says troops’ service records will be flagged the day they make their final vaccine refusal, which follows a meeting with a medical professional and a second order to get vaccinated. This flag will bar them from being promoted, reenlisting, continuing to receive enlistment bonuses, attending service-related schools, or receiving tuition assistance.

“I authorize commanders to impose bars to continued service…for all soldiers who refuse the mandatory vaccine order without an approved exemption or pending exemption request,” Wormuth wrote in the memo. “The Soldier will remain flagged until they are fully vaccinated, receive an approved medical or administrative exemption, or are separated from the Army.” 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown accused of buying fake vaccine card

Days after brushing aside Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers less than truthful vaccination status, wide receiver Antonio Brown is accused by his former chef of buying a fake vaccination card, plunging the NFL into another public relations mess.

The Tampa Bay Times broke the story earlier today, with the chef claiming Brown bought the card to avoid NFL protocols. If true, Brown in theory could face massive fines from the NFL for repeated protocol violations. Aaron Rodgers broke as many as 16 Coivid-19 protocols but was ultimately fined $14,650 for attending an unsanctioned Halloween party.

Brown could be in additional trouble with the FBI. Buying a fake vaccination card is a federal crime. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers issued a brief statement via Twitter, indicating they had collected all vaccination records during the preseason and “no irregularities were observed.”

State Updates

Arizona

Phoenix will require all city employees to be vaccinated by January 22, 2022, or face termination. Phoenix joins other cities such as New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle that already require government employees to be vaccinated against COVID.

Colorado

UCHealth in Colorado will be getting a helping hand from the Department of Defense in the battle against COVID-19 according to a report by KKTV Channel 11.

A news release from UCHealth issued on Thursday states a team of about 20 nurses, providers, respiratory therapists, and administrators will be deployed to UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital (PVH) for about a month. The team is expected to ease capacity and staffing challenges. The request came from Gov. Jared Polis.

“We are so grateful that this team will assist us in providing exceptional care in northern Colorado,” said Kevin Unger, the president, and chief executive officer at PVH and UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland. “We anticipate this additional support and other plans we already have in the works will help make a significant difference.”

District of Columbia

Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington said on Tuesday that an indoor mask mandate in the nation’s capital would be eased on November 22, reflecting a shift away from mask requirements as coronavirus vaccination rates continue to rise and infections fueled by the Delta variant subside in the city.

The New York Times reported about 88 percent of the District of Columbia’s adult residents have received at least one vaccine dose, according to city health officials.

Masks will still be required in certain circumstances, including on public transportation, inside school buildings, and in congregate living facilities like nursing homes, college dormitories, and jails.

Idaho

In what could be read as a victory for Governor Brad Little and a blow to Lt. Governor Janice McGeachin, the Idaho legislature ended its special session making almost no changes to state COVID policies.

The House of Representatives approved five bills and sent them to the Senate. But the Senate did little more than refer them to committee and adjourn.

The Senate did adopt a memorial piece of legislation that sends a message to the president and Congress “to make a very forceful statement about our position on the presidential mandates related to Covid-19,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Winder.

Kansas

An Olathe mother has filed a lawsuit against Walmart over the COVID-19 vaccine according to a report by FOX 4.

The lawsuit alleges that the woman’s 15-year-old girl was vaccinated by a Walmart employee at the store’s pharmacy without parental consent. The 15-year-old girl wanted the COVID-19 vaccine so she could hang out with her friends.

“The biggest problem I have with this situation is that Walmart vaccinated my daughter without my consent and knowledge,” said the girl’s mom Michelle Tonkinson.

In a statement, Walmart said, “Walmart is committed to offering quality and compliant health care. We take allegations like this seriously. We will review the claims and respond with the court as appropriate once we are served.”

Massachusetts

Massachusetts health officials reported another 3,196 confirmed COVID-19 cases — the most in one day since February — and eight new deaths Thursday, according to a report by NBC 10.

The report pushed the state’s number of confirmed COVID-19 cases to 826,996 since the start of the pandemic and its death toll to 18,834.

The number of new confirmed cases in Wednesday’s report from the Department of Public Health had been the most in one day since September, according to archival data. But that report included “a backlog of testing results” from several prior days. The prior single-day high had been in February — and February 6 was the last time more than 3,196 cases were confirmed in one day.

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced the state was opening up booster shots to anyone over 18 years old, joining a growing list of states breaking with current FDA guidelines.

Minnesota

Hospitals across the state are delaying surgeries to free up bed space in the face of growing concerns over hospital capacity constraints, according to a report by KSTP.

“Things have been getting worse in the last couple of weeks,” said Rahul Koranne, president and CEO of the Minnesota Hospital Association. “We have emergency departments that are full of patients. We have patients in beds in hallways. Our units are full.”

Only 1.1% of ICU beds and 0.5% of non-ICU beds were available in the metro Thursday, according to response capacity data from the Minnesota Department of Health.

“Everybody’s delaying surgeries. We’re pulling this lever across the board. Our care teams, our leaders, our surgical teams are making this decision minute by minute,” Koranne said. “Shoulder surgeries, knee surgeries, but even the last couple of weeks, what we are having to do unfortunately is push back some heart surgeries. At the end of the day, we only have a limited amount of care capacity available.”

Missouri

On Thursday, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services once again reconfigured the state’s COVID data dashboard, adding thousands of previously unreported deaths and infections, according to a report by the St. Louis Dispatch.

Some date back to the spring of 2020, and many are instances of illness or death now attributed to Covid-19 but that weren’t publicly tallied by the state at the time.

As part of the update, the state also began reporting COVID cases that occurred after vaccination or prior infection. The numbers show that such cases have been remarkably rare, and are most common among those with underlying health conditions.

The department added 2,792 “probable” Covid-19 deaths, increasing the state total 22%

New Mexico

According to state health officials, around 25% of all COVID-19 cases in the last week were among children in a report by KOB.

School-age children are included in that group, so could this impact in-person learning? School districts around the state have new “enhanced” COVID procedures in place, in case the surge gets worse.

If a school has a certain percentage of COVID-positive cases, that facility would be required to start implementing those additional measures. The good news, so far, is that both Rio Rancho Public Schools and Albuquerque Public Schools said they have not reached that point, they hope to keep it that way.

Utah

For the third day in a row, 13 Utahns have been added to the death toll from COVID-19 — a number that now stands at 3,411 people, according to the Utah Department of Health in a story published by the Salt Lake Tribune.

The health department on Thursday also reported 1,789 new coronavirus cases in the past day. The rolling seven-day average for positive tests stands at 1,633 per day.

Intensive care units in the state remain near capacity, and over capacity in the state’s largest hospitals. According to the health department, 96.7% of all ICU beds and 101.8% of ICU beds in larger medical centers are occupied. (Hospitals consider anything over 85% to be functionally full.) Of all ICU patients, 44.2% are being treated for COVID-19.

Virginia

On Thursday, Sentara Healthcare faced off in court with one of their own doctors, Paul Marik, according to WTKR.

Marik, who is the director of the Critical Care Unit at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, is suing the healthcare system because they won’t allow him to treat COVID-19 patients with the drug ivermectin, along with a host of other drugs that make up his developed MATH+ Protocol.

“Almost all of the treatments we use have been demonstrated to be safe and effective in randomized controlled trials,” Marik said.

Marik claims that Sentara’s policy may have led to the deaths of four of his patients who were never given the opportunity to learn of or be treated with potentially life-saving medicines. He said these actions are criminal.

There is not a single peer reviewed study that used accurate placebo controlled double blind study data that indicates Ivermectin is effective as a preventative or treatment. The largest validated study to date indicated that for the sickest patients, the antiparisitic drug was counterindicated.

Disinformation

Taking the night off

Health and Lifestyle, Local, National

Over 89% of eligible King County has at least one Covid vax dose – local, state, and national update for November 8, 2021

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) Three weeks after the vaccination mandate deadline passed for state, healthcare and education workers, the vaccination rate increased dramatically statewide and in King County. New cases continue to drift downward, with Eastern Washington showing the most improvement. Over 7 million Washingtonians now live in counties where at least 50% of all residents are fully vaccinated.

Within our coverage area, the northern half of Kirkland continues to have the third-lowest vaccination rate along the I-405 corridor.

Big Bird got “vaccinated” in front of the public for the second time since 1972, and it’s made some people very mad.

The land border between Canada and the United States reopened for the first time in 20 months. The happiest people in North America about the reopening live in Point Roberts who have ended more than 500 days of exile.

Vaccinations are available for children 5 to 11, and demand is far exceeding the supply. In Seattle, Seattle Public Schools have opened clinics at 54 locations.

Delta VUI-21 growth has slowed down in the U.K., but the variant under investigation continues to spread. Europe is now the epicenter for Covid-19 on the planet, with several Eastern European nations setting new records.

This update uses the latest data from the Washington State Department of Health (WSDOH), released on November 8, 2021.

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Washington State Update for November 8, 2021

Washington state Covid-19 update

The Washington State Department of Health has updated the Covid-19 vaccination data, and there were significant increases statewide. Twenty-three of 39 counties have at least 50% of the total population vaccinated for COVID, representing 7.04 million people.

New case rates continue to drop in Eastern Washington three weeks after the vaccine mandate deadline for state employees, healthcare workers, and school employees.

Currently, the vaccination data does not include 5 to 11 years, which became vaccine eligible last week. We expect the reporting data to be updated in the coming weeks. There continues to be a significant drop in new case rates in counties where more than 70% of the eligible population are vaccinated.

