Tag Archives: COVID-19

91.4% of WA state employees fully vaxxed – local and national update for October 14, 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) Governor Jay Inslee reported the state does not anticipate widespread service disruption from the looming vaccine mandate and stated 91.4% of all employees have provided their vaccination information.

New Covid-19 cases were slightly lower while hospitalizations were almost unchanged.

People attending large indoor and outdoor events will have to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test starting November 15.

An Eatonville Elementary School teacher sent her students home with more than homework assignments and good job stickers. We have a parent confirmed report of a new Covid-19 case at Mark Twain Elementary in the Lake Washington School District.

The FDA recommended booster shots for certain people who received the Moderna vaccine.

Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming continue to struggle but we can look on the bright side – it is Health Care Worker Appreciation Month in Idaho by declaration of Governor Brad Little.

This update uses the latest data from the Washington State Department of Health (WSDOH), released on October 14, 2021.


vaccinationhospitalsschoolslocalnationalmisinformation

Washington State Update for October 14, 2021

Washington state Covid-19 update

New cases were up for the five most vaccinated and eight least vaccinated counties, but the overall trend remains positive.

Percent of Total Population Fully VaccinatedAverage 14-Day New Case Rate (unadjusted)
60.00% or above (5)228.7 (up)
50.00% to 59.99% (14 counties)426.8
40.00% to 49.99% (12 counties)519.3
29.90% to 39.99% (8 counties)765.0 (up)
14-Day New Covid-19 Cases per 100K average by Vaccination Rate, Not Adjusted for Population

Through October 13, Washington’s statewide 14-day rolling average dropped slightly to 351.4 Covid-19 cases per 100K.

Ferry County (1,289.5) and Garfield County (1,393.3) remain the two counties with new case rates of over 1,000 per 100K residents.

Columbia and Grant counties reported new case rates between 800.0 to 999.9 per 100K.

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

New cases and hospitalizations by age were statistically unchanged from yesterday.

Age Group7-Day Case Rate7-Day Hospitalization Rate
Ages 0-11146.41.0
Ages 12-19168.71.6
Ages 20-34151.33.6
Ages 35-49154.47.3
Ages 50-64113.413.1
Ages 65-7985.319.1
Ages 80+84.133.7
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 90 deaths on Wednesday. The number is inflated due to several days of data being reported.

Proof of vaccination or negative Covid test will be required at large events beginning November 15

Governor Jay Inslee announced new requirements for people 12 and older who attend large events in Washington.

Starting November 15, people over 11 years old who attend indoor events with at least 1,000 people or outdoor events with at least 10,000 people will need to show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test to attend. The negative test has to be in the last 72 hours. A PCR or rapid test will be accepted.

Many large venues in Washington state such as T-Mobile Park, Lumen Field, and the soon opening Climate Pledge Arena already have similar requirements in place.

Outside of Lumen Field, pop-up vendors are offering rapid tests for entry but at a premium price.

Statewide employee fully vaccinated rate creeps upward

On Monday, the state of Washington reported 89.5% of impacted employees had provided proof they were fully vaccinated – this morning the number had increased to 91.4%. According to Governor Jay Inslee, approximately 5,000 state employees have not provided proof of vaccination, requested an exemption, or indicated they were going to retire or resign. Another 2.4% of employees have requested a medical or religious exemption.

Almost 600 employees have sued the state of Washington in Walla Walla to try and block the vaccine mandate. Another 19 local, county, and state employees filed a federal lawsuit in Spokane claiming the vaccine mandate was a violation of their civil rights.

State officials indicated today they do not expect widespread disruption from the mandate. The only state agency that has postured for potential issues is Washington State Ferries, which is reducing services starting October 16.

Malcontent News remains confident that between vaccinations and accommodations, 97% to 98% of all state employees will be working as normal on October 19.

Eatonville elementary school teacher sends students home with her resignation letter

Students attending Eatonville Elementary School came home with more than homework and good job stickers this week when a teacher included a resignation letter.

Parents reported the letter was included with other school material this week.

“I received my letter of termination last Thursday and I only have a few more days as your child’s teacher,” the letter said.

“I am not sure what the Eatonville School District has planned for filling my position or the countless other positions that will be lost on the 18th but please remember, YOU are your child’s first teacher and number one advocate.”

The letter called earlier safety protocols “a joke” and complained that the school has a “no entry” sign.

There is little to indicate there will be a mass exodus of teachers or other professionals in Washington state based on all the currently available data.

Letter sent home with students who attend Eatonville Elementary School and are taught by Jessica Kerby

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

FDA panel supports booster for Moderna Covid-19 vaccine

A federal advisory panel voted Thursday to support booster shots of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for people 65 and up, as well as younger adults with certain medical problems or jobs that put them at increased risk for infection. 

According to a report in USA Today, the booster shot will be a half-dose of the same vaccine already given. Company data suggested that the lower dose was as effective but had potentially fewer side effects.

The Food and Drug Administration committee, whose decision needs to be verified by a different advisory panel as well as top federal officials, spent Thursday reviewing data about the safety and effectiveness of a third dose of Moderna vaccine, as well as the effect boosters are having on a COVID-19 outbreak in Israel.

Tomorrow the committee will discuss the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and potentially make a recommendation for booster shots.

Any recommendation by the FDA will be subject to further review, and ultimately a vote by the 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 16.5% of patients have Covid-19. Statewide, hospitals have the staff to support approximately 620 additional acute care patients. ICUs are at 86.5% of capacity statewide, with 27.0% of ICU patients fighting Covid-19 – an estimated 317 patients with 51% on ventilators. The state has the staff to support approximately 160 additional ICU patients.

The 7-day rolling average hospital admission rate for new COVID patients dipped to 90. The Department of Health reported 1,156 Covid-19 patients statewide on October 13, with 163 requiring ventilators. Data for Tuesday was adjusted to 1,141 patients and 155 on ventilators.

The East and Northwest Hospital Regions remain highly stressed.

Hospital RegionCountiesICU OccupancyICU COVID PatientsAcute Care OccupancyAcute Care COVID Patients
EastAdams, Asotin, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Wahkiakum, Whitman91.2%39.9%91.5%25.3%
NorthIsland, San Juan, Skagit, Whatcom62.9%22.3%87.0%10.1%
North CentralChelan, Douglas, Grant, Okanogan93.1%50.0%77.6%21.7%
NorthwestClallam, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason90.1%40.0%95.9%22.1%
Puget SoundKing, Pierce, Snohomish89.9%23.2%94.8%13.7%
South CentralBenton, Columbia, Franklin, Kittitas, Walla Walla, Yakima88.9%28.7%84.5%22.4%
SouthwestClark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Skamania 66.6%25.7%84.6%16.8%
WestGrays Harbor, Lewis, Pacific, Thurston84.0%24.9%88.5%17.1%
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*)
– Twain Elementary (1* – see notes)
None
NorthshoreYELLOW– Arrowhead Elementary (3)
– Bothell High School (29**)
– Canyon Creek Elementary (10)
– Canyon Park Middle School (14)
– Cottage Lake Elementary (1)
– Crystal Springs Elementary (29)
– East Ridge Elementary (2)
– Frank Love Elementary (16)
– Hollywood Hills Elementary (69)
– Inglemoor High School (2)
– Innovation Lab High School (2)
– Kenmore Elementary (8)
– Kenmore Middle School (31)
– Kokanee Elementary (13)
– Leota Middle School (4)
– Lockwood Elementary (27**)
– Maywood Hills Elementary (6)
– Moorlands Elementary (3)
– North Creek High School (8)
– Northshore Middle School (7)
– Ruby Bridge Elementary (4)
– Secondary Academy for Success (6)
– Shelton View Elementary (7)
– Skyview Middle School (11)
– Sunrise Elementary (7)
– Timbercrest Middle School (9)
– Wellington Elementary (30)
– Westhill Elementary (12)
– Woodin Elementary (24)
– Woodinville High School (13)
– Woodmoor Elementary (15)

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.

Lockwood Elementary in the Northshore School District has 6 confirmed Covid-19 cases.

We have a parent confirmed report of a single Covid-19 case at Mark Twain Elementary School in the Lake Washington School District.

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 120,321 new cases and 3,054 deaths nationwide on Thursday.

Alaska

Alaska added 986 new cases with 209 patients hospitalized with Covid-19. Twenty of Alaska’s 31 hospitals are operating under crisis standards of care. There are 21 staffed ICU beds statewide despite the arrival of hundreds of government contract healthcare workers two weeks ago.

After making progress with a reduction in new cases last week, the number has been slowing increasing again with a new case rate of 852 per 100K residents, the highest in the United States. The numbers are increasing despite Anchorage cutting back on Covid-19 testing due to budgetary issues.

Idaho

Officials in Idaho haven’t released hospitalization numbers since Monday when they reported 653 hospitalized and 175 in the ICU. Of the 274,560 cases reported statewide since the pandemic started, only 3.5% were due to vaccine breakthroughs.

State officials reported 1,935 new cases and 30 additional deaths today. New cases are increasing again after appearing to flatten out over the last couple of weeks. At the current rate, Idaho will add 13,300 new cases a week – infecting 1% of the state’s entire population every 10 days.

Idaho Governor Brad Little declared October Health Care Worker Appreciation Month. Generosity has poured in including thank you signs, baked goods, meal deliveries, and open tabs in hospital cafeterias. Hospital workers are appreciative of the support, but some reported they are so busy trying to save lives during crisis standards of care, they can’t stop and enjoy the show of support.

Montana

Montana reported 1,300 new cases, 13 deaths, and 479 people hospitalized. The hospitalization number dropped sharply, however, every 11 days 1% of Montana residents become infected with Covid-19.

Wyoming

In Wyoming, 461 new Covid-19 cases were reported but no deaths. Hospitalization data was not updated by the state.

Misinformation

Taking the day off

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/BainbridgeEdmonds/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

New Covid-19 cases in Washington plummet – local and national update for October 12, 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) Cases are down significantly while vaccination rates increase in what is almost entirely good news about Covid-19.

New cases in Washington state were down significantly statewide, including many counties east of the Cascades. The Washington State Department of Health reported 71.4% of eligible Washingtonians are fully vaccinated, and 77.6% have at had at least one dose. School Superintendent Chris Reykdal shared that back-to-school in Washington has gone vastly better than in states such as Texas, Georgia, and Florida.

It appears the FDA will not approve a booster shot for the Moderna vaccine due to trial results that indicated the third dose didn’t significantly increase immunity. The Biden Administration is poised to buy 1.5 million doses of the oral antiviral molnupiravir, which in Phase 3 testing reduced Covid-19 related hospitalizations and deaths by 48%. The Mu variant has disappeared from North America where Delta continues to reigns supreme.

Another poll was released today that indicates the anti-vaccination movement is moving into irrelevancy despite the noise you may be hearing and seeing on social media.

The Northshore School District moved back to status yellow with a significant reduction in the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases and quarantines.

Boeing announced its 125,000 employees will have to provide proof of vaccination or get a valid exemption by December 8.

The City of Kirkland provided guidance on proof of vaccination requirements to participate in or visit Kirkland Park and Recreation programs.

Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming remain Covid-19 hot spots with all four states having at least one hospital operating under crisis standards of care.

This update uses the latest data from the Washington State Department of Health (WSDOH), released on October 12, 2021.


vaccinationhospitalsschoolslocalnationalmisinformation

Washington State Update for October 12, 2021

Washington state Covid-19 update

New cases dropped significantly statewide, as we predicted yesterday. There remains a significant gap between the least and most vaccinated counties but the ongoing improvement is undeniable.

Percent of Total Population Fully VaccinatedAverage 14-Day New Case Rate (unadjusted)
60.00% or above (5)234.1 (down)
50.00% to 59.99% (14 counties)444.4 (down)
40.00% to 49.99% (12 counties)564.7 (down)
29.90% to 39.99% (8 counties)674.8 (down)
14-Day New Covid-19 Cases per 100K average by Vaccination Rate, Not Adjusted for Population

Through October 11, Washington’s statewide 14-day rolling average is 362.8 Covid-19 cases per 100K.

Ferry County remains the one outlier reporting 1,074.6 new cases per 100K residents.

Only three counties reported new case rates between 800.0 to 999.9 per 100K – Garfield, Grant, and Klickitat.

Counties in the 600.0 to 799.9 per 100K range include Chelan, Columbia, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, and Stevens. Douglas, Grays Harbor, and Mason counties are just under the 600 threshold and today’s report is the best data in two months.

New cases were down significantly across all age groups and hospitalizations decreased for ages 12 and above.

Age Group7-Day Case Rate7-Day Hospitalization Rate
Ages 0-11141.2 (down)0.9
Ages 12-19177.5 (down)1.1 (down)
Ages 20-34156.8 (down)2.9 (down)
Ages 35-49157.0 (down)6.1 (down)
Ages 50-64114.1 (down)11.4 (down)
Ages 65-7986.6 (down)13.7 (down)
Ages 80+84.4 (down)30.8 (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 42 deaths on Monday.

71.4% of all eligible Washington residents are fully vaccinated

In the latest update from the Washington State Department of Health, 71.4% of all eligible residents are fully vaccinated and 77.6% have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. San Juan County continues to have the highest vaccination rate in the state with 73.9% of all residents fully vaccinated. In contrast, only 29.9% of all Stevens County’s residents are fully vaccinated, the lowest rate in the state.

Eight of the ten least vaccinated counties are east of the Cascades.

Boeing to require Covid-19 vaccination by December 8 for 125,000 employees

Boeing will require its roughly 125,000 U.S. employees have to show proof of Covid-19 vaccination or have an approved religious or medical exemption by December 8, CNBC reported today. As a government aerospace and defense contractor, Boeing employees fall under the umbrella of the Biden Administrators vaccine mandate.

The exemptions would “be based on a disability or sincerely held religious belief,” Boeing said in a statement. “Boeing will continue to carefully monitor guidance from public health agencies, and requirements from federal, state, and local governments to inform our COVID-19 policies.”

In March 2020, Boeing union employees demanded aircraft production be halted after multiple employees became infected with Covid-19, and one died on March 23. The company suspended operation in Everett, Washinton on March 24 for 14 days.

The Everett Herald reported that many employees were “fed up” with Boeing’s inadequate response at the start of the pandemic.

For weeks, workers on the factory floor complained to news media about a lack of cleaning supplies and told of overwhelmed and overworked cleaning crews as a growing number of them, at the Everett plant and other locations, called for the company to shut down.

Last week, an impromptu protest erupted inside the Everett factory in the work area of an employee who had tested positive for COVID-19. Co-workers were angry for not being allowed to self-quarantine, a Boeing worker who witnessed the event said in an email.

“Most of the area halted work in protest, crane crews blew their horns for an extended period of time, mechanics drove their rivet guns loud and the other employees started yelling ‘What’s wrong with this’ to the management crew and senior levels. Security was called and dispersed everyone,” the worker wrote.

Microsoft, Alaska Airlines, and Holland America are other large Washington state employers that have implemented a vaccine mandate.

After 7 weeks, Washington state’s back to school efforts are going well

For many parents, even one Covid-19 case detected in a school is one too many but compared to other states back-to-school has gone smoothly in Washington.

Though parents should prepare for more closures this year, state Superintendent Chris Reykdal does not anticipate a complete shutdown of all schools, KING 5 reported.

“We have the strictest health protocols which is why we are not seeing what we saw in Florida, Texas, [and] Georgia when their schools cranked up,” Reykdal said. “By the tens of thousands, they were shutting down.”  

A handful of classrooms or schools have had to close down in school districts such as Eatonville, Medical Lake, Kent, and Lake Washington, but these have been the exception.

Travel Advisories

Due to an increase in acute care hospitalizations, we’re adding a recreational travel advisory to the East Hospital Region. This includes Adams, Asotin, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Wahkiakum, and Whitman counties. Acute care and ICU capacity have become limited, and the ratio of Covid-19 patients to other hospital patients is extremely high. Please reconsider non-essential travel plans to these counties.

We strongly advise against all nonessential travel to Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Hospital resources in these regions are constrained, and you may receive inadequate care 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

FDA says booster recommendation for Moderna vaccine unlikely

Scientists at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday that Moderna Inc had not met all of the agency’s criteria to support the use of booster doses of its COVID-19 vaccine, possibly because of the efficacy of the shot’s first two doses has remained strong. 

Yahoo!News reported FDA documents indicated Moderna’s vaccine data indicated a booster did increase protective antibodies, but the difference in antibody levels before and after the shot was not wide enough, particularly in those whose levels had remained high. 

The documents were released ahead of a meeting later this week of the FDA’s outside expert advisers to discuss booster doses of the vaccine. 

Pfizer vaccine booster shots are now available

Booster shots for eligible individuals are now available statewide. Individuals who received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine more than six months ago, are 65 or older, or are immunocompromised can receive their third dose immediately.

In the Kirland-Bellevue-Woodinville area, Walgreens, Rite-Aid, Bartell’s, and QFC are offering booster shots. Additionally, the third dose is available at the CVS located within the Target store at 17,700 NE 76th Street in Redmond.

Most locations require an appointment, which can be scheduled online.

King County, Washington is reporting over 87.1% of age eligible residents are vaccinated with at least one dose. The highest rates of positivity are in areas with low vaccination rates statewide. The FDA has provided full approval of the Pfizer vaccine for anyone 16 and over and EUA approval for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

COVID vaccines are free for anyone over 12 years old, and no appointment is necessary at most locations. Lyft and Hopelink provide free transportation, and KinderCare, the Learning Care Group, and the YMCA offer free childcare during vaccination appointments or recuperation.

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 16.7% of patients have Covid-19. Statewide, hospitals have the staff to support approximately 660 additional acute care patients. ICUs are at 86.4% of capacity statewide, with 28.0% of ICU patients fighting Covid-19 – an estimated 328 patients with 48% on ventilators. The state has the staff to support approximately 144 additional ICU patients.

The 7-day rolling average hospital admission rate for new COVID patients dipped to 103. The Department of Health reported 1,157 Covid-19 patients statewide on October 11, with 159 requiring ventilators. Data for Sunday was adjusted to 1,155 patients and 170 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, Whitman91.3%41.3%91.3%26.4%
NorthIsland, San Juan, Skagit, Whatcom64.8%24.8%75.2%20.4%
North CentralChelan, Douglas, Grant, Okanogan90.9%48.2%75.2%20.4%
NorthwestClallam, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason91.9%41.7%95.9%23.9%
Puget SoundKing, Pierce, Snohomish90.1%24.1%94.6%13.9%
South CentralBenton, Columbia, Franklin, Kittitas, Walla Walla, Yakima88.9%29.7%83.4%22.3%
SouthwestClark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Skamania 64.5%27.8%85.2%17.1%
WestGrays Harbor, Lewis, Pacific, Thurston79.4%21.1%86.8%15.8%
Hospital status by region – ICU Occupancy should be below 80%, ICU COVID Patients should be below 20%, Acute Care Occupancy should be below 80%, and Acute Care COVID Patients should be below 10%

The East and Northwest Hospital Regions remain highly stressed.

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 (3*)
– Lake Hills (6**)
– 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 (2)
– Bothell High School (29**)
– Canyon Creek Elementary (9)
– Canyon Park Middle School (12)
– Cottage Lake Elementary (3)
– Crystal Springs Elementary (26)
– East Ridge Elementary (2)
– Frank Love Elementary (14)
– Hollywood Hills Elementary (41)
– Inglemoor High School (2)
– Innovation Lab High School (2)
– Kenmore Elementary (4)
– Kenmore Middle School (36)
– Kokanee Elementary (15)
– Leota Middle School (3)
– Lockwood Elementary (19**)
– Maywood Hills Elementary (6)
– Moorlands Elementary (1)
– North Creek High School (14)
– Northshore Middle School (9)
– Ruby Bridge Elementary (4)
– Secondary Academy for Success (6)
– Shelton View Elementary (7)
– Skyview Middle School (16)
– Sunrise Elementary (2)
– Timbercrest Middle School (13)
– Wellington Elementary (26**)
– Westhill Elementary (11)
– Woodin Elementary (27)
– Woodinville High School (12)
– Woodmoor Elementary (15)

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 dropped back to status yellow and a number of schools reported a significant reduction in active cases and quarantines. There were no reported changes in the Bellevue or Lake Washington School Districts.

We continued to encourage parents to request improved daily data reporting from the Lake Washington School District.

Kirkland-Bellevue-Woodinville

The City of Kirkland will require proof of Covid-19 vaccination or a negative test when participating in or visiting Kirkland parks and recreation programs and facilities starting Monday, October 25, 2021. Pursuant to King County’s Local Health Officer Verification of Vaccination Order, indoor recreation program participants and community center visitors ages 12 and older must show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 upon entry to recreational facilities, including Peter Kirk and North Kirkland Community Centers, van trips, and any other indoor facilities where Kirkland recreation programs are held.

Valid forms of verification include a CDC vaccination card or photo of vaccination card, documented proof of vaccination from medical record or vaccine provider, printed certificate or QR code from MyIR Mobile, or a negative FDA-approved polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test administered within the last 72 hours. You do not need to show identification with proof of vaccination.

It is important to note that a home, physician, clinic, or pharmacy-provided rapid Covid-19 test is not an accepted form of validation.

National Round-Up

Johns Hopkins University Cumulative Case Tracker is reporting 116,202 new cases and 1,182 deaths nationwide on Tuesday. Many states didn’t update data on Monday due to the federal holiday, so these numbers are likely inflated.