Percent of Total Population Fully VaccinatedTotal Population in GroupAverage 14-Day New Case Rate
70.00% or above (3 counties)2,343,250203.7
60.00% to 69.99% (4 counties)1,242,200323.1
50.00% to 59.99% (16 counties)3,454,700351.1
40.00% to 49.99% (10 counties)584,875346.4
31.50% to 39.99% (6 counties)151,850342.2
14-Day New Covid-19 Cases per 100K average by Vaccination Rate for Total Population, Adjusted for Population by County

Through November 8, Washington’s statewide 14-day rolling average is 301.9 Covid-19 cases per 100K. Health officials would prefer to see these numbers drop lower as we move closer to the holidays.

Only Skagit County has a case rate between 600.0 to 799.9. Over the weekend, the case rate increased to 657.0. Klickitat was just under 600.

Asotin, Chelan, Douglas, Ferry, Garfield, Grant, Grays Harbor, Klickitat, Lewis, Lincoln, Okanagan, Pend Orielle, and Spokane counties have new case rates between 400.0 and 599.9. Cowlitz, Mason, Pend Oreille, and Stevens counties were just under 400.

Eleven counties have a 7 day moving average case rate under 100, and San Juan and Wahikakum counties were under 25.

The 7 day new case rate was up among adolescents and young adults, ages 50 to 64, and people 80 and above. Hospitalization rates drifted downward except for geriatric patients over 79 years old.

Age Group7-Day Case Rate7-Day Hospitalization Rate
Ages 0-11147.10.8
Ages 12-19150.4 (up)1.1
Ages 20-34142.4 (up)3.1
Ages 35-49144.76.8
Ages 50-64115.7 (up)11.6
Ages 65-7979.716.6
Ages 80+81.2 (up)26.5 (up)
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 was not updated for Monday.

10 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine administered across Washington

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is pleased to announce another significant milestone has been reached in the state’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout. As of November 6, more than 10 million doses of vaccine have been given out across Washington since distribution began in mid-December 2020.

“Giving out 10 million doses of life-saving vaccine is something we should all be proud of here in Washington,” said Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH, Secretary of Health. “Knowing that younger kids can now be protected from the worst outcomes of this virus is an incredible relief, not just for parents and families, but for everyone. The more people vaccinated, the more community protection we have, and that’s good for us all.”

The achievement was reached thanks to the hard work of providers, local and private sector partners, DOH staff, community members, and countless others whose commitment to community health and safety has been vital to our state’s continued success.

Border between British Columbia and Washington reopens after 20 months

Cars lined up at the Peace Arch border crossing to enter Blaine, Washington, as the land border between Canada and the United States opened for the first time in 20 months. Traffic this evening was light after a flood of cars heading south entered Washington state.

No place on Earth was more relieved about the border reopening than the residents of Point Roberts.

Point Roberts is a small Washington town located on the tip of Canada’s Tsawwassen peninsula. It is surrounded by water on three sides and attached to land through Canada only. 

When the U.S.-Canadian border closed in 2020, many Canadians were separated from loved ones, friends, and their homes in towns like Point Roberts. American residents were separated from the rest of the United States, having to endure financial and emotional hardship.

“We’re going to be thrilled to get our Canadians back because, like I said before, [they own] 75% of our properties and [contribute] 90% of our economy. We just hope that the Canadians will relax that unnecessary testing,” said Brian Calder, president of the Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce told KING 5 News.

On Monday, some Canadian families returned to the Washington town to winterize their homes.

Seattle Public Schools starts vaccination clinics for children ages 5 to 11

Seattle Public Schools (SPS) started running vaccine clinics today that will offer first doses of the Pfizer vaccine to children 5 to 11 at 40 schools during the day and 14 regional clinics on the weekend and evenings through November 23. Second dose clinics will be offered from November 29 to December 14.

 SPS vaccine clinics are organized to prioritize families who face more barriers to vaccination while regional clinics are open to all SPS students who are 5 years and older.

Students do not have to be enrolled in that specific school. SPS vaccine clinics are organized to prioritize families who face more barriers to vaccination. Please attend the clinic in the area that is convenient to where you live.

There may be scarcity in vaccine supply in the first few weeks after approval but should stabilize after a few weeks and eventually, everyone will be able to get vaccinated. If a clinic needs to be postponed due to vaccine supply, we will re-schedule the clinic as soon as possible.

At the regional clinics, students under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

The Pfizer vaccination requires two shots. Students should plan to be available for both school clinic dates to receive both doses of the vaccine.

Travel Advisories

With new cases starting to decline statewide, we continue to hope the East Hospital Region travel advisory can end in the next 3 to 10 days. For now, we’re maintaining our recreational travel advisory to the region, including Adams, Asotin, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Wahkiakum, and Whitman counties. Acute care and ICU capacity remain limited.

Additionally, we are maintaining the travel advisory for the Northwest Hospital Region. The region includes Clallam, Jefferson, Kitsap, and Mason counties.

We are adding Colorado to our list of states to avoid all nonessential travel. Last Sunday, Governor Jared Polis signed an executive order implementing crisis standards of care. We continue to strongly advise against all nonessential travel to Alaska, Idaho, and Montana. Alaska and the Idaho Panhandle are experiencing an extreme number of Covid-19 hospitalizations. Hospital resources in these regions are constrained, and you may receive inadequate care if you experience a serious medical emergency.

We are downgrading our travel advisory for Wyoming and recommend avoiding recreational travel at this time. The situation has improved significantly in the last two weeks.

Thank you

Thank you to our new subscribers and those of you who have made one-time contributions. On behalf of the entire team, thank you for helping us keep the lights on!

In August, King County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin mentioned the N95 Project as a trusted source for N95 masks. A check on the website showed that a 50 count box of United States manufactured N95 masks are available for $40.00. We recommend wearing N95 masks indoors as they provide the best protection against COVID when properly fitted.

No promotional consideration has been given, or requested from the n95 project or any manufacturer of masks

Vaccination

Pfizer may seek clearance of Covid-19 booster for ages 18 and up

Pfizer and German partner BioNTech are expected to seek authorization for their COVID-19 vaccine booster shot for people aged 18 and above as soon as this week, according to a report in the Washington Post.

There were multiple reports three weeks ago the FDA and CDC were having talks about lowering the age for booster shots to 40 years old for people who got the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Data out of the U.K. and Israel have indicated that boosters had a significant impact in reducing hospitalizations and deaths during their most recent surges.

King County, Washington is reporting over 89.2% 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. The Pfizer vaccine has EUA approval for children 5 to 15 years old.

COVID vaccines and boosters are free for anyone 5 and older. Lyft and Hopelink provide free transportation, and KinderCare, the Learning Care Group, and the YMCA offer free childcare during vaccination appointments or recuperation.

For information on getting a vaccination in King County, you can visit the King County Department of Public Health website.

Malcontent News

Hospital Status

A significant amount of data from the East Hospital Region was missing in the Monday report. We are not providing updated hospitalization data in today’s report.

On Sunday, the Washington State Department of Health reported 1,007 Covid-19 patients statewide with 159 on ventilators. Hospitalizations are drifting downward after increasing 7% from October 22 to October 29.

Back to School

School DistrictStatusLess than 10 Active Cases10 or More Active Cases
BellevueYELLOW– Ardmore (1*)
– Bennett (1*)
– Big Picture (1*)
– Clyde Hill (1*)
– Enatai (1*)
– Highland (5**)
– Lake Hills (1*)
– Sammamish (1*)
– Stevenson (2*)
– Tyee (1*)
– Woodridge (1*)		None
Lake WashingtonYELLOW– Alcott (19)
– Bell (24)
– Blackwell (5)
– Carson Elementary (10)
– Clara Barton (23)
– Eastlake High (66)
– Ella Baker (6)
– Evergreen Middle School (1)
– Finn Hill Middle School (5)
– Frost (5)
– Inglewood Middle School (13)
– Juanita Elementary (1)
– Juanita High (30)
– Kamiakin Middle School (5)
– Keller (6)
– Kirk Elementary (20)
– Lakeview Elementary (7)
– Lake Washington High School (7)
– McAuliffe (1)
– Northstar Middle School (12)
– Redmond High School (37)
– Renaissance Middle School (1)
– Rush Elementary (1)
– Sandburg/Discovery (9)
– Thoreau (5)
– Timberline Middle School (14)
– Twain Elementary (2)		None
NorthshoreYELLOW– Arrowhead Elementary (7)
– Bothell High School (10**)
– Canyon Creek Elementary (5)
– Canyon Park Middle School (1)
– Crystal Springs Elementary (4)
– East Ridge Elementary (1)
– Fernwood Elementary (8)
– Frank Love Elementary (9)
– Hollywood Hills Elementary (6)
– Inglemoor High School (16**)
– Kenmore Elementary (20)
– Kenmore Middle School (24)
– Kokanee Elementary (5)
– Leota Middle School (1)
– Maywood Hills Elementary (3)
– Moorlands Elementary (1)
– North Creek High School (6)
– Northshore Middle School (42)
– Ruby Bridge Elementary (5)
– Shelton View Elementary (3)
– Skyview Middle School (12**)
– Sunrise Elementary (1)
– Timbercrest Middle School (3)
– Wellington Elementary (6)
– Westhill Elementary (14)
– Woodin Elementary (1)
– Woodinville High School (5)
– Woodmoor Elementary (14)		None
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 ten active COVID cases reported into the red, and we’ve adjusted the third column to reflect this change.

Highland Middle School in the Bellevue School District has five confirmed Covid-19 cases between faculty and students, which is the biggest change in the area schools.

The Northshore School District had a small surge of cases over the last two weeks that has run its course. The number of schools dealing with 5 or more cases dropped to three over the weekend.

We continued to encourage parents to request daily updates from the Lake Washington School District. We would also encourage parents to request the Bellevue School District include data on close contacts. These two changes would bring the three school districts we track into alignment.

Percentage of King County Residents 12 and older who have received at least one dose of COVID vaccine, November 8, 2021

Vaccination rates for adolescents ages 12 and 19 in North King County continue to lag far behind the rest of the eastside.

Kirkland-Bellevue-Woodinville

King County Public Health updated the vaccination rates by zip code, with the numbers improving throughout the region. The northern half of Kirkland continues to lag behind the rest of the eastside. Bothell and the Juanita-Finn Hill-Kingsgate regions of Kirkland remain below 90% vaccinated and below the King County average.

Percentage of King County Residents 12 and older who have received at least one dose of COVID vaccine, November 8, 2021
Zip CodePercent vaccinated, at least one dose, 12 and older
98155>95.0%
9802891.7%
9801188.5%
9803487.0%
98033>95.0%
98072>95.0%
98052>95.0%
98004>95.0%
98039>95.0%
98005>95.0%
9800792.1%
Vaccination rates for those 12 and older by zip code – at least one dose

National Round-Up

Johns Hopkins University Cumulative Case Tracker reports 21,968 new cases and 119 deaths nationwide on Monday. Most states discontinued reporting Covid-19 related data over the weekend. The Monday report is missing large amounts of data.

Sixth wave watch Delta VUI-21

There is mixed news out of the U.K. and Europe about Delta VUI-21, the AY.4.2 variant of Covid-19. After new cases increased 60% a week for four weeks in a row, growth slowed down. Delta VUI-21 makes up 12% of cases in the U.K. and has been detected in 42 countries.

The variant was first identified in July and is slightly more transmissible than the Delta and Delta Plus variants (Delta AY.4.2 is commonly misnamed Delta Plus). The variant does not appear to be more vaccine-resistant or make people sicker. It may carry a higher viral load when someone is contagious, which is problematic for the unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, and immunocompromised.

The World Health Organization now says that Europe is the new global epicenter for Covid-19, and issued a warning to North American nations to not their guard down too soon. Russia is reporting almost 40,000 cases a day with a record number of deaths. Several oblasts have indicated they may impose even stricter restrictions, including shuttering businesses to try and slow the spread.

Greece, Croatia, Iceland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Austria, Germany, and Russia are at or have tied their peaks this week with Finland and Ukraine not far behind.

In contrast, Spain, which is 80% vaccinated, and Portugal, which is 88% vaccinated, have some of the lowest case rates on the planet.

The new surge in Europe is peaking in many countries during the same week airplanes full of international tourist travelers landed at U.S. airports for the first time in 18 months.

A Single dose of REGEN-COV monoclonal antibodies over 81% effective in preventing Covid-19 infections for up to 8 months

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals said Monday that a single dose of its antibody treatment reduced the risk of contracting COVID-19 by 81.6% for up to eight months, according to its late-stage trial. The company said the results could potentially pave the way for broader use in helping to protect certain people with weakened immune systems.

The monoclonal antibody treatment, called REGEN-COV, is currently available under an emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 and are at risk of developing severe symptoms. It has also received FDA emergency approval as a post-exposure preventive treatment for some people at high risk for developing severe COVID-19, are not fully vaccinated or are immunocompromised, and have known exposure to the virus.

Four subcutaneous injections of the monoclonal antibody treatment protected uninfected people from contracting COVID-19 by 81.6% during the follow-up period of two to eight months, up from 81.4% after one month. Four injections of the treatment are considered one dose.

Big Bird getting vaccinated makes Senator big mad

Big Bird ruffled some conservatives’ feathers this weekend by announcing that he had been vaccinated against COVID-19.

The beloved Muppet tweeted on Saturday (ha ha – tweeted) that he had gotten the shot, which is newly available for Americans between the ages of 5 and 11.

“My wing is feeling a little sore, but it’ll give my body an extra protective boost that keeps me and others healthy,” he wrote.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, decried Big Bird’s tweet as “government propaganda.”

Sesame Workshop, the production company behind the show which first aired in 1969 and helped launch the career of Jim Henson and beloved Muppets such as Kermit the Frog, moved from PBS to HBO in 2015. In 2020 the show moved again from HBO to the HBO Max streaming service.

It’s not the first time Big Bird was vaccinated as part of an educational campaign. In 1972, the fictional character was vaccinated for Measles on the show Sesame Street.

COVID misinformation is rampant in the United States

More than three-quarters (78%) of U.S. adults either believe or aren’t sure about at least one of eight false statements about the COVID-19 pandemic or COVID-19 vaccines, with unvaccinated adults and Republicans among those most likely to hold misconceptions, a new KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor report shows.

Nearly two-thirds (64%) of unvaccinated adults believe or are unsure about at least half of the eight false statements – more than three times the share of vaccinated adults (19%). Nearly half (46%) of Republicans believe or are unsure about at least half the statements, three times the share of Democrats (14%).

The findings highlight a major challenge for efforts to accurately communicate the rapidly evolving science about the pandemic when false and ambiguous information can spread quickly, whether inadvertently or deliberately, through social media, polarized news sources, and other outlets.

State Updates

Alaska

Alaska on Monday reported 53 more COVID-19 deaths, most of which happened in September, as well as 1,387 new infections logged over the weekend and a continued drop in hospitalizations, according to a report by Anchorage Daily News.

The new COVID-19 cases reported over the weekend follow a trend of decreasing case counts that Alaska has seen recently after several weeks of plateauing daily COVID-19 numbers, a state health official said.

In an emailed statement Monday, Dr. Michael Savitt, chief medical officer at the Anchorage Health Department, wrote that the department is “cautiously optimistic,” about recent decreasing COVID-19 trends for the city, but that Anchorage continues to be in a “high-risk environment.”

“Hospitals remain at near capacity levels,” Savitt wrote. “We hope to see those numbers start to decrease soon as well.”

There were 128 people hospitalized with COVID-19 by Monday, state dashboard data showed, with about 13.6% of the state’s hospitalized patients considered to have active cases of the virus. That’s a decrease from recent weeks when often one in five patients had a case of the virus.

Florida

The first hospital in the state of Florida to treat a coronavirus patient is now celebrating another first: No COVID patients in its care since the pandemic began, Fox News reported.

“There’s been a lot of progress done in a very short period of time. So it’s a great thing for everybody,” chief nursing officer of Doctor’s Hospital in Sarasota, Todd Haner, said at a press conference on Friday. “I can tell you that the morale is much better.”

Doctor’s Hospital had the first COVID-19 patient in the state back in February 2020 and has been treating virus patients since. But last week, that all changed when the hospital reported not having a single COVID patient.

Idaho

Idaho’s seven-day moving average of new COVID-19 cases fell below 700 per day for the first time since August, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare data showed Monday. The decline comes a month after caseloads hit a peak across the state, though health officials still reported more than 1,100 new cases and 34 deaths since Friday, according to the Idaho Statesman.

The moving average, which indicates how many cases have been reported each day on average over the past week, was 689 on Monday, the lowest it’s been since Aug. 26. That metric is nearly half of the moving average of 1,365 set one month ago, during the height of Idaho’s most recent surge.

Though recent data shows caseloads trending downward in Idaho, the state still reported 1,192 new COVID-19 cases since Friday. About 29% of those cases — 351 — were reported in Ada County. But the state’s most populous county saw its seven-day moving average for new cases fall to 196 per day on Monday, the first time it has been less than 200 since mid-September.

To date, Idaho has reported 297,140 cases and 3,678 COVID-related deaths. More than 500 of those deaths, or about 15% of the state’s total, were reported in the past 30 days.

Montana

There were 908 new COVID-19 cases reported Monday, Nov. 8 in Montana, with 7,815 total active cases in the state, in a report by KTVQ.

The number of people actively hospitalized due to COVID is 351, an increase from the 343 hospitalizations reported on Friday. The cumulative number of hospitalizations in Montana due to the virus is 9,154, with the state reporting 31 new hospitalizations since their last report. To date, roughly 1 in 20 (5.05%) reported COVID-19 cases in the state have resulted in hospitalization.

New Hampshire

The number of active COVID-19 cases in New Hampshire is now at its highest level since January, before vaccines were widely available, according to WMUR.

According to the state Department of Health and Human Services, there are now 5,164 current COVID-19 cases, the highest total since January 29.

More than 26% of the newly announced cases are in children under the age of 18.

The state’s seven-day total test positivity rate has risen to 7.2%, which is the highest that rate has been since Jan. 7.

The number of current hospitalizations has moved up again and is at 212 as of Monday.

North Dakota

A North Dakota lawmaker and an organizer of a rally Monday to oppose COVID-19 vaccine mandates is infected with the coronavirus and won’t attend the event, KSTP Channel 5 reported.

Republican Rep. Jeff Hoverson posted on Facebook Sunday that he was “quarantining and each day is getting better.” The Minot lawmaker said he is taking the deworming drug ivermectin as a COVID-19 treatment and has not checked into a hospital.

“Covid is real and like a really bad flu,” Hoverson wrote.