Biden Administration prepared to buy 1.5 million doses of molunpiravir

On June 9, Health and Human Services signed an agreement with Merck to purchase 1.7 million doses of molnupiravir, contingent on successful trials. Pending Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA, officials are prepared to purchase 1.5 million doses. Australia and New Zealand have already agreed to purchase the antiviral medication, which in testing reduced Covid-19 hospitalizations and deaths by 48%.

Pharmaceutical companies Merck & Co. and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics announced Monday they had formally requested emergency use authorization.

Molnupiravir, an orally ingested antiviral pill, is used to treat mild to moderate adult cases of COVID-19 that are at risk of worsening to severe COVID-19 or hospitalization, according to the companies. It was created by researchers at Emory University in Atlanta and is given as four pills taken twice a day for five days.

Unlike monoclonal antibodies which require a series of injections or intravenous administration, the oral antiviral can be prescribed and taken at home. The drug is also significantly cheaper than monoclonal antibodies, but more expensive than the existing Covid-19 vaccinations.

Another poll indicates the anti-vaccination movement is shrinking to irrelevance

If you’ve spent time on social media or reading some of the – other – headlines, you probably have an understandable sense of doom over how politicized the Covid-19 response has become. Last week reported a U.S. Census Bureau survey indicated the ranks of never vaxxers had declined to 12%. Another survey out today provides similar data and more insights.

A Yahoo!News/YouGov Poll released today indicated 15% of Americans say they will not get vaccinated.

The wide-ranging poll covered a number of topics including lockdowns, masks, and vaccine mandates. Only 27% of Americans indicated they were against school mask mandates. Among people who self-identified as aligning with the Republican Party, 40% reported wearing masks and 70% reported they have been vaccinated for Covid-19 or plan to.

Remember the Mu variant

Dr. Katelyn Jetelina provided an update on the Mu variant today, indicating the variant of interest has disappeared from the United States.

In North America, Mu was introduced in April 2021 and started spreading quickly. However, Delta came along in June 2021 and quickly became the dominant variant by August. In the United States, specifically, the CDC is now reporting zero cases of Mu.

Farewell Mu, we hardly knew you.

Alaska

Alaska reported new cases are stabilizing while the number of positive Covid-19 tests increased dramatically on Tuesday. Another 475 cases were confirmed while test positivity jumped to 10.78%. In Anchorage, Alaska where the city has scaled back testing positivity increased to 12%. Most new cases are among people under 40 years old.

Hospitals are treating 186 Covid-19 patients, two more than yesterday. Resources remain very constrained – there were 26 ICU beds available statewide Tuesday morning.

Hospitals in Anchorage, Bethel, and Valdez continue to be the most impacted by the ongoing surge.

Alaska Public Radio reported an array of Republican state lawmakers and activists are pressing Governor Mike Dunleavy’s administration and the state pharmacy board to make it easier for Alaskans to get access to ivermectin, the unproven Covid-19 treatment that state and federal agencies caution against using.

In recent weeks, Palmer GOP Sen. Shelley Hughes has spoken with Dunleavy and his health commissioner to encourage them to consider supplying Alaskans with vitamins and drugs, including ivermectin, “that some Alaskan physicians are prescribing but pharmacies aren’t filling,” she said.

Three Republican representatives and a pair of Dunleavy’s appointees to the Alaska Commission on Aging, meanwhile, also testified about ivermectin at a recent pharmacy board meeting — where some asked board members to lean on pharmacists who are denying prescriptions for the drug.

Board members, however, were largely unmoved.

Chair Justin Ruffridge, a Kenai Peninsula pharmacist, pointed testifiers toward a draft ivermectin Q&A document under consideration by the board that highlights a joint position statement from three national doctors and pharmacists groups: They “strongly oppose” dispensing the drug outside of a clinical trial.

There are two prominent peer-reviewed studies now that indicated Ivermectin was ineffective as a preventative or treatment. In one study, researchers found for the sickest patients the controversial anti-parasitic drug was contraindicated and made patients sicker.

Florida

The Florida Department of Health on Tuesday issued a $3.5 million fine to the Leon County government for violating the state’s ban on vaccine passports, according to a report in The Hill.

The Florida Department of Health called the requirement a “blatant violation of the law relating to the ban of vaccine passports in our state.”

“It is unacceptable that Leon County violated Florida law, infringed on current and former employees’ medical privacy, and fired loyal public servants because of their personal health decisions,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said in the announcement of the fine.

Idaho

Idaho officials reported 2,937 new cases and 40 deaths over the long weekend as cases appear to have leveled out – for now.

For the first time in more than three months, the state is finally seeing a slight decline in community spread. However, this does not necessarily mean the state has peaked in terms of cases and hospitalizations, according to Dr. Steven Nemerson.

KTVB reported over the past several weeks, there has been a steady increase in the number of admissions to the intensive care unit (ICU). Despite the state operating under crisis standards of care, Saint Alphonsus continues to see record numbers of COVID-related and non-COVID-related patients.

Nemerson acknowledged that the hospital has shut down all but “medically necessary, time-sensitive” procedures at this time, and said patients are getting sicker due to the delays.

Amid all the challenges the hospital is facing, Nemerson said the biggest challenge is rehabilitating the staff, who have experienced trauma and mental and emotional fatigue from what they have witnessed for nearly two years.

Nemerson said his staff continues to be harassed and threatened by patients and their families on a daily basis.

“We’ve lost the war. COVID is here to stay,” Nemerson said. “Because we can’t vaccinate enough of the public to eradicate it.”

Idaho Dept. of Health and Welfare (IDHW) Director Dave Jeppesen echoed Nemerson’s sentiments about the toll the pandemic has taken on healthcare workers, asking the public to thank a healthcare worker for the work they have done for nearly two years.

Jeppesen also shared recent hospitalization data from the state. As of Oct. 9, 704 COVID-19 patients are in the hospital, 181 patients are in the ICU and 127 patients are on a ventilator statewide, according to Jeppesen. While these numbers are down slightly from previous records, they still exceed hospital resources.

The 181 ICU patients are an improvement, however, Idaho normally has 170 staffed ICU beds.

Montana

New case numbers and hospitalization numbers in Montana are alarming as the situation continues to deteriorate in Big Sky Country. Officials reported 2,227 new Covid-19 cases over the long weekend and 15 deaths. There are now 489 people hospitalized in a state with just 1.09 million people. In contrast, Washington state has 1,157 Covid-19 patients including out-of-state transfer patients, and a population of 7.76 million.

Officials in Missoula are voting tonight on whether to continue the mask mandate in public schools. When the mandate was initiated six weeks ago, it called for a review. Since schools opened, Covid-19 cases among students have increased 70%.

Vitalant is Montana’s largest supplier of blood to hospitals and communications manager Tori Robbins is asking for 1,000 more donations, according to a report in the Montana Standard.

Those recovering from COVID can donate 14 days after their last symptom presents, Robbins said.

As the relentless Delta variant pounds the state, more drives are being canceled and more people are working from home in order to social distance.

“COVID is making everything much more challenging. There are more difficulties to host blood drives, more difficulties to host school blood drives and more people working from home when their place of work holds a drive,” said Montana Red Cross Communications Director Matt Ochsner. “With the rise of Delta people are hunkering down.”

Nationwide, Red Cross usually keeps five days worth of type O blood on hand, but now, only a half-day’s supply is available.

“Why we’re so alarmed right now is because we usually see a dip in the summer, and then we see donations go back up in the fall, and we’re not seeing that right now,” Ochsner said. “Then the holidays are a busy time for families and that’s when we see another dip in donations, so this dip in the fall is alarming.”

Texas

NBC News is reporting the Justice Department has charged and arrested Scott Eli Harris, 51, of Aubrey, following the unsealing of a grand jury indictment that contained a single allegation of threatening a doctor over her vaccine advocacy.

It says he “knowingly and willingly transmitted in interstate commerce a threat to injure the person of another” on July 12. In a statement, the Justice Department alleged that Harris texted the threats to the victim, identified in the indictment only as “Dr. L.W., who had been a vocal proponent” of vaccination.

The victim was identified as Dr. Leana Wen, the former Baltimore health commissioner and onetime national president of Planned Parenthood. She didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment when contacted through the Brookings Institution, where she is a nonresident senior fellow.

Wyoming

State officials have not commented on multiple hospital requests to move to crisis standards of care as the Wyoming Department of Health reported 275 more confirmed Covid-19 cases and 208 more probable cases.

Unlike Montana and Idaho, Wyoming officials have been working to be more transparent in the data they are providing the public and health officials. Since May 1, 284 residents have died of Covid-19 in the sparsely populated state – nine were vaccinated. Only 23 people of the 872 hospitalized for COVID since the start of May were fully vaccinated.

Hospitalization data had not been updated at the time we went to press, however, test positivity for Covid-19 jumped back up to 21.2%.

Misinformation

Taking the day off

8,000 Washingtonians lost and counting – local and national update for October 11, 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) More than 8,000 Washingtonians have died from Covid-19 since February 29, 2020, as new cases and hospitalizations continue to slowly decline.

Vaccination rates increased across the state, although the gap between the most vaccinated and least vaccinated counties barely narrowed. Pediatric and adolescent hospitalizations increased over the weekend and we learned that Washington state is taking in 110 hospital patients from Idaho a week.

Almost 92% of Washington state employees are fully vaccinated or have an approved exemption and the Washington State Hospital Association reported over 88% of all medical workers are inoculated.

After multiple threats of a sickout, Washington State Ferry workers crippled operations over the weekend. Up to 170 WSF employees remain unvaccinated and years of system neglect amplified the staffing issues over the holiday.

Washington State University football coach Nick Rolovich announced he was opting for a special play when it comes to getting vaccinated and filed for a religious exemption. The day before the Seattle Kraken make their NHL debut, five players are under Covid-19 protocols.

Unvaccinated King County residents are 16 times more likely to die from Covid-19, and while vaccination rates in the Bellevue-Kirkland-Woodinville area continue to increase, Bothell and the northern half of Kirkland continue to lag behind the rest of the local area.

The Northshore School District moves to red status, with 12 confirmed Covid-19 cases at Lockwood Elementary. New cases were also reported in the Bellevue and Lake Washington school districts.

In local news, Amazon has announced it is indefinitely delaying the return of 50,000 officer workers due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation.

Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics formally applied for emergency use authorization for the anti-viral medication molnupiravir, which has shown promising results in helping minimize Covid-19 symptoms.

Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming remain Covid-19 hot spots we are watching closely due to the impact transfer patients have on our hospitals.

This update uses the latest data from the Washington State Department of Health (WSDOH), released on October 11, 2021.


vaccinationhospitalsschoolslocalnationalmisinformation

Washington State Update for October 11, 2021

Washington state Covid-19 update

New cases were flat over the weekend which is significant. Historically, the data has shown an artificial bump on Mondays because it includes some data from the weekend. This is the first time since mid-August the data has shown a spike at the start of the week, providing a strong indicator that cases continue to decline.

Monday also provides updated countywide vaccination numbers. In Clallam County, 60.2% of all residents are fully vaccinated. The number of new cases in the least vaccinated counties is threefold higher than the most vaccinated.

Percent of Total Population Fully VaccinatedAverage 14-Day New Case Rate (unadjusted)
60.00% or above (5)249.1
50.00% to 59.99% (14 counties)482.9
40.00% to 49.99% (12 counties)608.9
29.90% to 39.99% (8 counties)749.1
14-Day New Covid-19 Cases per 100K average by Vaccination Rate, Not Adjusted for Population

Through October 10, Washington’s statewide 14-day rolling average is 388.2. Covid-19 cases per 100K.

Ferry County continues to be the Washington state hot spot with 1,175.7 new cases per 100K residents.

Counties in the 800.0 to 999.9 per 100K range include Columbia, Garfield, Grant, Klickitat, and Stevens.

Counties in the 600.0 to 799.9 per 100K range include Chelan, Douglas, Franklin, Grays Harbor, Lincoln, Mason, Okanogan, and Pend Oreille.

New cases were unchanged or drifted upward with one exception – adolescent cases and hospitalizations for 12 to 19-year-olds increased significantly over the weekend. Pediatric hospitalizations also increased from birth to 11, while all other age groups were flat or drifted downward.

Age Group7-Day Case Rate7-Day Hospitalization Rate
Ages 0-11168.61.1 (up)
Ages 12-19208.8 (up)1.6 (up)
Ages 20-34174.1 (up)3.6
Ages 35-49180.47.8 (down)
Ages 50-64128.1 (up)13.9 (down)
Ages 65-7994.3 (up)15.5
Ages 80+96.735.2 (down)
7-day case rate and 7-day hospitalization rate is per 100K within the age group – the target for 7-day case rate is <25.0, but there are other factors such as vaccination rates within the age groups, how many total tests within the 7-day period, and the positivity rate within each age group

The USA Today COVID Tracker reported 50 deaths on Friday. The state of Washington is not reporting the percentage of positive cases. More than 8,000 Washingtonians have died from Covid-19 since February 29, 2020. The state crossed the sad milestone over the weekend.

Washington state hospitals accepting an average of 110 Idaho patients a week in 2021

An analysis of RHINO data from the Washington State Department of Health indicated that hospitals have been admitting approximately 110 patients from Idaho a week during 2021. The number represents a fraction of total average hospital admissions, which hovers around 500,000 patients in a normal year.

The data does not provide information on how many hospital admissions were Covid-19 patients and the report did not provide a weekly analysis. Eastern Washington hospitals reported last week they were feeling increased strain due to Idahoans crossing the border looking for medical care.

With 7 days to go, almost 92% of all Washington state employees are fully vaccinated or have been granted an exemption

Data released by the Washington State Office of Financial Management provided the clearest picture yet on how many state employees are vaccinated. On October 4, 89.5% of all state employees had provided proof they are fully vaccinated. Another 2.4% had medical or religious exemptions approved.

The same report indicated the Washington State Patrol was 89.9% fully vaccinated on October 4. Last week, the Seattle Times reported the WSP was 93% vaccinated on October 7. Using that data point as a barometer, it is estimated 94% to 95% of Washington state employees are fully vaccinated or have an approved exemption, with 7 days ago.

Only two organizations with more than 500 workers have vaccination rates below 85% – Washington National Guard at 79.1% and DSHS – Rainier at 83%. It is worth noting the Pentagon has given Army National Guard servicemembers until June 30, 2022 to be fully vaccinated.

Almost 93% of the 6,608 Washington State Department of Transportation employees are vaccinated or have received an exemption. Almost a third of DOT employees work for Washington State Ferries. Three weeks ago there were 450 WSF workers who had not confirmed their vaccination status. The number dropped to 250 on Thursday and 170 on Friday. Despite a full vaccination rate approaching 93%, unvaccinated ferry workers made their presence known this weekend.

As of October 4, 1,228 state workers had requested medical exemptions, with 866 approved. Officials are still evaluating 75 requests and 258 exemption requests were withdrawn. Another 315 employees had requested some degree of accommodation, with 255 approvals.

The state also received 4,849 religious exemption requests and so far has approved 4,219 with 42 still under evaluation. Only 184 religious exemptions have been denied, while 404 requests were withdrawn.

Approximately one percent of all state employees have joined a lawsuit attempting to block the state mandate. It is unlikely the plaintiffs will get relief. Both federal courts and the Supreme Court have sided with municipalities, counties, states, businesses, and schools in a number of similar court cases filed across the country.

88% of all Washington hospital workers are fully vaccinated

From janitorial services, cooks, and med techs to nurses, surgeons, and administrators, 88% of Washington state’s hospital staff will be fully vaccinated by October 18, according to a survey by the Washington State Hospital Association.

Cassie Sauer, CEO reported in a briefing today the remaining 12% include people who don’t plan on getting vaccinated, are partially vaccinated, have an approved exemption, have an exemption under review, or are waiting to learn if an existing exemption has been approved.

“The 2-5%, I want to emphasize, is a statewide number. There are some places that are going to have less and some places that are going to have more. And the place that seems to have the likeliest, biggest impact is rural eastern Washington,” Sauer said.

In New York, the state saw similar numbers among hospital workers days before its mandate went into effect. Final vaccination rates ranged from 85% to 100% depending on the role, type of facility, and location. Vaccination rates among nursing homes and long-term care facilities lagged behind hospitals.

Officials believe 95% to 98% will be fully vaccinated, on a path to vaccination, or have an approved exemption by October 18. Hospitals and facilities in Eastern Washington, particularly in rural areas, are expected to see more workers quit or face termination.

In Western Washington, 97% of EvergreenHealth and 98% of University Washington Medicine employees are fully vaccinated.

More than 200 Washington State Ferry sailings canceled due to years of neglect and a weekend sickout

Passengers and businesses were frustrated when Washington State Ferries canceled over 150 sailings on Friday, 120 on Saturday, and 50 on Sunday. A sickout by WSF employees in protest of a looming vaccination mandate was the final blow, that contributed to the chaos this weekend. However, the sailing issues have been two decades in the making.

In 2000, a Tim Eyman led initiative slashed Washington state car tab fees, and with it, a significant portion of the Washington state ferry budget. Two decades later the state lacks the funds to replace several ferries that are far past their useful life. The outdated equipment suffers more frequent breakdowns, forcing route cancelations and smaller vessels into temporary service.

A lack of vessels, a graying staff, and unpredictable work schedules was already straining the system. Disruptions due to equipment and crew failures were becoming more common before Covid-19 arrived in the Evergreen state in January 2020.

The number of ferry workers has also declined for two decades, and the Department of Transportation has problems recruiting people who are interested in doing maritime work.

WSF workers have attempted several other sickouts with little to no impact, but this past weekend was different. Officials have indicated that even 170 employees leaving could have a devastating impact on operations – and required Coast Guard certifications will make hiring new staff challenging.

Washington State Ferries is the largest ferry system in the United States and second-largest in the world. The state operates 23 vessels that sail 10 routes to 20 destinations. The oldest ferry is the MV Tillikum built in 1959 and rebuilt in 1994. Over 70% of all funding comes from fares. In 2020 due to Covid-19 ridership was only a fraction of normal. By the end of summer in 2021, ridership was 80% of normal.

The ferry system is converting three Jumbo Mark-II class ferries to electrical propulsion between 2022 and 2024. The Puyallup, Tacoma, and Wenatchee are slated for update with the Wenatchee was supposed to already be back in service but had an engine room fire in April 2021.

Washington State University football coach Nick Rolovich applies for religious exemption

As many have suspected for quite some time, Washington State coach Nick Rolovich finally confirmed that he remains unvaccinated and is in fact seeking a religious exemption to the state’s Covid vaccination mandate, he said after the Cougars’ 31-24 victory over Oregon State on Saturday.

A report in Coug Center explained Rolovich was responding to questions prompted by a report from USA Today published on Saturday morning.

“I’ll confirm that,” he said. “I’m not terribly happy with the way it happened. I hope there’s no player that I coach that has to wake up and feel the way I felt today. I don’t share it (to be) malicious, but that wasn’t a great thing to wake up to, to be honest with you.”

Rolovich is the highest-paid state employee in Washington, making almost $3.3 million per year.

Several Seattle Kraken players under Covid protocols day before NHL debut

The Seattle Kraken are expected to be without five players for the season opener at Vegas due to COVID-19 protocols, coach Dave Hakstol said Monday, according to the Associated Press.

Forwards Jared McCann, Joonas Donskoi and Marcus Johansson, and defenseman Jamie Oleksiak were placed on the league’s COVID-19 protocol list on Monday. Forward Calle Jarnkrok has been in the protocol since late last week. McCann, Oleksiak, Donskoi and Johansson were all missing from Monday’s final practice before the team departed for Las Vegas.

Travel Advisories

Due to an increase in acute care hospitalizations, we’re adding a recreational travel advisory to the East Hospital Region. This includes Adams, Asotin, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Wahkiakum, and Whitman counties. Acute care and ICU capacity have become limited, and the ratio of Covid-19 patients to other hospital patients is extremely high. Please reconsider non-essential travel plans to these counties.

We strongly advise against all nonessential travel to Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Hospital resources in these regions are constrained, and you may receive inadequate care if you experience a serious medical emergency.

We are also not adding a travel advisory for the Northwest Hospital Region which includes Clallam, Jefferson, Kitsap, and Mason counties but don’t recommend engaging in risky recreational behavior on the Olympic Peninsula. Although hospitals are very constrained, the region is adjacent to the Puget Sound and West Hospital Regions, which have adequate resources.

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

Unvaccinated King County residents are 16 times more likely to die from Covid-19

The first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine became available in Washington state on January 17. Since that time 82% of all Covid-19 cases were among the unvaccinated, 90% of hospitalizations, and 90% of deaths.

Unvaccinated individuals are three times more likely to get Covid-19, 12 times more likely to end up in the hospital, and 16 times more likely to die.

Pfizer vaccine booster shots are now available

Booster shots for eligible individuals are now available statewide. Individuals who received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine more than six months ago, are 65 or older, or are immunocompromised can receive their third dose immediately.

In the Kirland-Bellevue-Woodinville area, Walgreens, Rite-Aid, Bartell’s, and QFC are offering booster shots. Additionally, the third dose is available at the CVS located within the Target store at 17,700 NE 76th Street in Redmond.

Most locations require an appointment, which can be scheduled online.

King County, Washington is reporting over 87.1% of age eligible residents are vaccinated with at least one dose. The highest rates of positivity are in areas with low vaccination rates statewide. The FDA has provided full approval of the Pfizer vaccine for anyone 16 and over and EUA approval for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

COVID vaccines are free for anyone over 12 years old, and no appointment is necessary at most locations. Lyft and Hopelink provide free transportation, and KinderCare, the Learning Care Group, and the YMCA offer free childcare during vaccination appointments or recuperation.

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 16.9% of patients have Covid-19. Statewide, hospitals have the staff to support approximately 649 additional acute care patients. ICUs are at 86.7% of capacity statewide, with 28.0% of ICU patients fighting Covid-19 – an estimated 335 patients with 50% on ventilators. The state has the staff to support approximately 144 additional ICU patients.

The 7-day rolling average hospital admission rate for new COVID patients dipped to 103. The Department of Health reported 1,193 Covid-19 patients statewide on October 7, with 166 requiring ventilators.

Hospital RegionCountiesICU OccupancyICU COVID PatientsAcute Care OccupancyAcute Care COVID Patients
EastAdams, Asotin, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Wahkiakum, Whitman92.0%42.3%91.1%26.9%
NorthIsland, San Juan, Skagit, Whatcom66.5%26.9%75.3%20.1%
North CentralChelan, Douglas, Grant, Okanogan89.1%47.3%75.3%20.1%
NorthwestClallam, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason91.5%42.1%95.7%25.2%
Puget SoundKing, Pierce, Snohomish90.5%24.2%94.6%13.9%
South CentralBenton, Columbia, Franklin, Kittitas, Walla Walla, Yakima88.0%31.5%83.9%22.2%
SouthwestClark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Skamania 66.8%29.3%85.1%17.9%
WestGrays Harbor, Lewis, Pacific, Thurston78.0%19.8%86.5%15.2%
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%

The East and Northwest Hospital Regions remain highly stressed.

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 (3*)
– Lake Hills (6**)
– 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
NorthshoreRED– Arrowhead Elementary (4)
– Bothell High School (30**)
– Canyon Creek Elementary (15)
– Canyon Park Middle School (11)
– Cottage Lake Elementary (3)
– Crystal Springs Elementary (17)
– East Ridge Elementary (2)
– Fernwood Elementary (1)
– Frank Love Elementary (19)
– Hollywood Hills Elementary (35)
– Inglemoor High School (1)
– Innovation Lab High School (2)
– Kenmore Elementary (4)
– Kenmore Middle School (21)
– Kokanee Elementary (14)
– Leota Middle School (3)
– Maywood Hills Elementary (7**)
– Moorlands Elementary (1)
– North Creek High School (13**)
– Northshore Middle School (1)
– Secondary Academy for Success (4)
– Shelton View Elementary (5)
– Skyview Middle School (12)
– Sunrise Elementary (8)
– Timbercrest Middle School (4)
– Wellington Elementary (26**)
– Westhill Elementary (58)
– Woodin Elementary (15)
– Woodinville High School (10)
– Woodmoor Elementary (19**)
– Lockwood Elementary (12**/22)
Local Districts Scorecard – * indicates positive cases only ** indicates 5 or more confirmed positive cases

We redefined the school district statuses. Information for classroom and building closures has been a challenge to obtain, both for closures and reopening. We are adopting moving any school with more than 10 active COVID cases reported into the red, and we’ve adjusted the third column to reflect this change.

Monday provides the best snapshot of the three school districts we track. The Northshore School District moved to status red again with 12 confirmed Covid-19 cases at Lockwood Elementary. Five other schools have 5 to 9 confirmed cases.

Highland Middle School in the Bellevue School District has 9 confirmed cases between students and faculty, and several other schools with more than 5 cases.

The Lake Washington School District updated its dashboard adding six schools with confirmed cases.

We continued to encourage parents to request improved daily data reporting from the Lake Washington School District.

Kirkland-Bellevue-Woodinville

Amazon delays return to office indefinitely – leaves final decision to business directors

Amazon announced that it was indefinitely delaying the return of 50,000 office workers in a public memo released on Monday from Andy Jassy, CEO. The announcement impacts downtown Seattle and the South Lake Union area, as well as downtown Bellevue.

“For our corporate roles, instead of specifying that people work a baseline of three days a week in the office, we’re going to leave this decision up to individual teams,” Jassey wrote in his memo.

“This decision will be made team by team at the Director level. We expect that there will be teams that continue working mostly remotely, others that will work some combination of remotely and in the office, and still others that will decide customers are best served having the teamwork mostly in the office. We’re intentionally not prescribing how many days or which days—this is for Directors to determine with their senior leaders and teams. The decisions should be guided by what will be most effective for our customers; and not surprisingly, we will all continue to be evaluated by how we deliver for customers, regardless of where the work is performed.”

Microsoft and Facebook previously announced delaying their return to office and have mandated their employees, contractors, and vendors to get vaccinated.

King County releases updated vaccination data

King County Public Health updated the vaccination rates by zip code, with the numbers improving throughout the region. The northern half of Kirkland and parts of Bothell continue to lag behind the rest of the eastside.

King County residents age 12+ who have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine through October 11, 2021
Zip CodePercent vaccinated, at least one dose, 12 and older
9815593.7%
9802890.2%
9801186.7%
9803485.3%
9803393.1%
9807291.2%
98052>95.0%
98004>95.0%
9803994.0%
98005>95.0%
9800790.0%
Vaccination rates for those 12 and older by zip code – at least one dose

National Round-Up

Johns Hopkins University Cumulative Case Tracker is reporting 22,194 new cases and 255 deaths nationwide on Monday. Most states do not report data over the weekend, and Monday is a bank holiday so the numbers do not indicate the current national trend.

Merck and Ridgeback Biotheraputics official apply for emergency use authorization for molnupiravir

Pharmaceutical companies Merck & Co. and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics announced Monday they requested emergency use authorization to the Food and Drug Administration for molnupiravir, an antiviral drug that offers the promise that COVID-19 could soon be treated by a pill. USA Today reported the two drugmakers have officially applied for the authorization.

Molnupiravir, an orally ingested antiviral pill, is used to treat mild to moderate adult cases of COVID-19 that are at risk of worsening to severe COVID-19 or hospitalization, according to the companies. It was created by researchers at Emory University in Atlanta and is given as four pills taken twice a day for five days.

An interim analysis from a clinical trial found the antiviral medicine reduced the risk of hospitalization or death by approximately 50%.

Alaska

Alaska reported an increase in new cases and the number of Covid-19 tests with positive results this weekend. After progress last week, the new case rate increased to 836 per 100K people and test positivity jumped to 10.7%. Officials also reported more than 2,750 new cases, mostly among people under 50 years old.

Hospitals are treating 184 Covid-19 patients, down slightly from last week. Resources remain very constrained – there were 18 ICU beds available statewide Monday morning. New

Hospitals in Anchorage, Bethel, and Valdez continue to be the most impacted by the ongoing surge.

Idaho

Idaho officials did not update data on Monday due to the Columbus Indigenous Peoples Day. The 7 day moving average for new cases has exploded to 1,366 per 100K residents. Parts of the state has been operating under crisis standards of care for a month now with no end in sight.

Boise Public Radio reported the Idaho Medical Association filed a complaint against Dr. Ryan Cole over his claim that he prescribed ivermectin for COVID-19 patients. Ivermectin has not been proven to effectively treat COVID-19 and doctors say it could be harmful.

Idaho Medical Association CEO Susie Keller says while the association is disturbed by Cole’s spreading of misinformation, including dissuading people from getting the COVID-19 vaccine, the complaint is narrowly focused on the claim Cole prescribed an unproven drug.

“We believe that he has violated sections of the Idaho Medical Practice Act by providing care that fails to meet the community standard of care by promoting the sale of drugs that are not medically indicated and by engaging in conduct that constitutes an abuse or exploitation of a patient arising out of the trust and competence placed in a physician by a patient,” Keller said.

Cole as referred to the vaccination as “needle rape,” is opposed to mask mandates, and has spoken at right-wing anti-vaccination events that have included speakers calling for violence and making Nazi comparisons. He is one of the key policymakers in Ada County, which includes Boise, in managing the Covid-19 response in the Gem State.

Montana

Officials did not update data on Monday due to the Columbus Indigenous Peoples Day. Hospitals reported caring for 463 patients, which is nearly unchanged from Friday.

According to Montana Public Radio, 191 people died of Covid-19 in September, the most fatalities in a single month.

Texas

Governor Greg Abbott and 2024 Presidential hopeful signed an executive order prohibiting vaccine mandates by any entity in the state of Texas.

He has called for a third special session to pass legislation to turn his executive order into law.

Wyoming

Officials reported 834 confirmed cases, and hospitalizations increasing to 223. Fifteen of 36 hospitals have ICU capacity – with nine having one or two beds remaining each. Additionally, Cheyenne Veterans Affairs Medical Center has three ICU beds remaining.

Covid-19 test positivity increased to 19.42% – a negative trend.

Just days after Wyoming hospitals asked state officials to draft plans for statewide implementation of crisis standards of care, state Representative Chuck Gray has called for a special session to block vaccine mandates.

“I wanted to update everyone about the special session vote,” Gray said on Wednesday. “We have received notification that we have successfully received over 35% of the votes in the first round of balloting. Next week, we will now proceed to the second round, where we need a majority.”

Legislators are being asked to consider convening the special session from October 26-28 according to the report in Oil City News. Gray said he would like to see the special session move forward in order to have a bill banning vaccine mandates pass prior to Banner Health’s (which operates the Wyoming Medical Center) deadline requiring employees get fully vaccinated by November 1 takes effect.

Misinformation

Taking the day off

WA state employee vaccination rates increase significantly – local and national update for October 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) New Covid-19 case rates have dropped to the lowest level since August 17, but you wouldn’t know it in Eastern Washington. Six of the seven lowest vaccinated counties are in the East Hospital Region. Available resources declined in the eastern third of the state while all other Hospital Regions improved. The worsening situation is driven by low vaccination rates, staffing issues caused by working conditions and pay, and people from Idaho crossing the border seeking medical help.

Congressional Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-R) tested positive for Covid-19 in an apparent breakthrough case.

The latest data from the state indicates almost 90% of all employees are fully vaccinated, a significant increase from a week ago.

There have been 400 million Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the United States, and your chances of experiencing a serious adverse reaction are about equal to your chances of drowning.

Among area schools, the Bellevue School District had a rough week with a significant number of new Covid-19 cases, while Northshore improved.

The City of Kirkland will be holding a health fair and vaccination clinic on November 6, and it is possible that vaccinations for 5 to 11-year-olds will be approved by that time.

Customs and Border Patrol agents have a severe case of hypocrisy when it comes to getting vaccinated.

Given the worsening situation in Eastern Washington, we have extended a recreational travel advisory to nine counties.

The five states with the highest rate of new Covid-19 cases tonight are Montana, Alaska, Idaho, Wyoming, and North Dakota. In Anchorage, Alaska, City Hall has descended into chaos, while in Idaho, Janice McGeachin managed to stay out of the news.

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


vaccinationhospitalsschoolslocalnationalmisinformation

Washington State Update for October 8, 2021

Washington state Covid-19 update

New cases are now lower than August 17, when we started our daily coverage of the Delta surge. New cases were statistically unchanged or down in all but the least vaccinated counties, where new Covid-19 cases increased again.

Percent of Total Population Fully VaccinatedAverage 14-Day New Case Rate (unadjusted)
60.00% or above (4)203.9
50.00% to 59.99% (13 counties)501.8
40.00% to 49.99% (14 counties)598.4 (down)
29.30% to 39.99% (8 counties)754.6 (up)
14-Day New Covid-19 Cases per 100K average by Vaccination Rate, Not Adjusted for Population

Through October 7, Washington’s statewide 14-day rolling average is 387.4. Covid-19 cases per 100K.

Ferry County was unchanged, with 1,137.8 new cases per 100K residents.

Counties in the 800.0 to 999.9 per 100K range include Columbia, Garfield, Grant, Klickitat, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, and Stevens. New cases in Columbia county have grown significantly this week, and it is just under the 1,000 threshold.

Counties in the 600.0 to 799.9 per 100K range include Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Columbia, Franklin, Grays Harbor, Mason, Okanogan, and Walla Walla. Adams, Cowlitz, Douglas, and Lewis counties are close to the 600 threshold – however, the four counties showed improvement this week.

New cases by age group drifted downward while hospitalizations were unchanged or down for all age groups except 35 to 49-year-olds.

Age Group7-Day Case Rate7-Day Hospitalization Rate
Ages 0-11160.20.8
Ages 12-19188.10.9
Ages 20-34157.83.9 (down)
Ages 35-49174.89.2 (up)
Ages 50-64119.515.5
Ages 65-7987.4 (down)15.2 (down)
Ages 80+100.438.8
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 55 deaths yesterday. The state of Washington is not reporting the percentage of positive cases.

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers test positive for Covid-19

Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-R), 52, reported on her website she has experienced a breakthrough case of Covid-19.

Yesterday, despite being fully vaccinated, I tested positive for COVID-19. My symptoms are mild and I am quarantining at home and following CDC and local health guidelines. My offices in Spokane, Walla Walla, Colville, and Washington, D.C. remain open and are continuing to work for the people of Eastern Washington. As I have said for months, I encourage everyone in Eastern Washington to talk to your doctor about getting the vaccine if you haven’t already.”

With 10 days to go, almost 90% of all Washington state employees are fully vaccinated

Vaccination rates across most Washington state departments and divisions increased significantly this week as data was processed. The Department of Corrections jumped to 89%, the Department of Social and Health Services is 91% inoculated, Washington State University employees 88%, Washington State Ferries reported 90%, and the Department of Children, Youth, and Families increased to 87%.

On September 22 a survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau indicated only 8.2% of Washingtonians would not, or were very unlikely to, get the Covid-19 vaccination.

Hawaii mandated vaccination for more than 14,000 state employees, and the last update indicated almost 93% were fully or partially vaccinated. For colleges, private employers, and hospital systems, final vaccination rates have ranged from 94% to virtually 100%.

Travel Advisories

Due to an increase in acute care hospitalizations, we’re adding a recreational travel advisory to the East Hospital Region. This includes Adams, Asotin, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Wahkiakum, and Whitman counties. Acute care and ICU capacity have become limited, and the ratio of Covid-19 patients to other hospital patients is extremely high. Please reconsider non-essential travel plans to these counties.

We strongly advise against all nonessential travel to Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Hospital resources in these regions are constrained, and you may receive inadequate care if you experience a serious medical emergency.

We are also not adding a travel advisory for the Northwest Hospital Region which includes Clallam, Jefferson, Kitsap, and Mason counties but don’t recommend engaging in risky recreational behavior on the Olympic Peninsula. Although hospitals are very constrained, the region is adjacent to the Puget Sound and West Hospital Regions, which have adequate resources.

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

400 million Covid-19 vaccine doses administered

The U.S. surpassed 400 million coronavirus vaccinations Friday after a nearly year-long mass vaccination drive, the largest in the nation’s history — and though more than 65% of Americans have received at least one dose, some states still haven’t vaccinated close to half their population.

According to the CDC, through October 4 and 396 million doses administered there have been 1,172 incidents of serious complications and 4 confirmed vaccine-related deaths. There have been 906 confirmed myocarditis and pericarditis cases, mostly among adolescent and young men who received the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer or Moderna. There have been 219 cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome, mostly among men under 50 and who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Additionally, there have been 47 incidents of VITT, mostly among women of childbearing years who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Among the 47 incidents of VITT, there have been 4 deaths, including Jessica Berg-Wilson of Seattle.

The odds of experiencing a serious adverse event from the various Covid-19 vaccines are similar to the odds of drowning in the United States. The odds of dying from a COVID vaccine are infinitesimal.

Pfizer vaccine booster shots are now available

Booster shots for eligible individuals are now available statewide. Individuals who received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine more than six months ago, are 65 or older, or are immunocompromised can receive their third dose immediately.

In the Kirland-Bellevue-Woodinville area, Walgreens, Rite-Aid, Bartell’s, and QFC are offering booster shots. Additionally, the third dose is available at the CVS located within the Target store at 17,700 NE 76th Street in Redmond.

Most locations require an appointment, which can be scheduled online.

King County, Washington is reporting over 86.7% 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 17.1% of patients have Covid-19. Statewide, hospitals have the staff to support approximately 649 additional acute care patients. ICUs are at 87.4% of capacity statewide, with 30.0% of ICU patients fighting Covid-19 – an estimated 353 patients with 52% on ventilators. The state has the staff to support approximately 150 additional ICU patients.

The 7-day rolling average hospital admission rate for new COVID patients was 121. The Department of Health reported 1,207 Covid-19 patients statewide on October 7, with 185 requiring ventilators.

Hospital RegionCountiesICU OccupancyICU COVID PatientsAcute Care OccupancyAcute Care COVID Patients
EastAdams, Asotin, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Wahkiakum, Whitman92.9%47.1%90.1%27.6%
NorthIsland, San Juan, Skagit, Whatcom73.7%33.6%86.4%13.0%
North CentralChelan, Douglas, Grant, Okanogan81.9%47.1%75.2%20.9%
NorthwestClallam, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason91.4%43.1%95.9%27.3%
Puget SoundKing, Pierce, Snohomish91.7%24.8%94.6%13.7%
South CentralBenton, Columbia, Franklin, Kittitas, Walla Walla, Yakima88.8%33.2%84.2%21.3%
SouthwestClark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Skamania 71.3%32.2%87.4%20.2%
WestGrays Harbor, Lewis, Pacific, Thurston77.3%20.7%85.1%15.4%
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%

Every region except the East showed improvement in the last week.

Back to School

School DistrictStatusLess than 10 Active Cases10 or More Active Cases
BellevueYELLOW– Ardmore (2*)
– Bellevue (7**)
– Big Picture (1*)
– Cherry Crest (1*)
– Chinook (4*)
– Eastgate (1*)
– Enatai (3*)
– Highland (9**)
– Interlake (3*)
– Lake Hills (4*)
– Newport (4*)
– 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 (1*)
– Barton Elementary (1*)
– Dickinson/Explorer Elementary (1*)
– Ella Baker Elementary (1*)
– Eastlake High (2*)
– Finn Hill Middle School (3*)
– Franklin Elementary (2*)
– Frost Elementary (2*)
– ICS (1*)
– Inglewood Middle School (1*)
– Juanita Elementary (1*)
– Kamiakin Middle School (4*)
– Keller Elementary (2*)
– Kirkland Middle School (1* see notes)
– Lakeview Elementary (4*)
– McAuliffe Elementary (1*)
– Muir Elementary (1*)
– Northstar Middle (1*)
– Redmond Elementary (2*)
– Redmond Middle School (1*)
– Redmond High School (2*)
– Renaissance Middle School (1*)
– Rosa Parks Elementary (1*)
– Rush Elementary (1*)

see notes below
None
NorthshoreYELLOW– Arrowhead Elementary (6)
– Bothell High School (37**)
– Canyon Creek Elementary (18)
– Canyon Park Middle School (5)
– Cottage Lake Elementary (3)
– Crystal Springs Elementary (24)
– East Ridge Elementary (2)
– Fernwood Elementary (1)
– Frank Love Elementary (21)
– Hollywood Hills Elementary (34)
– Inglemoor High School (1)
– Innovation Lab High School (2)
– Kenmore Elementary (3)
– Kenmore Middle School (18)
– Kokanee Elementary (6)
– Leota Middle School (3)
– Lockwood Elementary (30**)
– Maywood Hills Elementary (12**)
– Moorlands Elementary (2)
– North Creek High School (14**)
– Northshore Middle School (14)
– Secondary Academy for Success (3)
– Shelton View Elementary (6)
– Skyview Middle School (14)
– Sunrise Elementary (8)
– Timbercrest Middle School (6)
– Wellington Elementary (36**)
– Westhill Elementary (52)
– Woodin Elementary (5)
– Woodinville High School (11)
– Woodmoor Elementary (21**)
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 10 active COVID cases reported into the red, and we’ve adjusted the third column to reflect this change.

We have a parent confirmed report of a single Covid-19 case at Kirkland Middle School, with an additional 17 students quarantined.

We multiple parents e-mailed us about two confirmed Covid-19 cases at Juanita High School. However, because the district sent the e-mail on Monday, we cannot confirm if these are new or included in the last dashboard update.

We continued to encourage parents to request improved daily data reporting from the Lake Washington School District.

Kirkland-Bellevue-Woodinville

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.

In-language assistance will be available in Spanish, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Russian, and Chinese.

National Round-Up

Johns Hopkins University Cumulative Case Tracker is reporting 100,083 new cases and 2,392 deaths nationwide on Thursday.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection fighting against federal vaccination mandate

President Biden’s order mandating federal employees to be fully vaccinated next month has generated anger in CBP’s ranks, particularly among conservative-leaning U.S. Border Patrol agents and the union that represents them. The Washington Post reported that In recent weeks, leaders at the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) have joined Republican lawmakers who allege the Biden administration is allowing migrants to spread the coronavirus in the United States and placing the CBP workforce at greater risk, while also opposing his vaccination order.

At least 47 CBP employees have died of covid-19 as of Tuesday , according to the agency, including one Border Patrol agent last month who was days from retirement. More than 11,400 have been infected with the deadly pathogen, about 19 percent of the workforce.

Editor’s Note: If it isn’t that big of a deal, and migrants should be required to get vaccinated, then why…

Alaska

New cases in Alaska continue to decline and dropped to the second-highest in the United States. The state continues to operate under “crisis standards of care” with 186 Covid-19 patients statewide. Alaska has 129 staffed ICU beds statewide, with 18 available. There were 839 new cases reported today. At the current rate of new cases detected, 1% of Alaska residents are catching Covid-19 every 8 days. Test positivity is now over 10%, as Anchorage struggles with a shortage of test resources.