Hoverson, a pastor, told The Associated Press that was diagnosed last week.

“I’m feeling rough,” he said Monday. “But this ivermectin is keeping me out of the hospital.”

Ivermectin is designed to fight parasitic infections but conservative commentators have promoted it as a treatment for COVID-19, despite a lack of conclusive evidence that it helps.

Texas

Unvaccinated Texans died from COVID-19 at 40 times the rate of vaccinated Texans and were 45 times more likely to test positive for the disease in 2021, according to a new study from the Texas Department of State Health Services.

DSHS reviewed vaccination, death, and tests records from Jan. 15 to Oct. 1 to come up with the figures, according to WFAA.

“We have millions and millions of records that we had to go through for this analysis,” said Dr. Jennifer Shuford, DSHS’s chief epidemiologist.

According to the review, 7.7% of deaths and 3% of positive cases in the January – October time frame were in fully-vaccinated Texans.

“We know that there’s all these bad outcomes for actually getting COVID-19, but the complications from the vaccine are very few and impact very few people,” Shuford said. “What we hope is that people across Texas will understand the threat of COVID-19.”

Disinformation

Taking the night off

Health and Lifestyle, Local, National

Covid vax for kids 5 to 11 available – local and state update for November 2, 2021

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 CDC has approved the Pfizer low dose Covid-19 vaccine for children 5 to 11 years old and the first 5,700 doses were available today at Harborview Medical Center. New cases remain stubbornly high in Washington while the gap between the best and worst counties narrowed.

America’s Frontline Doctors aligned Dr. Ryan Cole is under investigation by the Washington State Medical Commission for undisclosed violations. A Covid-19 survivor returned to Harborview Medical Center to apologize and give thanks to the people who saved his life.

The Washington State Department of Health reported 73.1% of eligible Washingtonians are fully vaccinated as the state approaches 80% with at least one dose. Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal reported that the Eatonville School District has still not fired its unvaccinated staff, and is the only district in the state defying the October 18 vaccine mandate.

Dallas County, Texas reported its 5,000 COVID related death. 627 days have passed since the first confirmed Covid-19 case in King County, Washington. How do the two counties with similar populations compare almost two-years later?

Spokane Regional Health opened up new Covid-19 isolation services for people who need to isolate but don’t have the resources. Point Roberts, Washington is getting ready for the land border to open between Canada and the United States, bringing more than 600 days of isolation to an end.

This update uses the latest data from the Washington State Department of Health (WSDOH), released on November 2, 2021.

vaccinationhospitalsschoolslocalnationaldisinformation

Washington State Update for November 2, 2021

Washington state Covid-19 update

New case rates dipped to the lowest level in months, raising the question if the plateau is finally cracking or if this is an anomaly. Ten Washington counties are reporting 7 day moving average case rates below 100 and two counties, Columbia and San Juan are below 25. A new case rate under 25 indicates Covid-19 is endemic in those counties.

Columbia County is one of the least vaccinated in the state while San Juan County is the highest. Although both counties are remote, the population density in San Juan county is 13 times higher.

The inversion of new cases rates between counties 40% to 49.99% vaccinated and 50% to 59.99% vaccinated continued for the second day in a row. Okanogan, Skagit, and Spokane counties are driving this trend.

Increasing vaccination rates statewide are causing hotspots to form among unvaccinated groups. For example, counties 50% to 59.99% vaccinated contain some of the highest (Skagit) and lowest (Pacific) new case rates.

Percent of Total Population Fully VaccinatedTotal Population in GroupAverage 14-Day New Case Rate
70% or above (3 counties)2,343,250206.4 (down)
60.00% to 69.99% (4 counties)1,242,200346.7
50.00% to 59.99% (15 counties)3,433,900371.9 (down)
40.00% to 49.99% (9 counties)599,225355.2 (down)
31.20% to 39.99% (8 counties)158,300400.5 (down)
14-Day New Covid-19 Cases per 100K average by Vaccination Rate for Total Population, Adjusted for Population by County

Through November 1, Washington’s statewide 14-day rolling average is 317.6 Covid-19 cases per 100K – a significant drop from yesterday and the lowest rate since mid-August.

Four counties, Ferry, Klickitat, Lincoln, and Skagit, have a new case rate between 600.0 to 799.9.

Asotin, Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Lewis, Mason, Okanagan, Skamania, Spokane, and Stevens counties have a new case rate between 400.0 and 599.9. Pend Oreille, Cowlitz, and Yakima counties were just under 400.

The 7 day case rate was down across all groups, although the decrease for people 80 and older was statistically insignificant. Hospitalization rates were mostly unchanged except for those over 80, with the rate falling to the lowest level since we began tracking the data by age.

Age Group7-Day Case Rate7-Day Hospitalization Rate
Ages 0-11141.3 (down)0.5
Ages 12-19123.5 (down)0.9
Ages 20-34136.4 (down)3.8
Ages 35-49148.8 (down)7.7
Ages 50-64112.7 (down)11.9
Ages 65-7985.5 (down)18.3
Ages 80+76.820.3 (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 31 deaths on Monday. We reported that on October 20, the Eatonville school board voted to take no action against unvaccinated staffers. The state indicated that the school was risking losing funding if it did not comply with the October 18 vaccine mandate.

Dr. Ryan Cole under investigation by the Washington Medical Commission

Dr. Ryan Cole, a derma-pathologist in Garden City, is under investigation by the Washington Medical Commission according to a report by KTVB. Cole received a physician license in Washington in 2007, and is licensed in several other western states.

He has drawn criticism from medical doctors and health officials for spreading misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic, including touting the use of the anti-parasite drug Ivermectin as a treatment for the virus, despite both the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control warning that it has not been proven effective against COVID-19. Cole has also opposed the COVID-19 vaccine, referring to it as “needle rape and a “clot shot.”

On September 25, Dr. Ryan Cole joined up to 4,000 protesters from Eastern Washington and Idaho. He was joined by extremists Matt Shea and spoke at the event hosted in part by Turning Point Faith.

On October 30, he spoke at the Alaska Early Treatment Medical Summit in Anchorage, Alaska. On America’s Frontline Doctors new Tik Tok channel, he has appeared with other AFL representatives.

Unvaccinated Covid-19 survivor returns to Harborview Medical Center to apologize and give thanks

Richard Soliz spent 28 days at Harborview Medical Center fighting for his life from COVID. The graphic designer told KOMO he had fallen down a social media hole, “after reading about side effects, claims of microchipping during the vaccination process and questions about government approval of the vaccines.”

“It’s emotional for us to see someone do well,” Dr. James Town, a pulmonologist and director of the medical ICU at Harborview Medical Center said. “Particularly when things are so dark.”

When Soliz made the rounds to thank the staff who saved his life, they were touched.

“Oh wow, you look great,” nurse Kimmy Siebens told him. “To see you alive is just amazing. You look so great.”

While it’s not unusual for trauma patients to return and thank the medical personnel who helped them, very few COVID-19 patients have done the same, according to hospital workers.

“We do put so much of our own heart into the care and worry,” Siebens said. “We never really get to see people get that much better. And so it’s amazing. It makes it feel like it’s definitely all worth it, you know?”

73.1% of eligible Washingtonians are fully vaccinated

The Washington State Department of Health reported 79.1% of all residents 12 and older have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and 73.1% are fully vaccinated.

Rates climbed statewide driven in part by a number of local, county, state, federal, and private employer mandates.

Eatonville School District fails to fire unvaccinated employees as deadline passes

KING 5 is reporting the school district still has not removed unvaccinated staff. According to Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal, Eatonville is the only district in the state challenging the mandate. The district has not released any information on how many employees could be impacted, but statewide the impact among teachers and administrators was negligible.

Eatonville is one of the only school districts in the state that was forced to move to remote learning when a spike of cases popped up at Eatonville Middle School.

The Eatonville School District appears to be headed toward a showdown with the state.

Dallas County, Texas versus King County, Washington two different approaches, two results

King County, Washington experienced the first Covid superspreader event in February 2020, the first death, and had the first mass casualty event at a hospital in the United States. A month later, Texas suffered its first Covid-19 death. Over the next 627 days King County implemented some of the strictest COVID rules in the nation while Dallas County took a more open approach.

So was there a major difference between approaches? King County has 2.30 million residents compared to 2.65 million residents. On November 1, Dallas County reported its 5,000 COVID-related death while King County reported 2,022. Simply put, 1 in every 530 residents of Dallas County has died of COVID since March 2020 versus 1 in every 1,137 residents in King County since February 2020.

Both counties have multiple regional hospitals, a major children’s hospital, and a Level 1 trauma center. In Dallas County, 88% of hospitalizations and 98% of fatalities were unvaccinated compared to 90% and 88% in King County. The number of vaccinated deaths in King County are higher due to the false data fallacy. In Dallas County only 60.7% of all eligible residents have received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine compared to 88.6% in King County.

King County has maintained maks mandates, instituted vaccine mandates, followed the CDC back to school protocols, and was one of the last places in the country to fully reopen in spring 2021. Many large employers have maintained work from home rules for their employees. Additionally large scale testing centers were readily available through most of the pandemic and the county had specific outreach programs to BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and poor communities to increase vaccination rates.

The protocols, mandates, and rules have been hard on King County residents and businesses, but is there a price tag on 2,318 lives? To provide some contrast, 2,744 people died in the collapse of the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001.