City Hall in Anchorage was thrown into complete chaos after a sixth hearing on whether to enact a mask mandate in Alaska’s largest city. A fissure formed between Mayor Dave Bronson and the Assembly leadership, which is becoming increasingly supportive of implementing more safety precautions. Public comments devolved into conspiracy theories and shouting matches at times.

The Bronson administration and its allies have been using the hearings to rile up anti-mask and anti-science testimony over the course of the last two weeks. Bronson has been staunchly against any measures to limit the spread of Covid-19, has endorsed the use of ivermectin to treat covid, and has blamed hospitals for being strained by Alaska’s worst-in-the-nation surge.

Part of his platform when he ran for mayor was ending all the city’s Covid-19 orders, including the mask mandate, which remains in effect after others have been revoked. Many of Bronson’s positions run contrary to the advice of public health officials.

On Friday, two “senior members” of Mayor Bronson’s staff tested positive for Covid-19, in apparent breakthrough cases. The Midnight Sun reported the two infected employees are municipal manager Amy Dembroski and municipal attorney Patrick Bergt. Another hearing planned for tonight was canceled. Thursday night’s hearing was packed with hundreds of people, most of who were not masked. Mayor Bronson has never stated if he is vaccinated but calls it “experimental” and claims he had COVID in early 2021.

Hospitals in Anchorage, Bethel, and Valdez continue to be the most impacted by the ongoing surge.

May the odds ever be in your favor.

Idaho

Idaho has reported more than 1,682 new Covid-19 and another 53 deaths today. Idaho has now lost 3,040 residents to coronavirus, passing over 3,000 today. The current surge is so bad, 699 of the 3,040 COVID deaths have occurred since August 30. The average age for new cases is 39.6 years old, and the age group with the most cases is 19 to 29-year-olds.

Dave Jeppesen, Idaho Health & Welfare director, said, “The number of people who have died from COVID-19 in Idaho is frankly too high. It makes me incredibly sad because those are moms and dads and siblings and sons and daughters, and families throughout the state mourn their losses. I mourn with them. And I also want to encourage everyone who can to get vaccinated. It’s your best protection against this unpredictable disease.”

The state continues to operate under crisis standards of care while some facilities are not assisting with load leveling.

Editor’s Note: Congratulations to Janice McGeachin for staying out of the news for 24 hours.

Montana

Montana’s situation continues to worsen with KTVQ reporting 1,315 new Covid-19 cases, 9 deaths, and 463 residents hospitalized. Montana has surpassed Alaska for the highest new case rate in the United States and the planet.

Hospitals in Missoula have been on the razor’s edge during the current surge and set several records this week. There are 56 Covid-19 patients in Missoula hospitals, one short of the previous record.

“While this surge appears to be plateauing in other parts of the nation, health officials warn we may not see that happen in Montana which remains one of the few states in the nation with less than 50% of its population fully vaccinated,” Missoula Public Health said in a release.

St. Peter’s Health reported they had a record number of Covid-19 hospitalizations with 41 patients needing care. The statistic represents around 50 percent of the organization’s acute medical care inpatient beds according to KTVH.

“St. Peter’s does not believe the surge at the hospital is at its peak, as hospitalizations and deaths associated with COVID-19 typically lag case reporting by two to three weeks. Lewis and Clark County has reported high case numbers this week, with Tuesday’s total of 132 new cases representing the highest since December 2020,” St. Peter’s Health wrote in a press release.

Critical care at Bozeman Deaconess Hospital is currently at 95 percent capacity with the National Guard still assisting.

Officials at the hospital have asked for an extension of the National Guard’s help. “We did just request an extension from our initial request from the National Guard,” says Kallie Kujawa, System Director of Quality and Safety. “We are confident that will be granted so that we can continue to use them in the next few weeks,” according to a report by KBZK.

Currently, 148 National Guard servicemembers are assisting 12 medical facilities. In the good news column, vaccinations climbed 42%.

In breaking news, hospital admissions in Montana are at record levels. The 7 day moving average is 113 hospital admission, which almost equals Washington state.

Wyoming

Officials reported 404 confirmed cases, and hospitalizations dropped slightly to 213. Sixteen of 36 hospitals have ICU capacity – with eight having one or two beds remaining each. Additionally, Cheyenne Veterans Affairs Medical Center has three ICU beds remaining.

Covid-19 test positivity improved to 17.05%.

Wyoming officials are drafting a plan for statewide implementation of crisis standards of care.

Misinformation

Taking the day off

New Covid case rate drops to mid-August level – local and national update for October 7, 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) For the first time since August 17, the 14 days moving average for new Covid-19 cases in Washington state dropped below 400. Hospitalizations have only declined slightly. A combination of patients arriving sicker, non-Covid related hospitalizations, and transfer patients both inside and outside of Washington continue to push medical workers to the breaking point.

UW Medicine will no longer do solid organ transplants on patients who refuse the Covid-19 vaccine.

Pfizer applies for Covid-19 vaccine emergency use authorization for children 5 to 11 years old and the FDA will hold a hearing on October 26.

Hospitalizations in Eastern Washington are increasing, and the eastern half of the state continues to see many more new Covid-19 cases versus other regions with higher vaccination rates. Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett reported 30 patients in the emergency department waiting for beds.

Leaders in Alaska, Idaho, and Montana appear to be trying to find new levels of awful in their response, and non-response to the situation in their respective states. Wyoming had a record number of pediatric patients in September, and state officials are drafting a “crisis standards of care” plan.

This update uses the latest data from the Washington State Department of Health (WSDOH), released on October 7, 2021.


vaccinationhospitalsschoolslocalnationalmisinformation

Washington State Update for October 7, 2021

Washington state Covid-19 update

For the first time since August 17, the new case rate is below 400. New cases were down slightly in all but the least vaccinated counties, where new Covid-19 cases increased.

Percent of Total Population Fully VaccinatedAverage 14-Day New Case Rate (unadjusted)
60.00% or above (4)205.3
50.00% to 59.99% (13 counties)513.4
40.00% to 49.99% (14 counties)613.4
29.30% to 39.99% (8 counties)739.7 (up)
14-Day New Covid-19 Cases per 100K average by Vaccination Rate, Not Adjusted for Population

Through October 6, Washington’s statewide 14-day rolling average is 398.0 Covid-19 cases per 100K.

Ferry County continues to get worse, reporting 1,137.8 new cases per 100K residents. This is approaching the same level the county experience in April after a superspreader event in the town of Republic.

Counties in the 800.0 to 999.9 per 100K range include Columbia, Grant, Klickitat, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, and Stevens.

Counties in the 600.0 to 799.9 per 100K range include Adams, Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Columbia, Cowlitz, Franklin, Garfield, Grays Harbor, Mason, Okanogan, and Walla Walla. Douglas and Lewis counties are just under 600.0.

New cases by age group were statistically unchanged while hospitalizations were mixed.

Age Group7-Day Case Rate7-Day Hospitalization Rate
Ages 0-11167.00.8 (down)
Ages 12-19196.10.8
Ages 20-34164.94.6 (down)
Ages 35-49174.88.8
Ages 50-64121.815.8 (up)
Ages 65-7993.616.7 (down)
Ages 80+106.936.6 (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 57 deaths yesterday. The state of Washington is not reporting the percentage of positive cases.

UW Medicine requires Covid-19 vaccine for all solid organ transplant patients

UW Medicine now requires all recipients of solid organ transplants to be vaccinated for Covid-19. The hospital system updated its Covid-19 FAQ yesterday, making a previously reported policy official. The site indicated the policy was put into place because, “After a transplant, your immune system is suppressed and in a prolonged weakened state. This makes you less able to develop an appropriate immune response to the vaccine. It also makes you more vulnerable to infections from viruses like COVID-19 that can lead to severe illness or death.”

Unvaccinated organ transplant patients experience 20% to 30% mortality if they catch Covid-19, which is about the same fatality rate of smallpox or the mild variant of Ebola. Patients who need an organ transplant typically require other vaccines such as an MMR booster, Hepatitis B, and Varicella or Zoster.

Patient compliance with medical instructions pre-transplant weighs into the authorization decision. People who exhibit low compliance pre-transplant typically don’t follow through on their care plan after a transplant. Alcoholics that need a liver transplant are required to be clean and sober for months while lung transplant recipients need to stop using tobacco products.

Additionally, some anti-vaccination followers believe they are part of a “pureblood” movement and are rejecting blood transfusions because the blood supply isn’t separated between vaccinated and unvaccinated. That begs the question if the blood of a vaccinated person isn’t acceptable, why would an organ from a vaccinated person be?

Central Washington University professor dies of Covid-19

58-year-old Dr. Maria Roditeleva-Wibe, scholar and college professor, died of Covid-19 on October 2. Roditeleva-Wibe was a Russian immigrant and had worked at Central Washington University for over 20 years.

In 1999 she accepted a proposal to become an exchange professor at Central Washington University where she began teaching music theory, music history, class piano, and world music. Over the 20 plus years of her stay at Central, Maria regularly accompanied students and faculty members, as well as performing her own piano recitals. In 2006 Central awarded her the Outstanding Non-Tenure Track Teaching Award in recognition of her work; this was followed by Maria’s reception in 2013 of the Distinguished Teaching Award to honor her outstanding contribution to CWU’s academic life.

A former student, who asked not to be identified out of respect for the family, told Malcontent News Roditeleva-Wibe didn’t trust the government and was unvaccinated.

She leaves behind her husband, Mark.

Travel Advisories

We continue to recommend avoiding recreational travel to Spokane County. We strongly advise against all nonessential travel to Alaska, Idaho, and Montana. Hospital resources in these regions are constrained, and you may receive inadequate care if you experience a medical emergency.

The East Hospital Region inched closer to receiving a recreational travel advisory. Hospitals in Eastern Washington are very stressed due to the unvaccinated population east of the Cascade and Idaho residents seeking treatment in Washington state.

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 applies for Covid-19 vaccine Emergency Use Authorization for children 5-11

Pfizer and BioNTech have asked federal regulators to authorize emergency use of their coronavirus vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11, the companies announced Thursday, according to a report in USA Today.

The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will need to sign off on the vaccine before it becomes available to children of those ages. An independent expert panel will review the data on October 26.

Pfizer vaccine booster shots are now available

Booster shots for eligible individuals are now available statewide. Individuals who received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine more than six months ago, are 65 or older, or are immunocompromised can receive their third dose immediately.

In the Kirland-Bellevue-Woodinville area, Walgreens, Rite-Aid, Bartell’s, and QFC are offering booster shots. Additionally, the third dose is available at the CVS located within the Target store at 17,700 NE 76th Street in Redmond.

Most locations require an appointment, which can be scheduled online.

King County, Washington is reporting over 86.7% 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 17.2% of patients have Covid-19. Statewide, hospitals have the staff to support approximately 666 additional acute care patients. ICUs are at 88.1% of capacity statewide, with 30.0% of ICU patients fighting Covid-19 – an estimated 352 patients with 56% on ventilators. The state has the staff to support approximately 145 additional ICU patients.

The 7-day rolling average hospital admission rate for new COVID patients was 123. The Department of Health reported 1,193 Covid-19 patients statewide on October 6, with 197 requiring ventilators.

Hospital RegionCountiesICU OccupancyICU COVID PatientsAcute Care OccupancyAcute Care COVID Patients
EastAdams, Asotin, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Wahkiakum, Whitman93.1%46.6%89.2%27.7%
NorthIsland, San Juan, Skagit, Whatcom74.8%34.2%86.2%13.1%
North CentralChelan, Douglas, Grant, Okanogan83.2%48.6%75.1%21.7%
NorthwestClallam, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason92.2%43.2%95.9%27.2%
Puget SoundKing, Pierce, Snohomish91.0%24.7%94.6%13.5%
South CentralBenton, Columbia, Franklin, Kittitas, Walla Walla, Yakima88.1%33.1%83.6%21.2%
SouthwestClark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Skamania 72.8%33.1%85.9%21.4%
WestGrays Harbor, Lewis, Pacific, Thurston78.7%21.8%84.5%15.9%
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%

We’re seeing a tale of two Hospital Regions in the data. All four metrics for the West Hospital Region are approaching a level that would trigger a recreational travel advisory. In contrast, The West Hospital Region continues to inch closer to normal. Eastern Washington and the Olympic Peninsula are the two regions holding the rest of the state back. It is important to note that the Puget Sound Region and East Region have a significant number of transfer patients, both from within Washington and out of state.

KING reported that Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett is backed up against a wall. On Wednesday they had 40 boarders, that is patients in the emergency department waiting for a bed, and 30 on Thursday.

“It’s disappointing we’re still in this position,” said Darren Redick, CEO of Providence Northwest Service Area.

“As of yesterday, we’ve opened up a six-bed satellite ICU to care for additional ICU patients, because we’re out of bed capacity in our normal ICU,” Redick explained. The hospital has been forced to cancel elective surgeries due to the surge of patients coming through the doors.

Back to School

School DistrictStatusLess than 10 Active Cases10 or More Active Cases
BellevueYELLOW– Ardmore (2*)
– Bellevue (7**)
– Big Picture (1*)
– Chinook (4*)
– Eastgate (1*)
– Enatai (3*)
– Highland (8**)
– Interlake (3*)
– Lake Hills (4*)
– Newport (4*)
– 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 (1*)
– Barton Elementary (1*)
– Dickinson/Explorer Elementary (1*)
– Ella Baker Elementary (1*)
– Eastlake High (2*)
– Finn Hill Middle School (3*)
– Franklin Elementary (2*)
– Frost Elementary (2*)
– ICS (1*)
– Inglewood Middle School (1*)
– Juanita Elementary (1*)
– Kamiakin Middle School (4*)
– Keller Elementary (2*)
– Kirkland Middle School (1* see notes)
– Lakeview Elementary (4*)
– McAuliffe Elementary (1*)
– Muir Elementary (1*)
– Northstar Middle (1*)
– Redmond Elementary (2*)
– Redmond Middle School (1*)
– Redmond High School (2*)
– Renaissance Middle School (1*)
– Rosa Parks Elementary (1*)
– Rush Elementary (1*)

see notes below
None
NorthshoreYELLOW– Arrowhead Elementary (5)
– Bothell High School (42**)
– Canyon Creek Elementary (19)
– Canyon Park Middle School (4)
– Cottage Lake Elementary (3)
– Crystal Springs Elementary (23)
– East Ridge Elementary (9)
– Fernwood Elementary (1)
– Frank Love Elementary (22)
– Hollywood Hills Elementary (34)
– Inglemoor High School (1)
– Innovation Lab High School (1)
– Kenmore Elementary (2)
– Kenmore Middle School (19)
– Leota Middle School (3)
– Lockwood Elementary (25**)
– Maywood Hills Elementary (11**)
– Moorlands Elementary (2)
– North Creek High School (7)
– Northshore Middle School (2)
– Secondary Academy for Success (4)
– Shelton View Elementary (6)
– Skyview Middle School (11)
– Sunrise Elementary (7)
– Timbercrest Middle School (5)
– Wellington Elementary (31**)
– Westhill Elementary (52)
– Woodin Elementary (5**)
– Woodinville High School (11)
– Woodmoor Elementary (12)
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 10 active COVID cases reported into the red, and we’ve adjusted the third column to reflect this change.

Maywood Elementary in the Northshore School District reported six confirmed Covid-19 cases.

We have a parent confirmed report of a single Covid-19 case at Kirkland Middle School, with an additional 17 students quarantined.

We multiple parents e-mailed us about two confirmed Covid-19 cases at Juanita High School. However, because the district sent the e-mail on Monday, we cannot confirm if these are new or included in the last dashboard update.

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 111,503 new cases and 2,556 deaths nationwide on Wednesday. The United States has now lost 704,000 residents to Covid-19 since February 29, 2020. In 2020, when no vaccine was available, 352,000 people died – so far in 2021, with a vaccine, the same number have passed on.

A study out of the U.K., where they keep more detailed records of unvaccinated versus vaccinated fatalities, indicated just 1.2% of deaths since January 1 were among unvaccinated people. Covid-19 data in the United States are recorded at a state level, and some states such as Florida, Idaho, Texas, and Wyoming, don’t track statistics for vaccinated versus unvaccinated.

Alaska

Editor’s Note: I must remain objective. I must remain objective. I must remain objective.

As Alaska experiences the highest Covid-19 new case rate on the planet, Anchorage has been forced to ration Covid-19 testing because of a surprise budget shortfall.

Alaska Public Radio reported a spokesman for Mayor Dave Bronson said the administration plans to ask the city Assembly for additional cash “in the near future.” But for now, it’s scaling back its testing contractor’s hours at multiple sites around the city, with reductions totaling 108 hours a week, the contractor said.

Technically, Anchorage’s purchase order with its testing provider, California-based Visit Healthcare, runs through the end of October. But the city is paying a flat rate of $98 a test, and amid Alaska’s delta variant-driven surge, demand has been so high that without the reduced hours, Bronson’s administration would have exhausted its appropriation from the Assembly by Oct. 18, according to Acting Health Director Joe Gerace.

New cases in Alaska still lead the nation but have declined significantly from last week – but a lack of testing resources helps keep that number down. The state is still operating under “crisis standards of care” with 180 Covid-19 patients statewide. Alaska has 125 staffed ICU beds statewide, with 26 available. There were 842 new cases reported today. At the current rate of new cases detected, 1% of Alaska residents are catching Covid-19 every 8 days, and the state is under testing.

There appears to be a scandal at PeaceHealth Ketchikan. In April, registered nurse Marian Weber started work on the remote island as a traveling nurse. According to KTOO, she was a whistleblower who reported unsafe staffing levels impacting patient care.

“We had one patient that was intubated, and we had one that required continuous BiPAP (a type of ventilator), and these are ICU-level … patients,” she said.

But Weber said they weren’t placed in the intensive care unit — even though there were rooms available in the ICU that she said were equipped to handle COVID-19 patients.

Instead, she said, they were placed with the rest of the hospital’s COVID-19 patients in a section of the medical-surgical unit. And that was a problem, she said, because it meant critically ill patients couldn’t be monitored effectively from outside their rooms.

She was told to report the situation to a hospital administrator. On August 24, four days after reporting her concerns and just after signing a four-month contract extension, she was fired. On September 28, the hospital reported Sherry Dunlay, interim director of acute care, had abruptly departed.

Hospitals in Anchorage, Bethel, and Valdez continue to be the most impacted by the ongoing surge.

Idaho

Idaho has reported more than 1,321 new Covid-19 and another 24 deaths today. The state continues to see 1/2 of 1% of all residents infected every 7 days. In good news, the positivity rate dropped to 14.6%, however, it is likely higher with almost 8,000 tests awaiting processing.

Lt. Governor Janice McGeachin’s Indoctrination Task Force lost a member to Covid-19 this week. The task force was created to monitor and prevent critical race theory in Idaho schools, and other non-patriotic ideologies.

Pete Coulson, 67, was a member of the task force and told people he was “vaccinated by Christ.” After a three-week battle, he died of Covid-19.

“I am deeply saddened at the loss of Pete Coulson, as I’m sure everyone in (the) Treasure Valley is,” McGeachin wrote in a prepared statement Thursday. “He was loved by everyone who knew him, and he will be greatly missed. I’m praying for his family.”

If you’ve been following our coverage and thinking McGeachin’s beliefs and values are concerning, you’re not alone. According to a report in the News & Observer, a group of Republicans in Idaho have had enough.

Prominent mainstream Republicans, worried the state’s hard-right drift could scuttle their efforts to grow Idaho’s economy, are asking Democrats and Independents to register as Republicans to vote in the party’s May primary. “Everybody and their dog ought to get out to the primary and have their say so,” said Jim Jones, a former chief justice of the Idaho Supreme Court and former Republican Idaho attorney general. “That’s where your vote counts.”

Kootenai Health told KTVB they set a record for the number of pregnant women hospitalized and saw a sharp increase in stillbirths.

“We have definitely seen more pregnant hospitalization in the ICU,” said Robert Scoggins, Kootenai Health’s ICU medical director. “You are really taking care of two people and I think that’s a really difficult situation, makes us all very nervous but so far we have been lucky.”

But not all of Idaho’s hospitals are so lucky. St. Luke’s Magic Valley in Twin Falls is reporting more stillbirths.

“We are seeing more stillbirths, unexplained stillbirths and towards the end of the pregnancy,” said Dr. Stacy Seyb, who specializes in Maternal-Fetal Medicine.

Dr. Seyb said in April there were 18 confirmed cases of COVID cases in pregnant women across all St. Luke’s locations. September saw 150 confirmed cases. and 97% of hospitalized pregnant women are unvaccinated.

“If you are pregnant, you are three to five times more likely to be hospitalized and twice as likely to succumb to the process and die,” Dr. Seyb said. “The thing about COVID is it causes issues with blood clotting and placentas are very vulnerable to blood clots and I think we can see smaller babies that aren’t growing well as well and so those are the types of things we see overall.”

May the odds ever be in your favor.

Montana

Montana’s situation continues to worsen with KTVQ reporting 1,301 new Covid-19 cases and 21 more hospitalizations, increasing the number to 465. At the current rate of new confirmed cases, 1% of all Montanans are infected with Covid-19 every eight days. With a hospitalization rate of 5%, Montana does not have the staffing or facility resources to meet the current surge.

Hospitalizations have increased 40% in the last month and Billings Clinic is having to pay traveling staff as much as $200 an hour to work in the struggling hospital.

According to Montana Public Radio, the Montana Hospital Association has asked the Gianforte administration to use federal COVID relief dollars to contract traveling staff like nurses and respiratory therapists, especially for small critical access hospitals that can’t afford them right now. Gianforte’s administration declined to do that. Spokesperson Jack O’Brien says the administration will find other ways to help hospitals obtain staffing, though no additional details were provided.

ICU nurse Laurie Sutphin had this to say. “The worst thing is that we had so much hope when the vaccine came out. We thought we’d never be here again.”

Wyoming

Officials reported 681 confirmed cases, and hospitalizations grew to 217. Wyoming had 12 pediatric Covid-19 patients in September, beating the record set in August according to the Star Tribune.

Ten Wyoming facilities reported a critical staffing shortage Thursday. Eleven reported anticipating such a shortage within the week.

According to Oil City News, seven hospitals had zero available ICU beds available and four had only one ICU bed available. While ICU beds are not exclusively used to treat COVID-19 patients, when hospitals deal with surges in these patients, that can put a strain on their ability to care for other types of critical-needs patients.

Wyoming officials are drafting a plan for statewide implementation of crisis standards of care.

Misinformation

Taking the day off

Idahoans are overwhelming Eastern Washington hospitals – local and national update for October 6, 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) Hospitals in Eastern Washington are starting to feel the crush of transfer patients and Idahoans seeking medical treatment in Washington state. As new cases decline statewide, hospitalizations have plateaued, with Eastern Washington taking on the brunt of new cases.

More Seattle Police Officers provided proof of vaccination while city officials forged a plan for October 18. In contrast, over 93% of Washington State Patrol employees are vaccinated, including more than 90% of commissioned officers. A King County Sheriff Office Sergeant did a reply-all e-mail about the vaccine mandate that was full of conspiracy theories – it’s a sad story.

In Eastern Washington, 19 municipal and state employees filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the looming vaccine mandate.

There were new Covid-19 cases reported in all three school districts we track.

Nationally, a Maryland man killed his pharmacist brother and two other people due to his alleged belief in Covid-19 vaccine conspiracies.

Scientists learn the secrets of Covid Toe and how to treat it. In another study, researchers find increasing proof that Covid-19 can damage the pancreas, leading to a sudden onset of diabetes.

Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming continue to have hospitals operating under crisis standards of care protocols. In Coeur d’Alene, Kootenai Health has been using those protocols for almost a month.

A 51-year-old man whose wife sued to treat him with ivermectin in an Ohio hospital died in late September.

A common objection to receiving the Covid-19 vaccine is the belief that the government assumes no liability. Is it true? We tackle that issue in misinformation.

This update uses the latest data from the Washington State Department of Health (WSDOH), released on October 6, 2021.


vaccinationhospitalsschoolslocalnationalmisinformation

Washington State Update for October 6, 2021

Washington state Covid-19 update

New cases in Washington state continue to decline slowly. We’re adding some new metrics. A combination of increasing vaccination rates, mask wear, and the Delta variant running out of new hosts contributes to the slowdown.

Percent of Total Population Fully VaccinatedAverage 14-Day New Case Rate (unadjusted)
60.00% or above (4)212.0 (down)
50.00% to 59.99% (13 counties)515.1 (down)
40.00% to 49.99% (14 counties)624.1 (down)
29.30% to 39.99% (8 counties)713.3 (up)
14-Day New Covid-19 Cases per 100K average by Vaccination Rate, Not Adjusted for Population

Through October 5, Washington’s statewide 14-day rolling average is 403.8 Covid-19 cases per 100K.

Ferry County reported 1,011.4 new cases per 100K residents.

Counties in the 800.0 to 999.9 per 100K range include Grant, Klickitat, Lincoln Pend Oreille, and Stevens.

Counties in the 600.0 to 799.9 per 100K range include Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Columbia, Cowlitz, Franklin, Garfield, Grays Harbor, Mason, Okanogan, and Walla Walla. Franklin County remained just under 800 while Adams, Douglas, Lewis, and Spokane counties were just under 600.0.

New cases were down from birth to 34 years old and statistically unchanged for 35 and above. Pediatric and adolescent hospitalizations were up, along with ages 50 to 64 and over 80.

Age Group7-Day Case Rate7-Day Hospitalization Rate
Ages 0-11170.3 (down)1.1 (up)
Ages 12-19202.1 (down)0.8 (up)
Ages 20-34166.1 (down)5.0
Ages 35-49173.98.4
Ages 50-64120.115.1 (up)
Ages 65-7997.617.4
Ages 80+109.835.2 (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 53 deaths yesterday. The state of Washington is not reporting the percentage of positive cases.

Idahoans seeking medical care pushing Eastern Washington hospitals to the brink

Dr. Dan Getz, the chief medical officer of Providence Medical Center in Spokane, Washington, said patients from Idaho are pushing Providence Medical toward capacity limits, leaving hospitals scrambling for options. KATC reported hospitals have had to pause some surgeries to create space.

“Idaho is currently in crisis standards of care where they basically said, ‘We can’t deliver normal care for people in our state,’ and they’re looking at rationalizing things,” Getz said. “We are not in that crisis in Washington state — however if we continue to see increasing cases and we are not able to care for our community, that’s always a potential.”

At Multicare Deaconess Hospital in Spokane, the staff says they are spread thin.

Luke Eckoff, a Covid-19 ICU nurse at Multicare Deaconess Hospital, said, “Flight teams are bringing patients from outlying hospitals — and that’s putting more strain on us. These rural hospitals don’t have the capacity we do to take care of these patients. What that’s doing is putting further pressure on our hospital and resources. It’s hard at the end of the day when you have to put that patient in the body bag. And that’s happening more and more.”

More SPD officers present proof of vaccination

The number of Seattle Police Department officers who haven’t confirmed being fully vaccinated dropped to 292 today. Brandi Kruse of KCPQ tweeted that an additional 101 SPD officers have requested vaccination exemptions.

Nationally, law enforcement officers are one of the lowest vaccinated professions. Mike Solan, president of the Seattle Police Officer Guild (SPOG), spoke with KING 5.

“The problem is they’re using bully tactics to force their employees to get this, and that’s what’s led to this disconnect,” Solan said. “Right now, more than ever, our community’s begging for police officers to stop the rise in crime. And we need politicians who are willing to understand the public safety staffing crisis that they created. They’re in charge, they can change this.”

It’s hard to benchmark where the final numbers will land on October 18. The San Francisco Police Department has 2,140 officers. With a Covid-19 vaccine deadline looming on October 23, 267 remained unvaccinated.

According to the national police union, the Fraternal Order of Police, 716 law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty from Covid-19 since March 2020.

Over 93% of Washington State Patrol workers provided proof of vaccination

The Washington State Patrol reported Wednesday that more of its workers are providing proof they are vaccinated, according to a report by KXLY.

Only seven percent of its employees hadn’t been vaccinated or turned in proof they got the shot. That means 152 of its 2,184 employees could face getting fired if they do not meet the vaccine mandate deadline of October 18. Of those, only 91 are commissioned troopers.

King County Sheriff Deputy sends department-wide reply all e-mail against vaccine mandate

Sergeant Cameron Lefler of the King County Sheriff Department sent a department-wide e-mail on Monday, responding to an e-mail sent by three KCSO leaders, blasting the vaccine mandate and sharing conspiracy theories. The South Seattle Emerald received a copy of the original e-mail and Lefler’s response.

The original e-mail sent on Monday reminded KCSO employees they needed to submit their vaccination status so the department could make a staffing plan.

“Our planning process is hampered by lack of complete information because some have not yet provided evidence of vaccination,” the chiefs’ e-mail reads. “Again, we are hopeful that you have the required information but have not yet shared it with HR. One of our goals is to plan for possible separation in a way that is least likely to disrupt your city or precinct, and it is hard to do that without all the information.”

In his reply, Lefler indicated he had requested an exemption but had not gotten a response from King County, adding, “What [is[ King County is going to do about the thousands of us who have requested medical and/or religious exemptions.”

He then stated that being a sheriff deputy was equal to being under constant siege in war, called out King County Executive Dow Constantine, and called for the entire department to quit. Lefler then suggested that the vaccine mandate would lead to gun control and remove “CPO” (conceal carry permits).

“Anything goes once the precedent is set. I will fight for what is right, and you reading this know in your gut that I am right,” Lefler continues. “It’s not just about a jab in the arm. It’s about our very freedoms. This is about our right to self-determination and choice. God gave us these rights, but only if we are willing to fight for them.”

The term “jab” is common in Europe and widely used in Covid-19 misinformation, particularly Russian-backed sources. Multiple articles starting in January 2021 outlined the Kremlin-backed disinformation campaigns designed to sow mistrust in European and North American-created vaccines.

According to the website Together We Served, Lafer was in Marine Corps from 2001 to 2005 and served in Iraq. The unit he was with deployed to Fallujah and Ramadi during his tour at the height of the Iraqi insurrection. It is worth noting that Lefler would have been required to take the Emergency Use Authorized Anthrax vaccine as part of his military service and could have used Nerve Agent antidotes as part of his military tour.

All US service members are required to be vaccinated against Covid-19 by December.

Sgt. Tim Meyer e-mailed the South Seattle Emerald after the original story was published.

“KCSO appreciates Sgt. Lefler’s years of service and the difficult decision he is trying to make for himself and his family,” Meyer’s e-mail to the Emerald reads. “We do not have ‘thousands’ of deputies, rather we employ roughly 750. We hope we don’t lose any of them. As our members struggle with the decision to comply with the Executive’s mandate, we know some would like to believe that the Sheriff and her command staff have the power to get the mandate rescinded. That is not possible.”

Approximately 100 KCSO employees have applied for Covid-19 vaccine exemptions.

19 state and municipal workers file lawsuit over vaccine mandate

A new lawsuit was filed on October 5 by 19 employees claiming their civil rights are being violated by the looming vaccination mandate, in a story reported by KXLY.

The suit lists as defendants Governor Inslee, Spokane Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer, Washington State Patrol  Chief John Batiste, and other leaders of state agencies.

The suit claims “the plaintiffs are on the brink of having adverse employment action against them. It claims that in each case, “a form of disability or sincere religious belief requires them to decline vaccination.”

The group of workers comprises Washington State Patrol troopers, Spokane firefighters, and employees of other state agencies, including the Department of Social and Health Services.

Virtually none of the lawsuits filed at a federal level have been successful at blocking a vaccine mandate. The 1905 United States Supreme Court ruling of Jacobson versus Massachusetts cemented the rights of municipalities, counties, and states to mandate vaccines and other public health measures.

Federal medical team of 8 nurses and 10 certified nursing assistants deployed in Spokane

A medical team available through the federal government arrived at a Spokane care facility to help with Covid-19-related care on Wednesday, KREM reported.

The team of eight nurses and 10 certified nursing assistants (CNA), and eight nurses will be deployed to the Avalon Care Center in North Spokane. The medical staff is from ACI Federal, according to the Washington Department of Health (DOH). According to the DOH, these are not federal resources but are available through a federal contract. Avalon Care Center will pay for the nurses. 

Travel Advisories

Today, we are lifting our travel advisory to Yakima, Klickitat, Benton, Franklin, and Walla Walla Counties. We continue to recommend when visiting those counties, you use reasonable caution and don’t engage in dangerous activities.

We continue to recommend avoiding recreational travel to Spokane County. We strongly advise against all nonessential travel to Alaska, Idaho, and Montana. Hospital resources in these regions are constrained, and you may receive inadequate care if you experience a medical emergency.

We continue to monitor the situation in the East Hospital Region and may expand our travel advisory beyond Spokane County.

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 vaccine booster shots are now available

Booster shots for eligible individuals are now available statewide. Individuals who received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine more than six months ago, are 65 or older, or are immunocompromised can receive their third dose immediately.

In the Kirland-Bellevue-Woodinville area, Walgreens, Rite-Aid, Bartell’s, and QFC are offering booster shots. Additionally, the third dose is available at the CVS located within the Target store at 17,700 NE 76th Street in Redmond.

Most locations require an appointment, which can be scheduled online.

King County, Washington is reporting over 86.7% 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 17.4% of patients have Covid-19. Statewide, hospitals have the staff to support approximately 665 additional acute care patients. ICUs are at 88.1% of capacity statewide, with 30.0% of ICU patients fighting Covid-19 – an estimated 353 patients with 57% on ventilators. The state has the staff to support approximately 142 additional ICU patients.

The 7-day rolling average hospital admission rate for new COVID patients was 123. The Department of Health reported 1,199 Covid-19 patients statewide on October 5, with 200 on ventilators.

Hospital RegionCountiesICU OccupancyICU COVID PatientsAcute Care OccupancyAcute Care COVID Patients
EastAdams, Asotin, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Wahkiakum, Whitman92.6%45.5%88.7%27.0%
NorthIsland, San Juan, Skagit, Whatcom74.8%33.4%86.0%13.2%
North CentralChelan, Douglas, Grant, Okanogan85.1%50.2%75.6%22.2%
NorthwestClallam, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason92.2%42.8%96.0%27.0%
Puget SoundKing, Pierce, Snohomish91.3%24.6%94.5%13.6%
South CentralBenton, Columbia, Franklin, Kittitas, Walla Walla, Yakima87.9%33.8%84.1%21.7%
SouthwestClark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Skamania 72.6%32.9%86.4%22.2%
WestGrays Harbor, Lewis, Pacific, Thurston81.6%23.1%85.5%17.0%
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%

There was very little change in the status of Hospital Regions overnight, with the East and Northwest Hospital Regions below the threshold of issuing a travel advisory.

Back to School

School DistrictStatusLess than 10 Active Cases10 or More Active Cases
BellevueYELLOW– Ardmore (1*)
– Bellevue (7**)
– Big Picture (1*)
– Chinook (3*)
– Eastgate (1*)
– Enatai (3*)
– Highland (8**)
– Interlake (3*)
– Lake Hills (4*)
– Newport (4*)
– Newport Heights (1*)
– Puesta del Sol (1*)
– Sammamish (4*)
– Sherwood Forest (2*)
– Spiritridge (1*)
– Stevenson (1*)
– Tillicum (1*)
– Wilburton (3*)
– Woodridge (3*)
None
Lake WashingtonYELLOW– Bell Elementary (1*)
– Barton Elementary (1*)
– Dickinson/Explorer Elementary (1*)
– Ella Baker Elementary (1*)
– Eastlake High (2*)
– Finn Hill Middle School (3*)
– Franklin Elementary (2*)
– Frost Elementary (2*)
– ICS (1*)
– Inglewood Middle School (1*)
– Juanita Elementary (1*)
– Kamiakin Middle School (4*)
– Keller Elementary (2*)
– Kirkland Middle School (1* see notes)
– Lakeview Elementary (4*)
– McAuliffe Elementary (1*)
– Muir Elementary (1*)
– Northstar Middle (1*)
– Redmond Elementary (2*)
– Redmond Middle School (1*)
– Redmond High School (2*)
– Renaissance Middle School (1*)
– Rosa Parks Elementary (1*)
– Rush Elementary (1*)

see notes below
None
NorthshoreYELLOW– Arrowhead Elementary (4)
– Bothell High School (42**)
– Canyon Creek Elementary (23)
– Canyon Park Middle School (6)
– Cottage Lake Elementary (3)
– Crystal Springs Elementary (26)
– East Ridge Elementary (12)
– Fernwood Elementary (1)
– Frank Love Elementary (17)
– Hollywood Hills Elementary (27)
– Inglemoor High School (1)
– Innovation Lab High School (1)
– Kenmore Elementary (3)
– Kenmore Middle School (25)
– Leota Middle School (4)
– Lockwood Elementary (40**)
– Maywood Hills Elementary (29)
– Moorlands Elementary (1)
– North Creek High School (5)
– Northshore Family Partnership (30)
– Northshore Middle School (2)
– Secondary Academy for Success (5)
– Shelton View Elementary (5)
– Skyview Middle School (12)
– Sunrise Elementary (9)
– Timbercrest Middle School (5)
– Wellington Elementary (26)
– Westhill Elementary (50)
– Woodin Elementary (16**)
– Woodinville High School (11)
– Woodmoor Elementary (12)
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 10 active COVID cases reported into the red, and we’ve adjusted the third column to reflect this change.

Bellevue School District added two more confirmed Covid-19 cases at Highland Middle School, for a total of eight. Additionally, a confirmed case was reported at Ardmore Elementary School.

The Northshore School District added multiple schools to their report. Lockwood Elementary reported three more confirmed cases this morning, bringing the count to nine. Bothell High School and Woodin Elementary each have six confirmed cases.

We have a parent confirmed report of a single Covid-19 case at Kirkland Middle School, with an additional 17 students quarantined.

We multiple parents e-mailed us about two confirmed Covid-19 cases at Juanita High School. However, because the district sent the e-mail on Monday, we cannot confirm if these are new or included in the last dashboard update.

We continued to encourage parents to request improved daily data reporting from the Lake Washington School District.

Kirkland-Bellevue-Woodinville

The City of Kirkland has rolled out additional phases of its COVID-19 relief program to provide immediate financial assistance for small businesses, thanks to funding available through the American Rescue Plan Act. A limited number of $1,000 to $10,000 grants are now available for small Kirkland-based businesses behind on rent for the commercial properties they lease. To start the application process, businesses should go to www.kirklandwa.gov/business-help to complete and submit the intake form between October 5 – October 19, 2021. Program funds may only be used as a payment against a small business tenant’s past-due rent due to COVID-19 economic hardship experienced between March 1, 2020, to September 30, 2021. Note that the application process requires the cooperation of tenants and landlords, and payments will be made to the landlord.

“The pandemic has had a profound impact on many of our businesses, making it difficult for some to keep up with rent and stay in their current locations,” said Deputy Mayor Jay Arnold. “Our hope is that by passing federal relief funding directly to businesses and landlords that these businesses can get the foothold they need to thrive in our Kirkland community.”

For questions about the small business rent relief grant program, contact businesssupport@kirklandwa.gov  (425) 587-3266 or the City’s Business Response Team at (206) 686-3424.

National Round-Up

Johns Hopkins University Cumulative Case Tracker is reporting 95,756 new cases and 1,916 deaths nationwide on Wednesday. As of October 4, the CDC reported 65,162 hospitalized Covid-19 patients in the United States, down 13.6% from the week before. The number of Covid-19 related deaths decreased 3.3%, indicating that the Delta variant surge is ending.

Maryland man accused of killing 3 due to alleged belief of Covid-19 vaccine conspiracies

Three people are dead across two counties in Maryland and Jeffrey Allen Burnham, 46, is in jail after he confronted his brother for administering Covid-19 vaccines, according to a report by WTTG.

According to arrest documents, Burnham’s mother told investigators that he wanted to confront his brother – a pharmacist – because he purportedly helped administer vaccines.

Burnham had told their mother he believed the government was poisoning people with vaccines, and he “repeatedly stated, “Brian knows something!” – police say.

Investigators say a tipster alerted Maryland State Police that Burnham had arrived at his home in a red Corvette, and said that “his brother had been ‘killing people with the COVID shot.'”

Burnham has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder and the use of a handgun in the commission of a crime.

Covid long haulers are developing diabetes

As early as June 2020, scientists were alarmed to discover that Covid-19 was damaging the pancreases of some patients and triggering Type I insulin-dependent diabetes. When the Delta variant exploded in India, doctors saw a dramatic increase in sudden onset diabetes among Covid-19 patients. New research indicates that after recovery from Covid-19, a growing number of people are suffering from damage to their pancreas, according to a report in Yahoo!News.

“Clearly there’s a link, there’s some sort of mechanism that makes the diseases fuel one another,” Francesco Rubino chair of metabolic surgery at King’s College London, told Insider. “The question is whether new-onset diabetes could be caused by this virus.”

One theory was that the body could be confusing pancreas cells for the coronavirus, and trying to destroy them. This would disrupt insulin supply and cause diabetes, the scientists thought.

Remember “Covid Toe?” Doctors may have figured out what causes it

A small study published in the British Journal of Dermatology reported that researchers had identified the cause of Covid Toe and how to treat it.

Based on blood and skin tests, these latest study findings suggest two parts of the immune system may be at play.

According to a report by the BBC, both causes involve how the body fights Covid-19.

One is an antiviral protein called type 1 interferon, and the other is an antibody that mistakenly attacks the person’s own cells and tissues, not just the invading virus.

Cells lining small blood vessels supplying the affected areas are also involved, say the investigators from the University of Paris, France.

The researchers studied 50 people with suspected Covid toe in the spring of 2020 and 13 others with similar lesions not linked to Covid infections because they occurred long before the pandemic began.

Alaska

New cases in Alaska still lead the nation but have declined significantly from last week. The state is still operating under “crisis standards of care” with 184 Covid-19 patients statewide. Alaska has 126 staffed ICU beds statewide, with 28 available. There were 867 new cases reported today, about equal to Tuesday. Over 10% of Covid-19 tests are coming back positive, indicating under testing is accelerating.

Before the current surge hit Alaska, it had the third-lowest death per capita in the United States. Six weeks later, the state is ranked 25th. More than 25% of all Covid-19 deaths reported in Alaska happened after August 1, 2021, despite the widespread availability of vaccines.

Hospitals in Anchorage, Bethel, and Valdez continue to be the most impacted by the ongoing surge.

Officials are also concerned by a rising test positivity rate, which is just below 10%.