Spokane Regional Health opens Covid-19 isolation services in cooperation with the Salvation Army

Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD) has partnered with Salvation Army to provide isolation services for individuals in the community who test positive for COVID-19 and do not have the resources to isolate themselves at home.

Isolation is a crucial component in the fight against COVID-19. Throughout the pandemic response, isolation has been provided for members of the community whose living situation makes it difficult to isolate safely from others. This could be due to many reasons such as living in a multigenerational household or within a congregate setting.

Contracted through Spokane County, Salvation Army will provide isolation services within six of their studio apartments for the next 12 months. Two of the apartments are adjoining rooms to help assist larger families. Transition from the United Gospel Mission (UGM) facility took place yesterday.

Dr. Francisco Velázquez, SRHD health officer, explained UGM’s support was instrumental to ensuring isolation was provided at a time it was most needed when cases were rising. It gave SRHD time to find a long-term solution that meets the needs of Spokane County.

“Having Salvation Army as a long-term isolation partner is essential to our recovery efforts,” Velázquez said. “Salvation Army’s commitment to serve the community and support public health is invaluable.”

Washington state to provide no cost Covid-19 testing for Canadian citizens who own property in Point Roberts

A geographical anomaly isolated from the rest of the United States, Point Roberts has endured over 600 days of isolation from the rest of the world due to the land border closure of the U.S. – Canada border. On November 8, land travel will be permitted again for vaccinated individuals but for Point Roberts, there is a unique challenge.

Canadian citizens who own homes in Point Roberts will be able to check on their property for the first time in 18 months. Not only do they need to provide proof of vaccination, but to cross the border they also need a negative Covid-19 test in the last three days. That requirement goes both ways, mandating a second test to return to Canada.

Normally, foreign nationals in the United States would be required to pay for that test, which creates a significant barrier for those who need to move across the border. To add complexity, Canada won’t accept a rapid test, and PCR testing is only available in Port Roberts on Wednesdays and Sundays.

To support Canadians that own property in the U.S. enclaveve, Point Roberts has arranged for the state of Washington to pay for testing for Canadians who own property there but cannot afford the test or do not have private U.S. health insurance to cover the cost.

The Vancouver Sun reported Fire Chief Christopher Carleton defended the decision to provide the free testing.

“The majority of people coming in will be property owners and they already pay property taxes to the State of Washington,” he said. “Therefore to provide an international traveler that owns property in Point Roberts a test to go back home after coming into the community and seeing their home for the first time in 18 months, I think is the right thing to do.”

Travel Advisories

We are very encouraged by the hospital readiness data for the East Hospital Region and believe we can end the travel advisory in the next five to 12 days. For now, we’re maintaining our recreational travel advisory to the East Hospital Region, including Adams, Asotin, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Wahkiakum, and Whitman counties. Acute care and ICU capacity remain limited.

Additionally, we are maintaining the travel advisory for the Northwest Hospital Region. The region includes Clallam, Jefferson, Kitsap, and Mason counties.

We continue to strongly advise against all nonessential travel to Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Alaska and the Idaho Panhandle are experiencing an extreme number of Covid-19 hospitalizations. Hospital resources in these regions are constrained, and you may receive inadequate care if you experience a serious medical emergency. Data out of Wyoming is encouraged and we may drop our travel advisory in the next 14 to 21 days.

Thank you

Thank you to our new subscribers and those of you who have made one-time contributions. On behalf of the entire team, thank you for helping us keep the lights on!

In August, King County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin mentioned the N95 Project as a trusted source for N95 masks. A check on the website showed that a 50 count box of United States manufactured N95 masks are available for $40.00. We recommend wearing N95 masks indoors as they provide the best protection against COVID when properly fitted.

No promotional consideration has been given, or requested from the n95 project or any manufacturer of masks

Vaccination

CDC Director authorizes Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use in children 5 to 11 – vaccine is immediately available

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky gave the final approval required to make the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine available to children 5 to 11 years old in the United States.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the low dose version of the Pfizer vaccine in a 17-0-1 vote last week. Due to federal rules on distribution, the CDC is required to clear the FDA recommendation. The CDC Advisory Panel granted unanimous approval in a 14-0 vote, with Dr. Walensky granting final approval a few hours later.

The immune responses of children 5 through 11 were comparable to adolescents and young adults. In addition, the vaccine was found to be 90.7% effective in preventing COVID-19 in children 5 through 11. The vaccine’s safety was studied in approximately 3,100 children who received the vaccine and no serious side effects.

Health and Human Services purchased 28 million doses with regional distribution starting this week. KCPQ reported that 5,700 doses arrived at Harborview Medical Center today and the Seattle Times reported last week another 310,000 doses should be expected in the days to come.

King County, Washington is reporting over 88.6% 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 and boosters are free for anyone 5 and older. Lyft and Hopelink provide free transportation, and KinderCare, the Learning Care Group, and the YMCA offer free childcare during vaccination appointments or recuperation.

For information on getting a vaccination in King County, you can visit the King County Department of Public Health website.

Malcontent News

Hospital Status

According to the DoH COVID Dashboard, 91% of all staffed acute care beds are occupied, and 15.0% of patients have Covid-19. Statewide, hospitals have the staff to support approximately 654 additional acute care patients.

ICUs are at 88.3% of capacity statewide, with 25.0% of ICU patients fighting Covid-19 – an estimated 295 patients with 60.0% on ventilators. The state has the staff to support approximately 140 additional ICU patients.

On Monday, the 7-day rolling average hospital admission rate for new COVID patients was 107. The Department of Health reported 1,046 Covid-19 patients statewide on November 1, with 176 requiring ventilators.

The vast majority of hospitalized Covid-19 patients are unvaccinated and the number of patients won’t decline significantly until the number of new cases moves lower.

Hospital RegionCountiesICU OccupancyICU COVID PatientsAcute Care OccupancyAcute Care COVID Patients
EastAdams, Asotin, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Wahkiakum, Whitman88.1%33.7%89.9%19.8%
NorthIsland, San Juan, Skagit, Whatcom59.3%26.9%64.6%12.3%
North CentralChelan, Douglas, Grant, Okanogan89.5%57.5%77.6%24.3%
NorthwestClallam, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason88.9%36.2%96.1%20.0%
Puget SoundKing, Pierce, Snohomish92.9%20.1%95.8%12.7%
South CentralBenton, Columbia, Franklin, Kittitas, Walla Walla, Yakima91.1%23.2%84.2%19.2%
SouthwestClark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Skamania 73.2%22.4%89.2%13.7%
WestGrays Harbor, Lewis, Pacific, Thurston88.3%31.1%91.1%17.5%
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%

Back to School

School DistrictStatusLess than 10 Active Cases10 or More Active Cases
BellevueYELLOW– Bennett (1*)
– Cherry Crest (1*)
– Newport Heights (2*)
– Sammamish (2*)
– Stevenson (3*)
– Tyee (1*)
– Woodridge (1*)		None
Lake WashingtonYELLOW– Alcott (5)
– Bell (24)
– Blackwell (1* – see notes)
– Carson Elementary (6)
– Clara Barton (3)
– Eastlake High (48)
– Ella Baker (6)
– Finn Hill Middle School (6)
– Frost (5)
– ICS (4)
– Juanita Elementary (1)
– Juanita High (17)
– Kamiakin Middle School (25)
– Keller (6)
– Kirk Elementary (10)
– Lakeview Elementary (7)
– Lake Washington High School (7)
– McAuliffe (1)
– Muir Elementary (1)
– Redmond Middle School (1)
– Redmond High School (52)
– Rockwell (2)
– Sandburg/Discovery (4)
– Timberline Middle School (28)
– Twain Elementary (15)		None
NorthshoreYELLOW– Arrowhead Elementary (3)
– Bothell High School (15**)
– Canyon Creek Elementary (3)
– Canyon Park Middle School (1)
– Crystal Springs Elementary (11)
– East Ridge Elementary (3)
– Fernwood Elementary (5)
– Frank Love Elementary (13)
– Hollywood Hills Elementary (3)
– Inglemoor High School (23**)
– Kenmore Elementary (21)
– Kenmore Middle School (5)
– Kokanee Elementary (7)
– Lockwood Elementary (7**)
– Maywood Hills Elementary (2)
– Morelands Elementary (1)
– North Creek High School (9**)
– Northshore Middle School (12)
– Ruby Bridge Elementary (10**)
– Shelton View Elementary (8)
– Skyview Middle School (18**)
– Timbercrest Middle School (1)
– Wellington Elementary (7**)
– Westhill Elementary (18)
– Woodin Elementary (8**)
– Woodinville High School (4)
– Woodmoor Elementary (11)		None
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 ten active COVID cases reported into the red, and we’ve adjusted the third column to reflect this change.

There was a parent confirmed Covid-19 case reported at Blackwell Elementary in the Lake Washington School District. Because LWSD updates data weekly, we add a footnote for parent-reported cases during the week.

We continued to encourage parents to request daily updates from the Lake Washington School District. We would also encourage parents to request the Bellevue School District include data on close contacts. These two changes would bring the three school districts we track into alignment.

Kirkland-Bellevue-Woodinville

Kirkland Health Fair and Community Vaccination Event on November 6

The Kirkland Health Fair and Community Vaccination Event will be held on Saturday, November 6, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m at Juanita High School. Hosted by the City of Kirkland in partnership with Public Health – Seattle and King County, the event will provide Covid-19 vaccination, information, education, and more.