California

Los Angeles leaders on Wednesday approved one of the nation’s strictest vaccine mandates — a sweeping measure that would require the shots for everyone entering bars, restaurants, nail salons, gyms, or even a Lakers game.

According to a report by NBC News, the City Council voted 11-2 in favor of the ordinance that will require proof of full vaccination by Nov. 4.

The move came after the council postponed a vote last week to deal with concerns ranging from who could be fined for violations to whether employees could end up in fist-fights when they have to serve as vaccine door monitors.

Florida

According to The Palm Beach Post, six weeks after Tamara Drock was admitted to Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center, the 47-year-old Loxahatchee woman is in a medically induced coma and tethered to a ventilator.

It was an outcome that her husband, Ryan, tried to prevent.

“No ventilators,” he said of his orders to the hospital staff.

With his hope and his wife’s options running out, Drock on Friday filed suit in Palm Beach County Circuit Court to force the hospital to give his wife the drug that he believes helped him and others recover from the highly contagious respiratory disease.

“I think it’s worth a shot,” Drock said. “I don’t have anything to lose.”

The second-largest study to date for the effectiveness of ivermectin against COVID, which has received multiple peer reviews, indicated that ivermectin had no meaningful impact and for sicker patients created worse outcomes. The study done in Argentina was randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled – the gold standard. The report concluded the only statistical difference was subjects taking ivermectin who became moderately to severely ill required mechanical ventilation much sooner than the placebo group.

Only one court case in Ohio successfully forced a hospital to administer ivermectin, and two weeks later, the judge reversed his decision.

Idaho

Governor Brad Little reversed Lt. Governor Janice McGeachin’s executive orders banning vaccine passports or mandatory Covid-19 testing at K-12 schools and universities in Idaho, eight minutes after he landed in Boise.

McGeachin also tried to activate the National Guard to deploy Idaho troops, already assisting with the Covid-19 surge, to the Mexico border. According to The Independent, the commanding general of the Idaho National Guard told McGeachin she can’t activate troops to send to the U.S.-Mexico border.

While Idaho tries to out-Florida, Florida, the state crossed the grim milestone of 3,000 Covid-19 related deaths, reporting another 47 fatalities today. Compared to Washington, Idaho’s mortality rate is almost double with no end in sight to the current surge.

Idaho has reported more than 1,000 new Covid-19 cases per day for the last 27 days. The 7 day moving average has reached 1,320.6 cases per day and is likely higher due to a backlog of more than 8,200 tests.

Idaho now has 715 Covid-19 patients, down from a peak of almost 800 at the end of September. The state has 170 staffed ICU beds and reported 184 ICU patients. At St. Luke’s, the mortality rate for people in the ICU has reached 40%, and 98% of ICU patients are unvaccinated.

Almost a month after Kootenai Health declared it was moving to crisis standards of care, the number of Covid-19 patients they are treating has increased, according to a report by KTVB.

“150 COVID patients is about 75 percent of our normal pre-COVID bed capacity for med surge admissions,” said Jeremy Evans, Kootenai Health’s Chief Regional Operations Officer. “Today, we have got 44 critical care patients and 17 on ventilators. It continues to amaze me how our medical staff, our clinical staff, and our leaders, are able to accommodate this surge.”

Evans added that around 10 to 20 patients are admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 treatments each day.

“We have seen a lot of deaths, we are averaging about one a day in the COVID population, I spent the last week in the ICU and it’s a very hard place to work right now it’s just a constant struggle to take care of these patients on a daily basis,” said Robert Scoggins, the Medical Director of the ICU.

According to Boise Public Radio, unvaccinated Idahoans continue to be hospitalized at five and a half times the rate of vaccinated people, straining the hospital systems and overwhelming health care workers. Yet, misinformation and anger continue to spread throughout the state — with hateful acts targeted at the doctors and nurses working to treat those infected.

Boise Public Radio’s program Idaho Matters was joined by Dr. David Pate, former CEO of St. Luke’s Health System and a current member of the Idaho Coronavirus Task Force, and Dr. Frank Johnson, Chief Medical Officer for St. Luke’s Boise, Elmore and McCall.

You can read the transcript here.

May the odds ever be in your favor.

Montana

While Alaska appears to have peaked and Idaho is on a plateau, Montana continues to deteriorate. According to KPAX, the state has 11,550 active cases and added 30 more hospitalized patients overnight, raising the number to 444 – a new record. Over 5% of Montanans who have tested positive for Covid-19 have ended up hospitalized.

St. Peter’s Health in Helena, which has been operating under crisis standards of care for weeks, reported 31 patients hospitalized with Covid-19, and the ICU was at full capacity, with 87% of all ICU patients infected with Covid-19. On Sunday, 14 out of the 18 rooms in the emergency department had seriously ill Covid-19 patients in them.

National Guard troops have been deployed to Great Falls and Livingston to aid with expanding surge of cases.

Ohio

Jeffrey Smith, 51, who was at the center of a lawsuit forcing a Cinncinati hospital to treat him with ivermectin, died on September 25 of Covid-19, according to KXAN.

Jeffrey Smith’s wife, Julie Smith, claimed she offered to sign documents releasing all other parties, doctors, and the hospital from all liability related to the Ivermectin treatment and dosage. But the hospital declined. Smith said her husband, who was on a ventilator, had a very slim chance of survival, and she was willing to try anything to keep him alive.

Judge Gregory Howard ordered West Chester Hospital to give Smith 30 milligrams of ivermectin every day for three weeks, even though there is no supporting evidence that it treats Covid-19.

Another Butler County judge reversed Howard’s decision in September, saying ivermectin didn’t show “convincing evidence” in treating COVID-19. Butler County Judge Michael Oster said in his ruling, “judges are not doctors or nurses… public policy should not and does not support allowing a physician to try ‘any’ type of treatment on human beings.”

Wyoming

Officials reported another 483 confirmed cases, and hospitalizations grew to 201. Over 40% of patients are in two hospitals – Casper’s Wyoming Medical Center and Cheyenne Regional Medical Center.

Like Alaska, Montana, and Idaho, hospitals are tipping over into “crisis standards of care.” Cody Regional Health and Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County reported they continue to move from “contingency care” to “crisis standards of care” as the situation changes.

Misinformation

A common reason for refusing to get vaccinated is the belief that the government is mandating vaccination but does not accept any liability for vaccine injuries. Is that true?

The short answer, no.

The Health Resources and Services Administration is a federal program that provides compensation to people who have suffered a serious vaccine injury or surviving family members. The program has existed for years and is known as the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP).

Federal declarations issued by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services specify the countermeasures covered by the Program. Declarations have been issued for medical countermeasures against the following vaccinations.

  • COVID-19
  • Marburg
  • Ebola
  • Nerve Agents and Certain Insecticides (Organophophorus and/or Carbamate)
  • Zika
  • Pandemic Influenza
  • Anthrax
  • Acute Radiation Syndrome
  • Botulinum Toxin
  • Smallpox

People who have a documented vaccine injury can start the claim process online at the HRSA Injury Compensation Programs page.

Claims filed under CICP for lost income are capped at $50,000 per year and won’t provide compensation for pain, suffering, emotional distress, or similar damages. According to the Washington Post, there have been 686 claims filed in CICP.

Washington records 4th vaccine death in U.S. – local and national update for October 5, 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) Dr. Umair A. Shah, Washington State Secretary of Health, confirmed the death of a Seattle woman who suffered serious complications after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Jessica Berg-Wilson received the single-dose vaccination on August 26 and died of complications on September 7.

New COVID cases continue to decline statewide, while the gap between the least and most vaccinated counties is starting to narrow.

Seattle Police Officer Eric Whitehead, who refused to wear a mask at a Seattle hospital on January 15, was disciplined after the OPA determined he had acted unprofessionally. SPD also announced that more than 350 officers had not submitted proof of vaccination to city officials.

Less than 9% of Washingtonians say they will never get the Covid-19 vaccine, down by almost half from six weeks ago. According to the Washington Department of Health, over 70% of all Washingtonians over 11 years old are fully vaccinated.

The Lancet released a study on natural immunity to Covid-19 and how long it lasts. Researchers came up with a wide range, but the average is just 16 months.

Highland Middle School in the Bellevue School District and Lockwood Elementary in the Northshore School District reported six active Covid-19 cases in both facilities.

The City of Kirkland has funds available from the American Rescue Plan Act to aid small businesses behind on commercial property rent.

Nationally, the CDC pulled the holiday travel guidance they published on Friday, saying it was outdated information posted by mistake. The Department of Justice will start investigating the most egregious threats, and violent acts at school board meetings after multiple states pleaded for aid.

If you’ve got a home rapid Covid-19 test from the company Ellume, it might be under recall due to a high rate of false positives.

New York City Department of Education, Kaiser Permanente, and Northwell Health, representing more than 475,000 employees across the United States, reported vaccination rates from 95% to 99%. For the 8,000 New York DoE workers who so far are refusing to get vaccinated, some took to direct action in Union Square.

Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming continue to demonstrate the impact of laisse faire public health strategies. Again, in Idaho, Janice McGeachin goes full awful, while Wyoming state senator Anthony Bouchard pushes Covid-19 misinformation and argues with a Tik Tok influencer on Twitter.

We lift our travel advisory to the South Central Hospital Region but continue to keep a close eye on the east.

This update uses the latest data from the Washington State Department of Health (WSDOH), released on October 5, 2021.


vaccinationhospitalsschoolslocalnationalmisinformation

Washington State Update for October 5, 2021

Washington state Covid-19 update

New cases in Washington state continue to decline slowly. We’re adding some new metrics. A combination of increasing vaccination rates, mask wear, and the Delta variant running out of new hosts contributes to the slowdown.

Percent of Total Population Fully VaccinatedAverage 14-Day New Case Rate (unadjusted)
60.00% or above (4)212.0 (down)
50.00% to 59.99% (13 counties)533.1 (down)
40.00% to 49.99% (14 counties)650.1 (down)
29.30% to 39.99% (8 counties)679.0 (down)
14-Day New Covid-19 Cases per 100K average by Vaccination Rate, Not Adjusted for Population

Through October 4, Washington’s statewide 14-day rolling average is 417.1 Covid-19 cases per 100K, the lowest number since August 18.

For the second time in three days, no counties reported more than 1000 new cases per 100K residents.

Counties in the 800.0 to 999.9 per 100K range include Ferry, Grant, Grays Harbor, Klickitat, Lincoln Pend Oreille, and Stevens.

Counties in the 600.0 to 799.9 per 100K range include Adams, Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Columbia, Cowlitz, Franklin, Mason, Okanogan, and Walla Walla. Franklin County remained just under 800 while Spokane, Lewis, Douglas, Garfield, and Chelan counties were just under 600.0.

New cases were up for all people under 80 years old were down, and unchanged for those 80 and above. Hospitalizations were mixed. Down for children and adolescents, up for age 35 to 49, and down for ages 65 to 79.

Age Group7-Day Case Rate7-Day Hospitalization Rate
Ages 0-11185.2 (down)0.7 (down)
Ages 12-19220.8 (down)0.4 (down)
Ages 20-34183.5 (down)5.4
Ages 35-49183.2 (down)8.4 (up)
Ages 50-64127.9 (down)14.3
Ages 65-7998.9 (down)17.7 (down)
Ages 80+111.233.3
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 42 deaths yesterday. The state of Washington is not reporting the percentage of positive cases.

Washington Department of Health confirms Johnson & Johnson vaccine related death

Washington Secretary of Health Dr. Umair A. Shah confirmed today that a Seattle resident became the fourth person to die in the United States from a vaccine-related injury. Jessica Berg Wilson, 37, received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on August 26. On September 7, she died after a Vaccine-Induced Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia (VITT) formed.

VITT is an extremely rare condition identified in April 2021, specifically to adenovirus-vector vaccines such as Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca. The FDA suspended emergency use authorization of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on April 23 after reports of blood clots and six possible deaths.

During a five-week pause, researchers determined the incident rate was less than 3 per million people. In contrast, the risk for serious blood clots due to a Covid-19 infection is 207 per one million. Additionally, doctors determined that common emergency room strategies for treating blood clots, such as using the anti-clotting drug heparin, were contraindicated. The CDC created updated guidelines on identifying and properly treating VITT in patients and reauthorized the single-dose vaccine.

As of June 30, the CDC has confirmed 35 incidents of VITT and three fatalities after 12. 5 million doses were administered. Berg-Wlson is the fourth Covid-19 vaccine-related death in the United States, where 185 million people are fully vaccinated, and approximately 15.4 million have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The Seattle Times reported 47 incidents of VITT through the end of September in a separate article.

Yesterday we reported that the VAERS database indicated a 30 to 39-year-old female from Washington state who received the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine had died. Twitter created a firestorm on Sunday night and Monday morning when the social media platform labeled her death as misinformation.

VITT has only been documented with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the United States. The condition is very rare, with similar odds to dying from snakebite in the United States. It is more prevalent among women from 30 to 50 years old. Hormone-based contraceptives can slightly increase risk, along with a personal or family history of blood clotting disorders. The condition will typically appear two to three weeks after inoculation but can occur as far as seven weeks out.

If you are still choosing to get vaccinated, talk to your healthcare professional about which vaccine is best for you. Additionally, if you have recently received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, learn the symptoms to watch for. Be sure that your medical provider is aware you were recently vaccinated if you got to an emergency room.

SPD Officer who refused to wear a mask at hospital emergency department suspended one day

The Seattle Office of Police Accountability (OPA) recommended officer Eric Whitehead receive a one-day suspension over his refusal to wear a mask at an area Hospital on Friday, January 15, 2021, while Washington state was experiencing a Covid-19 surge.

A five-month investigation determined that Whitehead violated only one rule, Standards and Duties 5.001.10, to be professional. The investigation also recommended administrative changes in how SPD Human Resources documents medical waivers issued to officers and communicates acceptance of the request.

On January 15, Whitehead was called to an unnamed area hospital to assist with a disruptive suspect in the Emergency Department. Four other SPD officers were present, and all were wearing masks. Whitehead was given a mask by a nurse but refused to wear it. He told the nurse, “I hear that. I’m here doing a job. I’m talking to my squadmate about what we got going on. You want me to wear a mask or whatever. We can entertain that idea later on, okay. I just wanna do my job right now, just like you.”

The nurse contacted the charge nurse, who reported the issue to a nursing security supervisor. The supervisor again asked Whitehead to wear a mask, who responded with, “Is she all in a tizzy about it?”

Whitehead expressed concern that the surgical mask could be used as a weapon against him. Whitehead ultimately put on the mask when talking with the detainee, and after some other action, left the hospital.

The entire incident was filmed on security cameras and Whitehead’s body camera. The OPA found that Whitehead was not honest with investigators. He told the OPA he maintained social distance from other people and said the hospital staff he was medically exempt from wearing a mask. The videos and testimony from the hospital staff and other officers indicated he did neither.

When asked why he never told the hospital about his exemption and the discrepancy in his testimony, he changed his story, indicating the “interaction had become contentious.” Whitehead told investigators he had a medical exemption from SPD, allowing him not to wear a mask.

According to the OPA report, “A copy of a memorandum that Named Employee 1 submitted to the HR Lieutenant on June 28, 2020. In that memorandum, he stated that he had a medical condition that prevented him from wearing facemasks and asserted that he was entitled to not do so by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). He noted in the memorandum that wearing the facemask caused him mental and physical strain, as well as increased respiratory distress. He wrote that he tried using a variety of different facemasks but stopped doing so as they continued to cause him problems.

Whitehead did receive an e-mail saying that state and city could grant an exemption, but it never stated he had been given one. Whitehead presented the OPA with letters from two doctors. One letter claims he has a dermatological condition that is exacerbated by mask wear.

Despite his claims that any mask caused “mental and physical” strain, Whitehead was on duty for multiple protests during the summer of 2020. During his service, he was exposed to pepper spray, OC, and blast balls, while wearing a full-face respirator, ballistic vest, and riot gear as part of his duties without issue.

OPA Director Andrew Myerberg has come under fire for failing to enforce existing SPD department rules and working too closely with SPOG in an Office of Inspector General complaint. Director Myerberg is currently interviewing for a different job in Arizona and planning to leave the OPA.

SPOG estimates as many as 200 SPD officers will voluntarily separate from the department after the October 18 vaccine mandate deadline. The Seattle Police Department reported tonight that 354 sworn officers had not submitted proof of vaccination. While vaccination rates for hospital staff, educators, and skilled workers such as pilots, bankers, flight attendants, and computer programmers, have ranged from 95% to 99.5%, law enforcement officers remain one of the lowest vaccinated groups.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan has refused to indicate if she will fire the unvaccinated officers after October 18 or leave the issue for the next mayor.

Editor’s Note: Our Chief Content Officer is listed as a party in an ongoing OPA investigation into the conduct of SPOG President Mike Solan. One of our Senior Staff was listed as a part of a closed OPA investigation for the excessive use of force.

Less than 9% of Washingtonians say they will never get the Covid-19 vaccine

According to a recent survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, 8.2% of the 18 and older population in Washington state say they will either probably or definitely not get the vaccination. This is down almost by half from approximately six weeks ago—the survey, published on September 22.

Travel Advisories

Today, we are lifting our travel advisory to Yakima, Klickitat, Benton, Franklin, and Walla Walla Counties. We continue to recommend when visiting those counties, you use reasonable caution and don’t engage in dangerous activities.

We continue to recommend avoiding recreational travel to Spokane County. We strongly advise against all nonessential travel to Alaska, Idaho, and Montana. Hospital resources in these regions are constrained, and you may receive inadequate care if you experience a medical emergency.

We continue to monitor the situation in the East Hospital Region and may expand our travel advisory beyond Spokane County.

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

Over 70% of elgible Washington state residents are fully vaccinated

The Washington Department of Health reported that as of October 4, 2021, 70.7% of all residents 12 and older are fully vaccinated against Covid-19. An additional 6.4% have received at least one dose. Concern over the Delta variant, dwindling vaccine hesitancy, and multiple vaccine mandates have significantly increased the number of people vaccinated.

Tracking statewide data, counties where 60% or more of all residents are fully vaccinated have dramatically lower rates of new Covid-19 cases.

Large comparative study indicates natural immunity from Covid-19 fades after 5 to 6 months

The Lancet published a study that reported natural immunity for Covid-19 fades after 148 to 185 days on average. The report, The durability of immunity against reinfection by SARS-CoV-2: a comparative evolutionary study, was conducted by Yale University, Temple University, and the University of North Carolina.

The report found, “Reinfection by SARS-CoV-2 under endemic conditions would likely occur between 3 and 63 months after peak antibody response, with a median of 16 months. This protection is of less than half the duration revealed for the endemic coronaviruses circulating among humans.”

Three to 63 months is a very wide range, and a serology test that detects the presence of Covid-19 antibodies can’t determine how robust a response the body would make if reinfected. The researchers added, “Relying on herd immunity without widespread vaccination jeopardises millions of lives, entailing high rates of reinfection, morbidity, and death. In areas with low vaccination, our data-driven analysis reinforces the need for continued safety practices such as social distancing, proper indoor ventilation, and mask wearing to avoid reinfection as pandemic conditions continue.”

Other studies have indicated that the combination of vaccination and natural immunity creates a supercharged response to the Covid-19 virus.

Pfizer vaccine booster shots are now available

Booster shots for eligible individuals are now available statewide. Individuals who received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine more than six months ago, are 65 or older, or are immunocompromised can receive their third dose immediately.

In the Kirland-Bellevue-Woodinville area, Walgreens, Rite-Aid, Bartell’s, and QFC are offering booster shots. Additionally, the third dose is available at the CVS located within the Target store at 17,700 NE 76th Street in Redmond.

Most locations require an appointment, which can be scheduled online.

King County, Washington is reporting over 86.7% 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, 17.5% of all acute care patients hospitalized in Washington have Covid-19. Currently, 91% of all staffed acute care beds are occupied statewide, with approximately 654 available. ICUs are at 88.4% of capacity statewide, with 30.0% of ICU patients fighting Covid-19 – an estimated 352 patients with 55% on ventilators. The state has approximately 138 ICU beds available.

The 7-day rolling average hospital admission rate for new COVID patients was 124. The Department of Health reported 1,192 Covid-19 patients statewide on October 4, with 192 on ventilators. The total number of patients for October 3 was adjusted downward slightly, to 1,197.

Hospital RegionCountiesICU OccupancyICU COVID PatientsAcute Care OccupancyAcute Care COVID Patients
EastAdams, Asotin, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Wahkiakum, Whitman92.2%46.1%88.6%26.4%
NorthIsland, San Juan, Skagit, Whatcom74.9%32.6%86.9%12.8%
North CentralChelan, Douglas, Grant, Okanogan86.9%51.8%76.8%23.1%
NorthwestClallam, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason92.5%42.2%96.0%26.4%
Puget SoundKing, Pierce, Snohomish91.6%24.4%94.5%13.8%
South CentralBenton, Columbia, Franklin, Kittitas, Walla Walla, Yakima87.6%34.0%83.5%22.2%
SouthwestClark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Skamania 72.5%33.4%87.1%22.9%
WestGrays Harbor, Lewis, Pacific, Thurston83.9%24.1%86.2%17.7%
Hospital status by region – September 30, 2021 – ICU Occupancy should be below 80%, ICU COVID Patients should be below 20%, Acute Care Occupancy should be below 80%, and Acute Care COVID Patients should be below 10%

There was very little change in the status of Hospital Regions over the weekend.

Back to School

School DistrictStatusLess than 10 Active Cases10 or More Active Cases
BellevueYELLOW– Bellevue (7**)
– Big Picture (1*)
– Chinook (3*)
– Eastgate (1*)
– Enatai (3*)
– Highland (6**)
– Interlake (3*)
– Lake Hills (4*)
– Newport (4*)
– Newport Heights (1*)
– Puesta del Sol (1*)
– Sammamish (2*)
– Sherwood Forest (2*)
– Spiritridge (2*)
– Stevenson (1*)
– Tillicum (1*)
– Wilburton (2*)
– Woodridge (3*)
None
Lake WashingtonYELLOW– Bell Elementary (1*)
– Barton Elementary (1*)
– Dickinson/Explorer Elementary (1*)
– Ella Baker Elementary (1*)
– Eastlake High (2*)
– Finn Hill Middle School (3*)
– Franklin Elementary (2*)
– Frost Elementary (2*)
– ICS (1*)
– Inglewood Middle School (1*)
– Juanita Elementary (1*)
– Kamiakin Middle School (4*)
– Keller Elementary (2*)
– Lakeview Elementary (4*)
– McAuliffe Elementary (1*)
– Muir Elementary (1*)
– Northstar Middle (1*)
– Redmond Elementary (2*)
– Redmond Middle School (1*)
– Redmond High School (2*)
– Renaissance Middle School (1*)
– Rosa Parks Elementary (1*)
– Rush Elementary (1*)
None
NorthshoreYELLOW– Arrowhead Elementary (3)
– Bothell High School (31)
– Canyon Creek Elementary (26)
– Canyon Park Middle School (6)
– Cottage Lake Elementary (3)
– Crystal Springs Elementary (28)
– East Ridge Elementary (14)
– Fernwood Elementary (1)
– Frank Love Elementary (9)
– Hollywood Hills Elementary (27)
– Inglemoor High School (1)
– Innovation Lab High School (1)
– Kenmore Elementary (3)
– Kenmore Middle School (23)
– Leota Middle School (4)
– Lockwood Elementary (37**)
– Maywood Hills Elementary (28)
– North Creek High School (4)
– Northshore Family Partnership (30)
– Northshore Middle School (2)
– Secondary Academy for Success (4)
– Shelton View Elementary (5)
– Skyview Middle School (12)
– Sunrise Elementary (9)
– Timbercrest Middle School (8)
– Wellington Elementary (21)
– Westhill Elementary (41)
– Woodin Elementary (16**)
– Woodinville High School (11)
– 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 10 active COVID cases reported into the red, and we’ve adjusted the third column to reflect this change.

Bellevue School District added a 7th confirmed Covid-19 case at Bellevue High School and reported six confirmed cases at Highland Middle School.

The Northshore School District added multiple schools to their report. Lockwood Elementary reported six confirmed cases overnight, putting another 31 students and faculty into quarantine.

The Lake Washington School District updates its Covid-19 dashboard once a week. We received multiple parents confirmed Covid-19 e-mails yesterday. However, Lake Washington updates its dashboards on Monday, and we can’t ensure if the parental reports add to the dashboard numbers or are included in the Monday report.

We continued to encourage parents to request improved daily data reporting from the Lake Washington School District.

Kirkland-Bellevue-Woodinville

The City of Kirkland has rolled out additional phases of its COVID-19 relief program to provide immediate financial assistance for small businesses, thanks to funding available through the American Rescue Plan Act. A limited number of $1,000 to $10,000 grants are now available for small Kirkland-based businesses behind on rent for the commercial properties they lease. To start the application process, businesses should go to www.kirklandwa.gov/business-help to complete and submit the intake form between October 5 – October 19, 2021. Program funds may only be used as a payment against a small business tenant’s past-due rent due to COVID-19 economic hardship experienced between March 1, 2020, to September 30, 2021. Note that the application process requires the cooperation of tenants and landlords, and payments will be made to the landlord.

“The pandemic has had a profound impact on many of our businesses, making it difficult for some to keep up with rent and stay in their current locations,” said Deputy Mayor Jay Arnold. “Our hope is that by passing federal relief funding directly to businesses and landlords that these businesses can get the foothold they need to thrive in our Kirkland community.”

For questions about the small business rent relief grant program, contact businesssupport@kirklandwa.gov  (425) 587-3266 or the City’s Business Response Team at (206) 686-3424.

National Round-Up

Johns Hopkins University Cumulative Case Tracker is reporting 167,209 new cases and 2,106 deaths nationwide. Tuesday’s update will include numbers from over the weekend.

CDC pulls holiday travel guidance from website

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday took down a page with holiday COVID-19 guidance, saying it was old information posted in error and that updated guidance would be coming soon, according to a report in The Hill.

The page, updated on Friday, gave a range of guidance on holiday gatherings, including that opening windows for indoor gatherings would improve ventilation and noting that virtual or outdoor gatherings are the safest option.

An agency spokesperson said the page “doesn’t reflect the CDC’s guidance ahead of this upcoming holiday season” and added that the agency “will share additional guidance soon.”

At home Covid-19 rapid test recalled due to excessive false positives

The Australian company, Ellume, recalled over 400,000 rapid test kits sold in the United States for an unacceptable level of false positives. The test kits were shipped from April to August, and currently, 200,000 kits remain unused.

In a statement on Ellume’s website, the company wrote, “we noted an increased chance that Ellume COVID-19 Home Tests from specific lots may provide an incorrect positive result. Following a thorough investigation, we isolated the cause and confirmed that this incidence of false positives is limited to specific lots.”

“We worked with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to voluntarily remove affected Ellume tests from the market. Importantly, the reliability of negative results is unaffected by this issue and are not included within this recall.”

In parallel, the FDA released a “Safety Communication” outlining the recall. People who have used one of the Ellume tests and believe they had a false reading are asked to report the incident to MedWatch.

Almost 99% of all Kaiser Permanente employees get vaccinated

Kaiser Permanente has placed more than 2,200 of its employees nationwide, who have refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19, on unpaid administrative leave.

The health care company announced its vaccine mandate on August 2, with a deadline of Sept. 30. It has more than 220,000 employees across the country, with suspensions impacting about 1% of its entire workforce.

Over 98% of Northwell Health employees get vaccinated

New York State’s largest private hospital system laid off 1,400 workers who wouldn’t get vaccinated against Covid-19, a spokesperson for the health care network confirmed Monday afternoon.

Hospital and nursing home workers were required to get at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine by September 27th, under a state mandate first announced in mid-August. Last week, Northwell said it started warning employees and planned layoffs, starting with the highest-paid workers who refused the shots.

The hospital system employed over 76,000 workers, with 98.2% getting vaccinated.

8,000 New York City Department of Education employees on unpaid leave

Almost 95% of New York City’s more than 148,000 Department of Education employees have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. The vaccination rate among teachers exceeded 96%. City leaders reported they don’t anticipate staffing shortages for teachers, while other departments were hit harder.

Approximately 500 cafeteria workers have been put on unpaid leave. Employees on leave who get vaccinated after the deadline can return to work. Additionally, employees that volunteer to quit will be provided healthcare coverage by the city for a year.

Department of Justice addresses violent threats against school officials and teachers

Citing an increase in harassment, intimidation, and threats of violence against school board members, teachers, and workers in our nation’s public schools, today Attorney General Merrick B. Garland directed the FBI and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to meet in the next 30 days with federal, state, Tribal, territorial and local law enforcement leaders to discuss strategies for addressing this disturbing trend. These sessions will open dedicated lines of communication for threat reporting, assessment, and response by law enforcement.   

“Threats against public servants are not only illegal, they run counter to our nation’s core values,” wrote Attorney General Garland. “Those who dedicate their time and energy to ensuring that our children receive a proper education in a safe environment deserve to be able to do their work without fear for their safety.”

According to the Attorney General’s memorandum, the Justice Department will launch a series of additional efforts in the coming days designed to address the rise in criminal conduct directed toward school personnel. Those efforts are expected to include the creation of a task force, consisting of representatives from the department’s Criminal Division, National Security Division, Civil Rights Division, the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, the FBI, the Community Relations Service, and the Office of Justice Programs, to determine how federal enforcement tools can be used to prosecute these crimes and ways to assist state, Tribal, territorial and local law enforcement where threats of violence may not constitute federal crimes.

The Justice Department will also create specialized training and guidance for local school boards and school administrators. This training will help school board members and other potential victims understand the type of behavior that constitutes threats, how to report threatening conduct to the appropriate law enforcement agencies, and how to capture and preserve evidence of threatening conduct to aid in the investigation and prosecution of these crimes.

As the anti-vaccination and medical freedom movement has gotten smaller, some elements within the movements have become increasingly radicalized. School board meetings have been disrupted nationwide, including the Lake Washington School District. In other communities, fights have broken out in meetings, board members have received death threats, stalked, doxxed, and had their homes vandalized.

Alaska

The mayor of Alaska’s largest city apologized Thursday for his comments supporting some residents’ use of Holocaust imagery to liken a proposed citywide mask mandate to the oppression of Jewish people in Nazi Germany, the Associated Press reported.

Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson has said he staunchly opposes the proposal and initially defended the use of yellow Stars of David worn by other critics this week at heated public hearings. Such imagery has been used by opponents of mask and vaccine mandates across the U.S., drawing condemnation from the Anti-Defamation League and other Jewish organizations.

New cases in Alaska still lead the nation but have declined significantly from last week. The state is still operating under “crisis standards of care” with 194 Covid-19 patients statewide. Alaska has 122 staffed ICU beds statewide, with 19 available.

Hospitals in Anchorage, Bethel, and Valdez continue to be the most impacted by the ongoing surge.

Officials are also concerned by a rising test positivity rate, which is just below 10%.

Idaho

Editor’s Note: I must maintain objectivity. I must maintain objectivity. I must maintain objectivity. I must maintain objectivity.

While his state struggles to deliver medical services and deal with the mounting number of corpses, Idaho governor Brad Little departed the state to visit the U.S.-Mexico border. According to a report by KTVB, less than 24 hours after he left, Lt. Governor Janice McGeachin signed an executive order as acting governor banning vaccine passports or mandatory Covid-19 testing at K-12 schools and universities in Idaho.

In a tweet, McGeachin wrote that she “fixed” Little’s executive order on vaccine passports, which was initially issued in April, to include K-12 schools and universities.

Less than ten minutes after McGeachin announced her executive order, Little responded on Twitter, stating he did not authorize McGeachin to act on his behalf and “I will be rescinding and reversing any actions taken by the Lt. Governor when I return.”

McGeachin also tried to activate the National Guard to deploy Idaho troops, already assisting with the Covid-19 surge, to the Mexico border. According to The Independent, the commanding general of the Idaho National Guard told McGeachin she can’t activate troops to send to the U.S.-Mexico border.

Governor Little issues a terse statement late on Tuesday.

“Attempting to deploy our National Guard for political grandstanding is an affront to the Idaho constitution [sic] and insults the men and women who have dedicated their life to serving our state and the country.”

This isn’t the first time McGeachin has pulled this type of political stunt, as she postures herself as the candidate that Idaho deserves in the upcoming 2022 election.

If you’re wondering why McGeachin is blocking school testing, Kathryn Turner, deputy state epidemiologist, reported the state was allocating $4 million to 19 school districts to aid Covid-19 testing programs. McGeachin’s order, temporary or not, blocks that money.

As of October 2, Idaho had a record 15 pediatric patients fighting Covid-19.

Idaho added 1,835 new cases on Tuesday and reported 11 deaths. The number of hospital beds within the state has improved slightly, Health and Welfare Director Dave Jeppesen said on Tuesday. He added improving bed availability could be, in part, attributed to the high number of deaths recently.

In a briefing on Tuesday, Jeppesen reported 89.1% of all Covid-19 cases are among the unvaccinated, 90.3% of hospitalizations, and 88% of deaths. Officials said that despite the intervention of volunteers, the National Guard, federal resources, and FEMA strike teams, staffing levels remain at crisis standards of care levels.

“Due to COVID patient volume added to non-COVID urgent patient care, we have been forced to care for patients in repurposed clinical areas and a non-clinical space (a hospital gym),” Dr. Steven Nemerson of St. Luke’s Hospital told the Idaho Statesman in an e-mail. The system has been “using ratios of patients to health care team members exceeding contingency standards of care despite staffing resources received through the state of Idaho and FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency).”

May the odds ever be in your favor.

Montana

While Alaska appears to have peaked and Idaho is on a plateau, Montana continues to deteriorate. According to the Billings Gazette, the state has 11,498 active cases, with 419 people hospitalized.

Despite activating the National Guard, asking for FEMA strike teams, and the Veteran’s Administration opening up a hospital to civilians, eight out of 10 large hospitals in the state reported having limited bed availability or nearing capacity. Likewise, eight out of 10 large hospitals reported having limited intensive care unit availability or nearing ICU capacity. 

New York

A video caught the men in Union Square flipping over a table next to a mobile coronavirus testing van, tearing down the tent erected next to it and tossing a chair, before police intervened to stop them permanently destroying any property, according to a report in The Independent.

Protesters at the rally shouted “boo” and “shame on you” at the staff member working at the Covid-19 testing site as they went past, followed by chants of “no vaccine mandate.”

Hundreds of Department of Education staffers were involved in the protest, following the coronavirus vaccine mandate that went into place on Monday.

Wyoming

On September 16, Republican lightning rod, state senator, Ivermectin enthusiast, and 2022 Congressional candidate Anthony Bouchard assembled a panel to discuss Covid-19 vaccine mandates at hospitals. The esteemed group of top experts included Ryne Paulson, D.D.S., Melissa Hieb D.O., Andrew McAfee M.D., and Dena L’Heureux M.D. All four spouted conspiracy theories and anti-vaccination rhetoric and claimed they would medicine if the state passed a vaccine mandate. All of this was political theater if any providers accept or work for an organization that receives federal dollars.

How well is that going?

The Wyoming Medical Center in Casper reported they admitted 17 Covid-19 patients – in 24 hours from Saturday to Sunday. Only one of the recently admitted patients is vaccinated. Wyoming added 627 new Covid-19 cases on Monday, in a state with 578,000 residents. If that pace holds, almost 1% of all Wyomingians will catch Covid-19 this week. Test positivity on Monday was over 18%, which is down from last week.

The state reported 45 new Covid-19 related deaths and breaching 1,000 total deaths since the pandemic started in 2020. Put another way, 1.7% of the entire population of Wyoming has died from Covid-19.

Like Alaska, Montana, and Idaho, hospitals are tipping over into “crisis standards of care.” Cody Regional Health and Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County reported they continue to move from “contingency care” to “crisis standards of care” as the situation changes.

Rural hospitals in Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and Alaska are dependent on larger hospitals in Washington, Oregon, Colorado, and Utah to take more challenging patients. Oregon and Washington barely avoided moving to crisis standards of care last month, while Colorado and Utah are dealing with their surges. With interstate transfers gridlocked, states like Wyoming, which only has 37 hospitals, have been forced to make do with their resources.

Misinformation

Taking the day off

The final day for state employees to get the COVID vax is here – local and national update for October 4, 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 big news of the day is there are only hours left for state employees to get their final dose of the Covid-19 vaccine or face termination. New cases rates were up slightly over the weekend, while vaccination rates increased significantly from last week.

The number of students with Covid-19 increased in the Bellevue and Lake Washington School Districts while declining in Northshore.

One of the largest creators of Covid-19 misinformation was from Leavenworth, Washington, and he was recently fired from the hospital he worked at. Up to 3,000 gathered in peaceful protest against vaccine mandates in Olympia over the weekend.

There is controversy over the obituary of Jessica Berg Wilson, 37, who died on September 7 allegedly from an extremely rare condition called VITT after receiving a COVID vaccination.

Johnson & Johnson is expected to submit paperwork with the FDA seeking permission to start a booster shot program.

In the misinformation section, we go over religious exemptions one more time including the religious claim the vaccination is the mark of the Beast.

This update uses the latest data from the Washington State Department of Health (WSDOH), released on October 4, 2021.


vaccinationhospitalsschoolslocalnationalmisinformation

Washington State Update for October 4, 2021

Washington state COVID update

New cases increased slightly statewide over the weekend. In the South Central Hospital Region, which includes Benton, Franklin, Klickitat, Walla Walla, and Yakima counties, the 14 day moving average for new cases dropped to 708.9 per 100K. The Puget Sound (Central) Hospital Region, which represents King County, increased to 265.0.

Many counties saw a significant jump in vaccination rates ranging from 1/2% to 1.5%. The number of counties in each bracket shuffled again. The number of new cases is significantly lower in counties where 60% or more of the population is fully vaccinated.

Percent of Total Population Fully VaccinatedAverage 14-Day New Case Rate (unadjusted)
60.00% or above (4)223.8
50.00% to 59.99% (13 counties)573.0
40.00% to 49.99% (14 counties)684.5
29.30% to 39.99% (8 counties)702.7
14-Day New COVID Cases per 100K average by Vaccination Rate, Not Adjusted for Population

Through October 3, Washington’s statewide 14-day rolling average is 436.2 COVID cases per 100K, a small increase over the weekend.

Lincoln County reported 1,040.7 new cases per 100K over the weekend, ending the statewide streak at just one day.

Counties in the 800.0 to 999.9 per 100K range include Ferry, Frankin, Grant, Grays Harbor, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, and Stevens. Stevens County is just under 1,000 cases per 100K.

Counties in the 600.0 to 799.9 per 100K range include Adams, Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Columbia, Cowlitz, Douglas, Klickitat, Lewis, Mason, Skagit, Spokane, and Walla Walla. Adams County remained just under 800 while Garfield and Yakima County are just under 600.0.

New cases were up for all age groups except 50 to 79 years old. Hospitalizations, however, were mixed.

Age Group7-Day Case Rate7-Day Hospitalization Rate
Ages 0-11210.7 (up)1.0 (up)
Ages 12-19246.0 (up)0.8 (down)
Ages 20-34203.2 (up)5.4
Ages 35-49201.4 (up)7.8 (down)
Ages 50-64141.414.1 (down)
Ages 65-79108.620.3
Ages 80+118.5 (up)35.9 (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 had not been updated when we went to press. The state of Washington is not reporting the percentage of positive cases.

One of the largest creators of COVID misinformation is from Leavenworth

He went by bloodytnvc5 on Tik Tok and was infamous for using a Pharoh’s face and headdress as his alter ego and for wearing blue medical gloves. A three-month investigation would reveal one of the most prominent creators of hate and Covid-19 misinformation on Tik Tok was a cook at Cascade Medical Center in Leavenworth, Washington.

Cascade Medical Center, a 25-bed acute care hospital nestled in a Bavarian-themed town in the Eastern Cascades, fired two employees earlier this month, according to the Director of Public Relations, Clint Strand. Matthew Wilson of Leavenworth, 33, and Alyssa “Lyssa” Riggs of Cashmere, 21, presented themselves as a doctor and nurse on social media, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

Wilson was meticulous in hiding his identity, using the Pharoh’s face and only showing his hands, encased in blue medical gloves. He would use a whiteboard to share his content to bypass artificial intelligence moderation while filming himself in examination rooms and surgical suites. His videos frequently used medical equipment as props. As Wilson and Riggs spread their lies, residents of Chelan County were flooding the emergency department gasping for breath, infected with Covid-19.

After months of investigation, Tik Tok creators ThatDaneshGuy and Guilt, along with a team of researchers, tracked down Riggs. Once they discovered her identity, they learned Wilson was the man behind bloodytnvc5.

Keep reading on Malcontent News.

Up to 3,000 gather in Olympia to protest vaccine mandate

As many as 3,000 people gathered on the state Capitol Campus Sunday afternoon to voice opposition to Gov. Jay Inslee’s vaccine mandate for state workers, The Olympian reported.

Inslee’s emergency order requires roughly 63,000 state workers to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18 or lose their jobs, The Seattle Times reports.

The gathering was officially called the “No, you move” Rally Against the Mandate. The event did not attract counterprotesters.

Controvery swirls around obituary for Jessica Berg Wilson

An obituary for Jessica Berg Wilson, 37 stirred up controversy late Sunday when Twitter fact-checkers marked it as Covid-19 misinformation. Berg-Wilson’s parents claim that she died on September 7 of Vaccine-Induced Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia (VITT). The extremely rare condition was identified in April 2021 specifically to adenovirus-vector vaccines such as Johnson & Johnson.

The FDA suspended the administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on April 23 after several reports of blood clots and six possible deaths. During a five-week pause, researchers determined the incident rate was less than 3 per million people, and that common anti-clotting drugs like heparin were contraindicated. In contrast, the risk for serious blood clots due to a Covid-19 infection is 207 per one million.

As of June 30, the CDC has confirmed 35 incidents of VITT and 3 fatalities after 12. 5 million doses were administered.

Twitter has since removed the Covid-19 misinformation warning off the obituary but questions remain. VITT typically manifests itself 2 to 4 weeks after the Johnson & Johnson vaccination. There were very few doses of the J&J vaccination in August, with the U.S. government rationing distribution from June to September. It wouldn’t have been impossible for Berg-Wilson to get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, but it would be unusual.

The obituary, which politicizes her death, raises red flags for some people. VAERS does indicate the death of a 30 to 39-year-old female from Washington state who received the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The report did not share when the entry was made, the date of the incident, the location, or who the reporting party was. VAERS also needs to be taken with a huge grain of salt because it is a public, self-reporting tool.