At this time, organizers are not planning to provide vaccinations for children 5 to 11 years old, according to David Wolbrecht, Senior Neighborhood Services Coordinator with the City of Kirkland.

National Round-Up

Johns Hopkins University Cumulative Case Tracker reports 121,139 new cases and 1,201 deaths nationwide on Tuesday. The United States will break 750,000 COVID-related deaths since February 29, 2020 tomorrow or Thursday.

State Updates

Alaska

Alaska reported 196 Covid-19 patients in hospitals across the state and hospitalized and 499 new cases on Tuesday. Test positivity increased to 8.7% while the 7 day moving average for new cases dropped to 576 per 100,000 residents. The state had 25 ICU beds available. All of these are favorable signs that the situation in Alaska may finally be improving.

University of Alaska Interim President Pat Pitney says that Alaska’s higher education campuses, research sites, and contractors will need to be vaccinated for Covid-19.

“Without acting on this vaccine requirement, we could lose substantial federal contracts, and with them jobs that support more than 750 employees and their families,” said Pitney. “In addition, the ripple effect of the loss of these contracts would be widely felt as UAF’s research enterprise works with local contractors and suppliers across the state.”

The decision is in response to President Biden’s executive order (EO) 14042, Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors, which requires all employees paid by or supporting new or modified federal contracts to be vaccinated by early December. The order requires not only people directly paid by federal contracts but also anyone who works to support them or works in the same facility to get a COVID vaccine.

According to a report in the Daily Beast (a publication we reluctantly share, other sources are behind a paywall), roughly 1,200 attendees flocked to the Alaska Early Treatment Medical Summit on Saturday, the Anchorage Daily News reported. Organizers told the outlet that attendees paid $20 for tickets to hear from doctors who have been shunned from mainstream medical circles for pushing unproven drugs touted as miracle treatments to fight COVID-19 infection.

“I’m just here to tell you after a long dinner and meeting with these folks, this is the best science available,” Dave Bronson proclaimed during a nine-minute speech on Saturday at Anchorage’s ChangePoint Church.

According to a video of the event, posted by organizers from the Alaska Covid Alliance, Richard Urso, a Houston ophthalmologist who helped launch America’s Frontline Doctors and has defended using hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for the virus, told the crowd that Bronson had “helped organize a lot of what’s happening behind the scenes.”

Mayor spokesperson Corey Allen Young backpedaled on Monday, suggesting Bronson was not involved in any planning for the event. He also stated that Bronson nor any other city employee was compensated.

Idaho

State officials reported that hospitals are still operating at crisis standards of care today and 11.5% of Covid-19 tests are coming back at positive. The weekly update by Idaho officials had audio problems so hospitalization was not shared.

While the Panhandle has had no relief since early September, officials reported that 6 of the 7 counties with the highest case rates are now in Eastern Idaho.

Idaho recieved 11,400 doses of the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 today, and expects another 12,000 doses later this week.

The Idaho State Board of Education on Tuesday approved a decision joining a federal lawsuit to block contractor requirements in President Joe Biden’s executive orders that include COVID-19 vaccine mandates, but colleges and universities will meanwhile abide by the order.

It’s not clear how many workers in Idaho would be affected by the order.

Montana

Montana reported 371 people were hospitalized, down significantly from two weeks ago, however with 1,100 new cases being added a day, 1% of Montanans are catching COVID every 10 days.

Hospitals will remain under a “crisis standards of care” designation for now, giving them the ability to ration health care as needed to deal with high numbers of COVID-19 patients in intensive care units and hospital beds.

The state’s positivity rate of new cases is still more than double the 5% goal set by the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, Shaw-Tulloch said. More than 1,000 new cases were reported to the state on Monday, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. More than 3,570 Idaho residents have died of COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

New York

In 24 hours, 2,000 of the 9,000 vaccination mandate holdouts among New York City’s municipal employees got their first dose administered. City officials belief between completed vaccination and approved exemptions, less than 3% of all municipal employees will leave their jobs.

Much like in Washington state, dire predictions of massive staff losses have not come to pass.

Disinformation

Taking the night off

Health and Lifestyle, Local, National

Exclusive: health care workers submitting fake Covid vax exemptions – local and national update for October 13, 2021

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) At least one person has been fired and another is under investigation in part due to a Malcontent News investigation into vaccine religious exemptions requested under false pretenses.

Covid-19 cases continue in most counties statewide. Hospitalizations are also drifting downward.

The land border between Washington and Canada will open in November, bringing relief to Port Roberts, friends, families, and tourists.

The Seattle Police Department activated its stage 3 emergency backup plan in anticipation of staffing loss after October 18, however, SPOG President Mike Solan hinted the number might not be that big. Washington State Ferries will reduce service beginning October 16 due to staffing issues that officials insist are not vaccine mandate related.

The FDA will hold panel discussions on Thursday and Friday to discuss potential booster shots for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. It appears unlikely Moderna will be approved, while the J&J may get a “mix and match” approval.

Alaska and Idaho have gone full hunger games with doctors and nurses having to provide patient care while being assaulted, threatened, stalked, and harassed. Montana reported a record number of Covid-19 patients.

Finally, Southwest Airlines and America Airlines told Greg Abbott that they are ignoring his executive order and will move forward with requiring all employees to be vaccinated.

This update uses the latest data from the Washington State Department of Health (WSDOH), released on October 13, 2021.

vaccinationhospitalsschoolslocalnationalmisinformation

Washington State Update for October 13, 2021

Washington state Covid-19 update

New cases were down or statistically unchanged in all but the least vaccinated counties. The gap between the 5 most vaccinated and 8 least vaccinated counties widened with a 369% higher case rate, not adjusted for population.

Percent of Total Population Fully VaccinatedAverage 14-Day New Case Rate (unadjusted)
60.00% or above (5)197.2 (down)
50.00% to 59.99% (14 counties)435.2
40.00% to 49.99% (12 counties)526.7 (down)
29.90% to 39.99% (8 counties)728.0 (up)
14-Day New Covid-19 Cases per 100K average by Vaccination Rate, Not Adjusted for Population

Through October 12, Washington’s statewide 14-day rolling average dropped slightly to 354.7 Covid-19 cases per 100K.

While most counties are improving, eastern Washington remains problematic. There are two counties with new case rates in excess of 1,000 per 100K – Ferry County reporting a 14 day rolling average rate of 1,302.2 and Garfield County reporting 1,078.7. The new case rate in Ferry County now rivals the April 2021 superspreader event that sickened 10% of the town of Republic.

In better news, only Grant County reported a new case rate between 800.0 to 999.9 per 100K.

Counties in the 600.0 to 799.9 per 100K range include Chelan, Columbia, Klickitat, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, and Stevens. Mason County is just under the 600 threshold.

While new cases drifted downward across all age groups, hospitalizations increased from 12 to 79 years old. The hospitalization of geriatric patients between 65 and 79 years old saw a significant increase overnight. It is important to note that these rates represent a small group of total patients, so a small increase in total patients can create a large rate of increase within an age group.

Age Group7-Day Case Rate7-Day Hospitalization Rate
Ages 0-11142.21.1
Ages 12-19172.31.5 (up)
Ages 20-34148.13.6 (up)
Ages 35-49153.47.8 (up)
Ages 50-64110.213.7 (up)
Ages 65-7984.819.0 (up significantly)
Ages 80+81.533.0
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 did not report data for Tuesday.

Exclusive: Skagit Valley Health employee fired for filing fake medical exemption and social media activity

Skagit County Health officials fired a medical worker today after a video appeared on social media showing her admitting to filing a fake religious exemption for the Covid-19 vaccine. The Tik Tok video was viewed almost 500,000 times before it was removed on Wednesday.

In the video, which was titled, “Fuck a vaccine” she walked through an area of a hospital in scrubs with her employee badge showing. In the comment section of the video, she expressed she didn’t like her job and offered help to other medical workers seeking information on how to file a fake religious exemption request.

A Public Information Officer for Skagit Valley Health said, “the individual is no longer an employee of Skagit Regional Health,” in an e-mail to Malcontent News.

“The Board of Commissioners of Public Hospital District No. 1, Skagit Regional Health, are in full support of COVID-19 vaccinations. The organization continues to offer vaccinations to our employees and our patients. Skagit Regional Health will fully comply with Gov. Jay Inslee’s vaccination [sic] mandate by October 18, 2021. We have a rigorous process in place to thoughtfully consider exemption requests.”

Land borders between Canada and Mexico to reopen in November

The Biden Administration announced that in November the land borders between Canada and Mexico will be reopened to non-essential travel for vaccinated individuals. In Washington state, this will be a huge relief to the residents of Port Roberts, who have been isolated for more than 600 days.

A formal date has not been announced, but the reopening will allow non-essential travel between the three countries via road, rail, and watercraft. There will be no formal testing requirement. Customer and Border Protection agents can request to see proof of vaccination and may move someone for secondary screening to validate lot numbers and other data.

Canada and Mexico have been requesting for the United States to drop the border restrictions, which have been in place for almost 20 months. For Washington and British Columbia, this is a welcome relief on both sides of the border and will be a much-needed boost for tourism and commerce.

Seattle Police Department activates stage 3 emergency backup plan

KING 5 reported the Seattle Police Department (SPD) has implemented its emergency stage three mobilization plan amid concerns over staffing shortages and emergency response times caused by the Covid-19 vaccine mandate.

People who call 911 could be met by any on-duty sworn employee. 

The department said the limitations of such employees should be taken into consideration. 

According to data provided by SPD, 84% of sworn officers have submitted proof of being fully vaccinated. Less than 100 employees have submitted exemption requests while another 214 have not submitted any information.

On September 6, someone within the department launched a website telling officers not to submit their proof of vaccination until October 18, so the department could not properly plan for staffing. Local radio firebrand Jason Rantz reported on the same day, up to 200 officers were against being vaccinated.

Yesterday on the Dori Monson Show, Seattle Police Officer Guild (SPOG) President Mike Solan told Monson that any loss of an officer would have an impact, but in conversation tossed out the number, “50.”

SPD currently has 1,043 commissioned officers. If 50 were to resign, that would represent 4.7% of the force. The last update from the Washington State Patrol indicated 93% of all WSP employees had been vaccinated, including 91.5% of commissioned officers.

Washington State Ferries announced an indefinite reduction in service starting October 16

Washington State Ferries (WSF) will temporarily operate reduced sailing schedules on most routes beginning this Saturday, Oct. 16. The change will help offer more predictable and reliable service systemwide in the face of crewing shortages due to a global shortage of mariners that was worsened by the pandemic.

Impacted routes include Seattle/Bainbridge, Edmonds/Kingston, and Mukilteo/Clinton, which will operate with one boat instead of two. The Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth ferries, which will be on a daily two-boat schedule, and the Anacortes/San Juan Islands route, which will be on a daily three-boat schedule and will no longer offer vehicle reservations.

WSF reported that a combination of retirements, employees infected with Covid-19, workers that need to quarantine due to COVID exposure, and years of hiring challenges has created a perfect storm.

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 remain 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 in Alaska, Idaho, and Montana if you experience a serious medical emergency.

We are 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.

Thank you

Thank you to our new subscribers and those of you who have made one-time contributions. On behalf of the entire team, thank you for helping us keep the lights on!

In August, King County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin mentioned the N95 Project as a trusted source for N95 masks. A check on the website showed that a 50 count box of United States manufactured N95 masks are available for $40.00. We recommend wearing N95 masks indoors as they provide the best protection against COVID when properly fitted.

No promotional consideration has been given, or requested from the n95 project or any manufacturer of masks

Vaccination

New study indicates a single dose mRNA vaccine provides more protection than a Johnson & Johnson booster

A new study from the National Institute of Health found that recipients of the Johnson & Johnson viral-vector vaccine got a better boost from a single dose of mRNA vaccine versus a second dose of J&J.

“If you look at the Mix and Match data, you’d say, ‘Wow, I really want to get an mRNA booster.‘ It basically converts Johnson & Johnson to be as good as an mRNA two-shot series,’” said Dr. Eric Topol.

The Food and Drug Administration will be meeting on Thursday and Friday to discuss booster shot strategies for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccine. It is reported that the data J&J filed before the meeting had 17 participants – not enough to be statistically valid.

Over the next four weeks, it is widely expected that guidance for booster shots as well as vaccination for 5 to 11-year-olds will be released by the FDA and CDC.

King County, Washington is reporting over 87.3% 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.

For information on getting a vaccination in King County, you can visit the King County Department of Public Health website.

Malcontent News

Hospital Status

According to the DoH COVID Dashboard, 91% of all staffed acute care beds are occupied, and 16.6% of patients have Covid-19. Statewide, hospitals have the staff to support approximately 633 additional acute care patients. ICUs are at 86.5% of capacity statewide, with 27.0% of ICU patients fighting Covid-19 – an estimated 322 patients with 48% on ventilators. The state has the staff to support approximately 159 additional ICU patients.

The 7-day rolling average hospital admission rate for new COVID patients dipped to 98. The Department of Health reported 1,143 Covid-19 patients statewide on October 11, with 155 requiring ventilators. Data for Monday was adjusted to 1,161 patients and 163 on ventilators.

The East and Northwest Hospital Regions remain highly stressed and the remaining hospital regions are caring for an inordinate number of patients, Covid-19 patients, or both.

Hospital RegionCountiesICU OccupancyICU COVID PatientsAcute Care OccupancyAcute Care COVID Patients
EastAdams, Asotin, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Wahkiakum, Whitman91.9%40.8%91.4%25.6%
NorthIsland, San Juan, Skagit, Whatcom63.5%23.2%86.3%10.6%
North CentralChelan, Douglas, Grant, Okanogan91.8%49.8%76.5%21.2%
NorthwestClallam, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason91.0%40.7%95.8%22.8%
Puget SoundKing, Pierce, Snohomish90.0%23.6%94.8%13.8%
South CentralBenton, Columbia, Franklin, Kittitas, Walla Walla, Yakima89.4%29.1%84.0%22.6%
SouthwestClark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Skamania 66.6%27.1%85.0%16.9%
WestGrays Harbor, Lewis, Pacific, Thurston81.1%22.4%87.5%16.2%
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%

Back to School

School DistrictStatusLess than 10 Active Cases10 or More Active Cases
BellevueYELLOW– Ardmore (2*)
– Bellevue (7**)
– Big Picture (1*)
– Cherry Crest (1*)
– Clyde Hill (1*)
– Chinook (4*)
– Eastgate (2*)
– Enatai (3*)
– Highland (9**)
– Interlake (4*)
– Lake Hills (7**)
– Newport (6**)
– Newport Heights (1*)
– Puesta del Sol (1*)
– Sammamish (4*)
– Sherwood Forest (2*)
– Spiritridge (1*)
– Stevenson (2*)
– Tillicum (1*)
– Wilburton (3*)
– Woodridge (3*)		None
Lake WashingtonYELLOW– 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
NorthshoreYELLOW– Arrowhead Elementary (1)
– Bothell High School (29**)
– Canyon Creek Elementary (9)
– Canyon Park Middle School (14)
– Cottage Lake Elementary (3)
– Crystal Springs Elementary (31)
– East Ridge Elementary (2)
– Frank Love Elementary (18)
– Hollywood Hills Elementary (72)
– Inglemoor High School (2)
– Innovation Lab High School (2)
– Kenmore Elementary (6)
– Kenmore Middle School (37)
– Kokanee Elementary (15)
– Leota Middle School (3)
– Lockwood Elementary (26)
– Maywood Hills Elementary (6)
– Moorlands Elementary (1)
– North Creek High School (5)
– Northshore Middle School (8)
– Ruby Bridge Elementary (4)
– Secondary Academy for Success (7)
– Shelton View Elementary (7)
– Skyview Middle School (12)
– Sunrise Elementary (3)
– Timbercrest Middle School (9)
– Wellington Elementary (32)
– Westhill Elementary (11)
– Woodin Elementary (26)
– Woodinville High School (26)
– Woodmoor Elementary (17)
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.

The Northshore School District saw significant improvement over the last two days. Growing vaccination rates among 12 to 18-year-olds coupled with schoolwide pool testing is having a significant impact by reducing the number of cases and identifying new ones before it turns into community spread

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 106,308 new cases and 2,416 deaths nationwide on Wednesday.

Biden Administration puts pressure on the private sector to solve Covid-19 related supply chain issues

President Joe Biden on Wednesday urged the private sector to help ease supply chain blockages that are threatening to disrupt the U.S. holiday season and said the White House plans a nationwide overhaul of the clogged system, according to Reuters.

The Port of Los Angeles will start 24/7 operations, join the Port of Long Beach, as they work through 500,000 containers still waiting on cargo ships offshore. Walmart and Target also committed to expanding their shipping operations to 24 hours a day.

It is a “big first step” to revamping supply chains in the United States, the world’s biggest consumer market, Biden said, adding the government would be heavily involved.

“If federal support is needed, I’ll direct all appropriate action, and if the private sector doesn’t step up, we’re going to call them out and ask them to act,” the president said in remarks at the White House.

Global supply chains became snarled in March 2020 as Covid-19 swept across the globe. The virus created hot spots in different regions for the last 20 months, disrupting raw materials, manufacturing, and shipping across the planet.

A global shortage of truckers, dock workers, and maritime employees has slowed down shipping from Shanghai to Tristan da Cunha and everywhere between.

Alaska

Alaska did not get good news today, with officials reporting 1,239 new cases and hospitalizations increasing 9% overnight. Including federal facilities and clinics, 20 of Alaska’s 31 hospitals are operating at crisis standards of care with 204 Covid-19 patients.

The new case rate bumped up to 835 per 100K, the highest in the United States, but far better than a week ago. Almost 50% of new cases are among people under 40 years old now, and test positivity grew to 10.9%. The number of positive cases is likely higher due to Anchorage rationing Covid-19 tests.

After threats, Nazi comparisons, conspiracy theories, COVID exposure, and seven different hearings that at times devolved into chaos, the Anchorage Alaska assembly passed an emergency mask order on Tuesday night. It was all for nothing when Mayor Dave Bronson vetoed the measure this afternoon, according to Alaska Public Radio.

Bronson wrote in his veto letter that the masking measure was “stoking widespread fear in an attempt to scare the public into submission.” He said the Assembly had “openly displayed their scorn for the public process” by passing the ordinance around 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday in a mostly empty Assembly chamber. 

In a separate lengthy emailed statement, Bronson said that the Assembly had violated the public trust in passing the masking rules. 

“They have made their agenda clear: shut down the people, shut down the public process, and shove the heavy hand of government mandates into your personal health decisions. Make no mistake, the Anchorage Assembly is not done with such intrusions,” he said. 

Downtown Assembly member Chris Constant fired back in a phone interview, pointing to record COVID-19 hospitalizations and some of the deadliest months of the pandemic since Bronson took office in July. 