Travel Advisories

We recommend avoiding recreational travel to Spokane, Yakima, Klickitat, Benton, Franklin, and Walla Walla counties. If the number of new cases in the South Central Hospital Region continues to decline, we will likely lift our advisory for this region in the next 7 days. We strongly advise against all nonessential travel to Alaska, Idaho, and Montana. Hospital resources in these regions are constrained, and you may receive inadequate care if you experience a medical emergency.

We may implement a travel advisory for Northwest and East Washington Hospital Regions based upon renewed hospitalization data now available from the Department of Health.

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

Deadline for single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine and second dose for Pfizer and Moderna vaccine is here

Today is the last day for thousands of state workers to receive their second Pfizer or Moderna dose or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. As of September 20, over 68% of state workers reported they were fully vaccinated. Data from companies, schools, and other states such as Hawaii and New York, indicates final acceptance would likely exceed 95%.

The latest survey from the US Census Bureau indicated 8.2% of all adult Washingtonians still refuse to get vaccinated.

Multiple unions have reached agreements at a municipal, county, or state level, to extend the deadline past October 18 for individuals who received at least their first dose. Additionally, workers with denied exemptions requests will be given extra time.

Johnson & Johnson will seek FDA approval for booster shot

Johnson & Johnson is planning to ask federal regulators this week to authorize a booster shot of its Covid-19 vaccine, the New York Times reported on Monday, citing officials familiar with the company’s plans.

While scientists are divided over the need for booster shots when so many people in the United States and other countries remain unvaccinated, the Biden administration announced the push for an extra dose in August as part of an effort to shore up protection against the highly transmissible Delta variant.

The Food and Drug Administration last week scheduled an October 15 meeting of its expert advisory committee to discuss whether to grant emergency use authorization for a booster shot of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine.

Pfizer vaccine booster shots are now available

Booster shots for eligible individuals are now available statewide. Individuals who received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine more than 6 months ago, are 65 or older, or are immunocompromised can receive their third dose immediately.

In the Kirland-Bellevue-Woodinville area, Walgreens, Rite-Aid, Bartell’s, and QFC are offering booster shots. Additionally, the third dose is available at the CVS located within the Target store at 17,700 NE 76th Street in Redmond.

Most locations require an appointment, which can be scheduled online.

King County, Washington is reporting over 86.7% 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, 17.8% of all acute care patients hospitalized in Washington have COVID. Currently, 91% of all staffed acute care beds are occupied statewide with approximately 646 available. ICUs are at 88.6% of capacity statewide, with 29.0% of ICU patients fighting COVID – an estimated 306 patients with 59% on ventilators. The state has approximately 136 ICU beds available.

The 7-day rolling average hospital admission rate for new COVID patients was 127. The Department of Health reported 1,215 COVID patients statewide on October 3 with 182 on ventilators. Data over the weekend is typically incomplete, and we expect these numbers to be adjusted tomorrow.

Hospital RegionICU OccupancyICU COVID PatientsAcute Care OccupancyAcute Care COVID Patients
East90.7%45.9%88.8%26.0%
North77.2%32.3%86.9%12.9%
North Central88.9%52.4%76.2%23.7%
Northwest92.5%41.0%96.3%25.8%
Puget Sound91.5%24.0%94.7%14.1%
South Central87.4%34.4%82.6%23.0%
Southwest72.2%33.7%87.6%23.5%
West87.2%25.2%86.4%18.2%
Hospital status by region – September 30, 2021 – ICU Occupancy should be below 80%, ICU COVID Patients should be below 20%, Acute Care Occupancy should be below 80%, and Acute Care COVID Patients should be below 10%

There was very little change in the status of Hospital Regions over the weekend.

Back to School

School DistrictStatusLess than 10 Active Cases10 or More Active Cases
BellevueYELLOW– Bellevue (6**)
– Big Picture (1*)
– Chinook (3*)
– Eastgate (1*)
– Enatai (3*)
– Highland (6**)
– Interlake (3*)
– Lake Hills (4*)
– Newport (4*)
– Newport Heights (1*)
– Puesta del Sol (1*)
– Sammamish (1*)
– Sherwood Forest (2*)
– Spiritridge (1*)
– Stevenson (1*)
– Tillicum (1*)
– Wilburton (2*)
– Woodridge (3*)
None
Lake WashingtonYELLOW– Bell Elementary (1*)
– Barton Elementary (1*)
– Dickinson/Explorer Elementary (1*)
– Ella Baker Elementary (1*)
– Eastlake High (2*)
– Finn Hill Middle School (3*)
– Franklin Elementary (2*)
– Frost Elementary (2*)
– ICS (1*)
– Inglewood Middle School (1*)
– Juanita Elementary (1*)
– Kamiakin Middle School (4*)
– Keller Elementary (2*)
– Lakeview Elementary (4*)
– McAuliffe Elementary (1*)
– Muir Elementary (1*)
– Northstar Middle (1*)
– Redmond Elementary (2*)
– Redmond Middle School (1*)
– Redmond High School (2*)
– Renaissance Middle School (1*)
– Rosa Parks Elementary (1*)
– Rush Elementary (1*)
None
NorthshoreYELLOW– Arrowhead Elementary (2)
– Bothell High School (22)
– Canyon Creek Elementary (10)
– Canyon Park Middle School (4)
– Crystal Springs Elementary (23)
– Cottage Lake Elementary (4)
– East Ridge Elementary (3)
– Fernwood Elementary (2)
– Frank Love Elementary (7)
– Hollywood Hills Elementary (12)
– Inglemoor High School (1)
– Innovation Lab High School (1)
– Kenmore Elementary (1)
– Kenmore Middle School (14)
– Maywood Hills Elementary (9)
– North Creek High School (4)
– Ruby Bridges Elementary (1)
– Secondary Academy for Success (7)
– Shelton View Elementary (4)
– Skyview Middle School (17)
– Sunrise Elementary (1)
– Timbercrest Middle School (7)
– Westhill Elementary (35)
– Woodin Elementary (8)
– Woodinville High School (13)
– 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 10 active COVID cases reported into the red, and we’ve adjusted the third column to reflect this change.

The Northshore School District saw a large number of quarantines end over the weekend moving the district back to yellow. The Bellevue School District has two schools with more than 5 confirmed COVID cases.

We continued to encourage parents to request improved daily data reporting from the Lake Washington School District.

Percentage of King County Residents 12 and older who have received at least one dose of COVID vaccine, October 4, 2021

Vaccination rates continued to climb for adolescents between age 12 and 19 in the northeastern parts of King County but still lag far behind the east-central region. In the northern half of Kirkland, the lower vaccination rate for teens is keeping the overall vaccination rate lower than the southern half of Kirkland.

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, Bothell, and Kenmore, continue to lag behind the rest of the local area.

Percentage of King County Residents 12 and older who have received at least one dose of COVID vaccine, October 4, 2021
Zip CodePercent vaccinated, at least one dose, 12 and older
9815592.5%
9802890.0%
9801186.4%
9803485.0%
9803392.8%
9807290.9%
98052>95.0%
98004>95.0%
9803993.7%
98005>95.0%
9800789.7%
Vaccination rates for those 12 and older by zip code – at least one dose

National Round-Up

Johns Hopkins University Cumulative Case Tracker is reporting 25,215 new cases and 237 deaths nationwide. Because most states don’t report data over the weekend, the Monday update is incomplete.

Southwest Airlines is joining United, Alaska, JetBlue, and Hawaiian in mandating vaccines for their employees. its 56,000-person workforce must be vaccinated against Covid-19 by December 8 to continue working at the airline because of new federal rules, joining other carriers who made similar announcements last week.

No state round up – taking the day off

Misinformation

Today is the last day for many in Washington state to get the single dose Johnson & Johnson adenovirus-vector vaccine, or the second dose of the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna. With the number of people saying they’ll never get vaccinated down to 12% nationally and just over 8% in Washington, the anti-vaccination movement continues to shrink. Over 2,000 workers have applied for a religion-based vaccine exemption, and many have already been rejected.

Which religions hold the belief that followers should reject vaccinations?

To research this, we wanted to look back before 2020, and we decided to use a source from academia. The Health and Wellness portal of Vanderbilt University Medical Center has a white paper on the topic, published in 2010.

The short answer is none of the major religions nor their branches have an anti-vaccination doctrine. The multifaith movement Faith 4 Vaccines provides additional clarity. Over 70 religions are part of the group, which supports ongoing vaccination efforts and equitable distribution.

Some religions have come forward with direct statements to the faithful that getting a vaccination for Covid-19 is accepted in God’s eyes.

Even among religions people commonly believe are against vaccinations, faith leaders have stated their support pubicly, in some cases decades ago. The Church of Christ, Scientist, which strongly encourages members to rely on faith and prayer for healing, does not have an official doctrine against Western medicine or vaccinations.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses haven’t been against vaccination since 1952. In an article published in 2011, the group provided a list of health recommendations, including encouraging vaccination.

There are a few small sects, mostly aligned with Christianity, that have an established theological objection. That includes Dutch Reformed, Faith Tabernacle, Chuch of the First Born, Faith Assembly, and End Time Ministrie.

For the strictest adherents of Islam and Judaism, some shun vaccines and other Western medicine. Making a claim along these religious grounds while not having a demonstrated history of adhering to grooming, clothing, dietary, and work schedule requirements will likely be problematic during the evaluation process.

For those who follow a faith supportive of Covid-19 vaccination, there are two primary justifications for continuing to seek a religious exemption. The first is a firmly held belief against abortion.

We evaluated eight Covid-19 vaccines and found that five used cloned fetal cells in testing or development, and two used the cells in production. The Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines were tested on fetal stem cells, and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine used the cells during production.

The cells used in the vaccine development or testing come from a genome known as HEK-293. The original 293 cells were derived in 1973 from the kidney of an aborted human embryo. Hence the code, Human Embryonic Kidney – 293 – HEK-293. The cells were successfully cloned and have reproduced countless times, replicating every 24 to 48 hours.

Many hierarchical religions explored the implications of HEK-293 years ago and decided that the material does not represent human life. Additionally, HEK-293 has been used in the development, testing, or production of many common medications.

If you’ve ever taken any of these drugs or vaccines, especially the listed prescription drugs, a religious exemption request is probably in jeopardy.

  • Tylenol / Acetaminophen
  • Advil / Motrin / Ibuprofen
  • Aleve / Naproxen
  • Pseudoephedrine / Sudafed / SudoGest / Suphedrine (and we can add Meth to that list)
  • Diphenhydramine / Benadryl
  • Loratadine / Claratin
  • Dextromethorphan / Delsym / Robafen Cough / Robitussin
  • Guaifensin / Mucinex
  • Tums
  • Maalox
  • Docusate / Colace / Ex-Lax Stool Softner
  • Senna Glycoside / Sennoside / Senna / Ex-Lax / Senokot
  • Pepto-Bismol
  • Phenylephrine / Preparation H / Vazculep / Suphedrine PE
  • Mepyramine / Pyirlamine
  • Lidocaine / Lidoderm / Recticare
  • Levothyroxine / Synthroid / Tirosint / Levoxyl
  • Atorvastatin / Lipitor
  • Amlodipine / Norvasc
  • Metoprolol / Toprool XL / Lopressor
  • Omeprazole / Prilosec OTC / Zegerid OTC / OmePPi
  • Losartan / Cozaar
  • Albuterol / Salbutamol / ProAir / Ventolin
  • Sacubitril / Valsartan / Entresto
  • Tenapanor / Ibsrela
  • Enbrel / Etanercept
  • Azithromycin / Zithromax
  • Hydroxychloroquine / Plaquenil
  • Remdesivir / Veklury
  • Dapaglifozin / Farxiga / Ipragliflozin / Suglat / Enavoglifozin / Jardiance
  • Ivermectin / Stromectol
  • Canagliflozin / Invokana / Sulisent / Prominad
  • Metformin / Glucophage / Riomet / Glumetza
  • Cerivastatin / Baycol / Lipobay / Fluvastatin / Lescol / Pitavastatin / Livalo / Pravatatin / Pravachol / Rosuvatatin / Crestor
  • Simvastatin / FloLipid / Zocor
  • Oxbryta / Voxelotor
  • Lisinopril / Qbrelis / Zestril / Prinivil
  • Regeneron / regen-COV
  • Hepatitis A vaccine
  • Rubella vaccine
  • Varicella vaccine (chickenpox)
  • Zoster vaccine (shingles)
  • Rabies vaccine

This is a partial list of common drugs. Many other medications have used HEK-293 as part of their testing, development, or production.

At some point in their development, other common vaccinations, including Rubella, part of the MMR, Hepatitis B, Varicella (chickenpox), and Zoster (shingles), use HEK-293. For healthcare workers, the MMR, Hepatitis B, Varicella, and if over 50 years old, Zoster vaccines are required in Washington state. That includes EMTs, paramedics, firefighters, and police officers who hold an EMT certification as part of their job duties. If there is no historical objection to receiving these vaccines, reviewers will likely reject a religious exemption request.

The second objection among fundamentalist Christians is that receiving the vaccination is the Mark of the Beast.

16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

REVELATIONS 13:16-17 – KING JAMES BIBLE – PUBLIC DOMAIN

The University of Chicago has an analysis of Biblical scripture and what John the Elder likely meant when he wrote about “the Mark of the Beast.” Scholars largely believe that the Beast was Emperor Nero of Rome. A papyrus scroll from the late third or early fourth century provides support to this claim.

As emperor, Nero’s face would have been on Roman currency, and Roman citizens would not be able to run a business without a letter bearing his seal. The mark of the Beast is both on the head and in hand.

A counter-argument is John wrote Revelations in Greek for a Greek audience. Because John wasn’t within the Roman Empire and Nero was dead, he had nothing to fear and wouldn’t need to use coded language. However, Nero traveled to Greece in A.D. 66 and was a lover of Greek culture. The Greeks even delayed the Olympic Games by one year so that Nero could be a competitor – a high honor.

Seen through this lens, it becomes more apparent why John the Elder would warn the Greek people, who held Nero in esteem. Although Revelations is believed to have been written 20 to 30 years after Nero’s appearance in the Olympic games, there was a widely held belief that Nero would return and rule in madness again.

John the Elder would have good reason to fear retribution from the Greeks themselves and the potential spiritual return of Nero. Additionally, the religious argument of the Mark of the Beast has been used for decades for other modern constructs. Examples include social security numbers, bank account numbers, credit cards, and licenses.

Other governments and businesses have honored the requests from the faithful who have previously demonstrated deeply held beliefs that align with religions against vaccination. However, faking deeply held religious beliefs is easily identified when a person’s behavior before January 21, 2020, is considered.

Thousands applied for Covid-19 vax religious exemptions – it’s unlikely many will get one

[KING COUNTY, Wash.] – (MTN) Today is the last day for many in Washington state to get the single dose Johnson & Johnson adenovirus-vector vaccine, or the second dose of the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna. With the number of people saying they’ll never get vaccinated down to 12% nationally and just over 8% in Washington, the anti-vaccination movement continues to shrink. Over 2,000 workers have applied for a religion-based vaccine exemption, and many have already been rejected.

Which religions hold the belief that followers should reject vaccinations?

To research this, we wanted to look back before 2020, and we decided to use a source from academia. The Health and Wellness portal of Vanderbilt University Medical Center has a white paper on the topic, published in 2010.

The short answer is none of the major religions nor their branches have an anti-vaccination doctrine. The multifaith movement Faith 4 Vaccines provides additional clarity. Over 70 religions are part of the group, which supports ongoing vaccination efforts and equitable distribution.

Some religions have come forward with direct statements to the faithful that getting a vaccination for Covid-19 is accepted in God’s eyes.

Even among religions people commonly believe are against vaccinations, faith leaders have stated their support pubicly, in some cases decades ago. The Church of Christ, Scientist, which strongly encourages members to rely on faith and prayer for healing, does not have an official doctrine against Western medicine or vaccinations.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses haven’t been against vaccination since 1952. In an article published in 2011, the group provided a list of health recommendations, including encouraging vaccination.

There are a few small sects, mostly aligned with Christianity, that have an established theological objection. That includes Dutch Reformed, Faith Tabernacle, Chuch of the First Born, Faith Assembly, and End Time Ministrie.

For the strictest adherents of Islam and Judaism, some shun vaccines and other Western medicine. Making a claim along these religious grounds while not having a demonstrated history of adhering to grooming, clothing, dietary, and work schedule requirements will likely be problematic during the evaluation process.

For those who follow a faith supportive of Covid-19 vaccination, there are two primary justifications for continuing to seek a religious exemption. The first is a firmly held belief against abortion.

We evaluated eight Covid-19 vaccines and found that five used cloned fetal cells in testing or development, and two used the cells in production. The Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines were tested on fetal stem cells, and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine used the cells during production.

The cells used in the vaccine development or testing come from a genome known as HEK-293. The original 293 cells were derived in 1973 from the kidney of an aborted human embryo. Hence the code, Human Embryonic Kidney – 293 – HEK-293. The cells were successfully cloned and have reproduced countless times, replicating every 24 to 48 hours.

Many hierarchical religions explored the implications of HEK-293 years ago and decided that the material does not represent human life. Additionally, HEK-293 has been used in the development, testing, or production of many common medications.

If you’ve ever taken any of these drugs or vaccines, especially the listed prescription drugs, a religious exemption request is probably in jeopardy.

  • Tylenol / Acetaminophen
  • Advil / Motrin / Ibuprofen
  • Aleve / Naproxen
  • Pseudoephedrine / Sudafed / SudoGest / Suphedrine (and we can add Meth to that list)
  • Diphenhydramine / Benadryl
  • Loratadine / Claratin
  • Dextromethorphan / Delsym / Robafen Cough / Robitussin
  • Guaifensin / Mucinex
  • Tums
  • Maalox
  • Docusate / Colace / Ex-Lax Stool Softner
  • Senna Glycoside / Sennoside / Senna / Ex-Lax / Senokot
  • Pepto-Bismol
  • Phenylephrine / Preparation H / Vazculep / Suphedrine PE
  • Mepyramine / Pyirlamine
  • Lidocaine / Lidoderm / Recticare
  • Levothyroxine / Synthroid / Tirosint / Levoxyl
  • Atorvastatin / Lipitor
  • Amlodipine / Norvasc
  • Metoprolol / Toprool XL / Lopressor
  • Omeprazole / Prilosec OTC / Zegerid OTC / OmePPi
  • Losartan / Cozaar
  • Albuterol / Salbutamol / ProAir / Ventolin
  • Sacubitril / Valsartan / Entresto
  • Tenapanor / Ibsrela
  • Enbrel / Etanercept
  • Azithromycin / Zithromax
  • Hydroxychloroquine / Plaquenil
  • Remdesivir / Veklury
  • Dapaglifozin / Farxiga / Ipragliflozin / Suglat / Enavoglifozin / Jardiance
  • Ivermectin / Stromectol
  • Canagliflozin / Invokana / Sulisent / Prominad
  • Metformin / Glucophage / Riomet / Glumetza
  • Cerivastatin / Baycol / Lipobay / Fluvastatin / Lescol / Pitavastatin / Livalo / Pravatatin / Pravachol / Rosuvatatin / Crestor
  • Simvastatin / FloLipid / Zocor
  • Oxbryta / Voxelotor
  • Lisinopril / Qbrelis / Zestril / Prinivil
  • Regeneron / regen-COV
  • Hepatitis A vaccine
  • Rubella vaccine
  • Varicella vaccine (chickenpox)
  • Zoster vaccine (shingles)
  • Rabies vaccine

This is a partial list of common drugs. Many other medications have used HEK-293 as part of their testing, development, or production.

At some point in their development, other common vaccinations, including Rubella, part of the MMR, Hepatitis B, Varicella (chickenpox), and Zoster (shingles), use HEK-293. For healthcare workers, the MMR, Hepatitis B, Varicella, and if over 50 years old, Zoster vaccines are required in Washington state. That includes EMTs, paramedics, firefighters, and police officers who hold an EMT certification as part of their job duties. If there is no historical objection to receiving these vaccines, reviewers will likely reject a religious exemption request.

The second objection among fundamentalist Christians is that receiving the vaccination is the Mark of the Beast.

16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Revelations 13:16-17 – King James Bible – Public Domain

The University of Chicago has an analysis of Biblical scripture and what John the Elder likely meant when he wrote about “the Mark of the Beast.” Scholars largely believe that the Beast was Emperor Nero of Rome. A papyrus scroll from the late third or early fourth century provides support to this claim.

As emperor, Nero’s face would have been on Roman currency, and Roman citizens would not be able to run a business without a letter bearing his seal. The mark of the Beast is both on the head and in hand.

A counter-argument is John wrote Revelations in Greek for a Greek audience. Because John wasn’t within the Roman Empire and Nero was dead, he had nothing to fear and wouldn’t need to use coded language. However, Nero traveled to Greece in A.D. 66 and was a lover of Greek culture. The Greeks even delayed the Olympic Games by one year so that Nero could be a competitor – a high honor.

Seen through this lens, it becomes more apparent why John the Elder would warn the Greek people, who held Nero in esteem. Although Revelations is believed to have been written 20 to 30 years after Nero’s appearance in the Olympic games, there was a widely held belief that Nero would return and rule in madness again.

John the Elder would have good reason to fear retribution from the Greeks themselves and the potential spiritual return of Nero. Additionally, the religious argument of the Mark of the Beast has been used for decades for other modern constructs. Examples include social security numbers, bank account numbers, credit cards, and licenses.

Other governments and businesses have honored the requests from the faithful who have previously demonstrated deeply held beliefs that align with religions against vaccination. However, faking deeply held religious beliefs is easily identified when a person’s behavior before January 21, 2020, is considered.