“The mayor continues to harp on this idea that we have broken the public process. Well, I would rebut that and say that clearly, he has, as people die,” Constant said.

Anchorage Assembly member Jamie Allard and her supporters are now engaged in a fierce battle with Providence Hospital to compel the hospital to give Ivermectin to a comatose or near-comatose Covid-19 patient named William Topel, according to The Alaska Landmine.

Allard was given advance directive powers over Topel last week, allowing the Assembly member to make unilateral healthcare decisions regarding Topel’s care. A source at Providence told the Landmine that for days, Allard and her supporters have been relentlessly harassing nurses, doctors, and hospital administrators, compromising their ability to provide medical care for other patients.

Topel, who is against vaccine mandates, attended at least one of the Anchorage Alaska Assembly meetings. One of those meetings has turned into a super spreader event. Topel’s health has declined rapidly.

Providence has repeatedly stated that they do not give Ivermectin to COVID-19 patients. In an October 12 email, Providence Hospital Sr Manager of External Communication Mikal Canfield told the Landmine, “Based on a preponderance of evidence and guidelines from multiple national authorities, Providence Alaska Medical Center does not use Ivermectin to treat COVID-19.”

Alaska Public Radio also reported two Alaska state senators have tested positive for COVID-19 and a third was not feeling well and awaiting test results, Senate President Peter Micciche said Tuesday.

The Anchorage Daily News identified the lawmakers as Sens. Lora Reinbold, R-Eagle River, and David Wilson, R-Wasilla. Reinbold also wrote about her diagnosis on her personal Facebook page, which is full of misinformation and flagged posts. Reinbold has been an outspoken opponent of masking and other public health measures. Sen. Click Bishop, R-Fairbanks, was awaiting results after experiencing symptoms, the ADN reported.

May the odds ever be in your favor.

Idaho

In Idaho, officials reported 2,024 new Covid-19 cases and 30 deaths and even worse, 12,099 infected health care workers. Idaho reported 653 hospitalized with Covid-19 and 175 in the ICU.

Thousands of protesters gathered outside Saint Alphonsus Hospital in Boise where doctors and nurses are working in impossible conditions to protest against Covid-19 vaccines.

The group Take A Stand Now is calling on Governor Brad Little to end mandatory Covid vaccinations permanently in a recent release, according to KIDO Talk Radio 107.5 FM.

“TASN challenges Governor Little to do more than name October Healthcare Worker month. We are pleading with him to follow the lead of Governor Abbott of Texas and others in protecting the healthcare workers in Idaho by signing an executive order to stop the mandatory vaccines,” said TASN spokesperson Victoria Stump.

Also on Tuesday, Republican lawmaker Tammy Nichols posted a meme on Twitter advocating violence against journalists, educators, conservationists, universities, and business organizations.

The Stamford Advocate reported the meme is an altered image from The Walking Dead, a post-apocalyptic American television series. The fictional character with the bat uses it to smash another character’s head open in a graphic scene of violence.

Montana

Big Sky country has big COVID problems with 1,346 new cases and 16 reported deaths. Officials reported 2,227 new Covid-19 cases over the long weekend and 15 deaths. Hospitalizations grew to 510, a 5% increase overnight and a new record.

The intensive care unit at the Billings Clinic is beyond the breaking point, operating at 175% of capacity with no relief in sight. Dr. Jaimee Belsky told CBS News the Emergency Department was caring for nine ICU patients and had another 13 waiting for beds. The hospital has said for weeks it has been on the brink of moving to crisis standards of care. National Guard troops provided some relief, but even that added staff is now overwhelmed.

Helena’s Saint Peter’s Health has been operating under crisis standards of care since September 16.

Texas

Both Southwest and American Airlines say they it will go against Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s latest executive order and instead comply with President Joe Biden’s mandate requiring employees to be vaccinated.

KDFW reported Dallas-based Southwest Airlines made the announcement Tuesday in response the order Abbott issued Monday.

When asked about the governor’s order, Fort Worth-based American Airlines said it is sticking with its plan that all employees be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 by Nov. 24.

“As a result, the federal vaccine mandate requires that all of American’s U.S.-based team members and certain international crew members be vaccinated, without the provision of a regular testing alternative,” the airline reiterated from a statement it released earlier this month.

Wyoming

State officials have not commented on multiple hospital requests to move to crisis standards of care as the Wyoming Department of Health reported 300 more confirmed Covid-19 cases and 139 more probable cases.

Hospitals are caring for 222 Covid-19 patients and there are available ICU beds in just 15 public hospitals, nine of those with one or two beds available. Hospitalizations have been trending upward since September 18.

Misinformation

Taking the day off

Breaking News, Local, Terra Firma, Weather

Wildfires erupt from BC to California – smoke arrives in Puget Sound on Friday

[KIRKLAND] – (MTN) In Canada, 54 wildfires have erupted in the last 48 hours, causing evacuations and burning the village of Lytton, while smoke from wildfires in Oregon and California has already drifted into Washington state – smoke season is here. Smoke density is light to moderate and at higher altitudes, so air quality remains good. Still, forecast models indicating significant smoke will be arriving from the Fraser Valley into Whatcom County and working its way southward on Friday.

NOAA High Resolution Rapid Refresh map showing high altitude smoke blanketing most of Washington state in the next 24 hours

Air quality in western Washington could be called superior today, while many stations in eastern Washington are reporting moderate air pollution. Around Kamloops, British Columbia air quality is unhealthy and deteriorating.

Heavier smoke from Canada is expected to arrive along the Washington border on Friday morning. Weather conditions will keep most of the smoke aloft. Models indicate that smoke may settle into central Puget Sound on Friday night, dropping air quality to moderate levels. At this time, there is nothing in the forecast or model to support dangerous levels of air pollution in the next few days.

The ongoing long-term drought and record setting heat has been devastating for British Columbia forests. Bark beetles have destroyed millions of acres of softwood trees. The beetles hatch simultaneously during periods of high temperatures and voraciously chew their way through trees. The dead trees have no commercial value and have created millions of acres of wildfire fuel.

The worst wildfires in Canada tore through the village of Lytton, British Columbia, yesterday with almost no warning. Residents were ordered to evacuate immediately, and many escaped with only their pets and the clothes on their backs. The mayor stated, “the whole town is on fire,” yesterday. Canadian officials believe the fire was human-caused.

Lytton made international news on Tuesday when the temperature reached 49.6 degrees Centigrade, almost 122 degrees, and an all-time record high for Canada. In contrast, the highest temperature ever recorded in Las Vegas, Nevada, stands at 117 degrees.

In California, the Lava Fire, which was started by lightning, has burned 17,591 acres and is only 19% contained, according to Mount Shasta News. The fire is burning on the outskirts of Weed, California. The Tennant Fire started on Monday and has grown to 8,159 acres and is only 6% contained.

Last night evacuation orders were issued for the residents of Antelope Sink and Bray, California.

In Oregon, Governor Kate Brown declared a wildfire emergency yesterday to provide aid in response to a significant fire near Redmond. Yesterday the airport in Redmond was forced to close due to smoke, and 100 residents in Wasco County received “go-now” evacuation orders. The Wrentham Market Fire has grown to over 10,000 acres. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has activated 40 people to help fight the conflagration. According to the Oregon State Fire Marshal, high winds yesterday made fighting the fire a challenge and caused several flare ups. Two buildings have been destroyed, but no homes at this time.

There are no significant wildfires in Washington at this time, but officials from the local to the state level are deeply concerned about the coming Fourth of July holiday and human-caused fires in the coming days. Some communities, such as Bellevue and Mercer Island, have made emergency declarations banning all outdoor fires, including those in approved fire pits and even charcoal grilles. Kirkland opted not to declare an outright ban, but Kirkland Fire Chief Joe Sanford made a public appeal for the community not to have any outdoor fires.

https://malcontentment.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Kirkland-Fire-Department.mp4
statement by kirkland fire chief joe sanford

The Pacific Northwest, northern California, and western Canada are reeling after a record crushing heatwave sent temperatures soaring well into the hundreds over the entire region for 3 to 5 days. Heat-related death reports from British Columbia to Oregon now number in the hundreds, and officials were finding people who had died in their homes from apparent heatstroke on Wednesday during welfare checks. Washington state is still analyzing fatality data.

Three-hundred-and-fifty-eight people had to be hospitalized due to heat-related injuries throughout western Washington and over 1,000 were sent to emergency rooms. Hospital officials stated that the patient load was similar to the worst days of the COVID pandemic at the peak of the heatwave.

The National Multi-Agency Coordination Group (NMAC) is at Level 4 preparedness, the second earliest the United States has reached this level.

Central Puget sound has experienced significant wildfire smoke every year except one, since 2015.

BIPOC, National

Keystone XL Pipeline construction terminated in victory for indigenous rights

Video

From Malcontentment Happy Hour, January 21, 2021

After a 10 year legal battle that went to the Supreme Court, Keystone XL Pipeline construction is blocked by Biden Administration

Keystone XL and the Dakota Access Pipeline have been a controversial topic since its inception. Protested by a coalition of indingenous peoples, government officials and residents in the Dakotas and Nebraska, the construction has been the subject of multiple legal challenges. In July 2020, the United States Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling blocking further construction on Keystone XL. On President Joe Biden’s first full day in office, he ended the project wth an executive order, reversing a Donald Trump executive order that restarted construction in 2017.