Tag Archives: king county health

Health and Lifestyle, Local

Washington COVID vaccination rate flatlines

[OLYMPIA] – (MTN) Hopes that Washington state could go to full reopening before June 30 crumbled today after the Washington Department of Health Updated the COVID Dashboard. According to the Department of Health, 68.0% of Washingtonians 16-years old and older have had at least one dose of the COVID vaccine. Governor Jay Inslee has previously announced the state would end almost all COVID business and health restrictions on June 30 or if the state achieved a 70% vaccination rate earlier.

Last week the state reported 67.8% had already received their first dose, and approximately 134,000 more residents over 16 needed to get the COVID vaccine. Based on existing vaccination rates, in theory, the state could have moved to reopen on June 25. Instead, it appears Washington will fall short of the 70% goal as residents who got their first dose have slowed to a snail’s pace.

It isn’t all bad news. According to the Biden Administration, over 70% of all residents in Washington over 18 have had at least once COVID dose, joining 12 other states in reaching the milestone. King County was the largest county in the United States to have over 70% of residents vaccinated, achieving King County Health’s goal on June 15.

The slowdown is happening nationally as the Delta variant of COVID is quickly becoming the dominant strain. Many people testing positive for COVID are unvaccinated, and hospitals report 95% to 99% of COVID patients are unvaccinated. Over 34 million Americans have had COVID, and up to 10 million suffer from long-term effects of the illness, known as COVID long haulers. Over 602,000 have died.

A number of false rumors have circulated over the last six months about the COVID vaccine. Disproven claims have included the vaccine includes microchips from Microsoft, trackers that connect to 5G, metal flakes that turn you magnetic, and programming that is somehow activated by 5G or the government.

Another challenge is outreach to low income, rural, minority, and English as a second language communities. Some areas are vaccine deserts, where residents do not have easy access to medical providers. In minority populations such as Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, and Pacific Islander, there is significant distrust in medical care in the United States due to historic mistreatment by the government. For non-English speakers, language barriers have existed in understanding how to get a vaccine or make an appointment.

Washington state has shifted its vaccination strategy to focus less on large scale vaccination centers to focus on mobile and pop-up clinics, and community outreach. King County is offering free transportation and childcare to get a vaccination. Childcare is also available for those who experience moderate side effects, which many have reported after their second dose.

In King County, you can visit the Department of Health website to find a vaccination clinic, and almost all locations support walk-up appointments. You can also visit the Facebook Group, Find a COVID Shot WA if you need language or technology assistance in making an appointment.

Health and Lifestyle, Local

67.8% of Washingtonians have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine

[OLYMPIA] – (MTN) According to the Washington State Department of Health, the state is just 2.2% away from its goal of 70% of residents 16 years old and above, with at least one dose of the COVID vaccine. By the numbers, roughly 134,000 more Washingtonians will need to get their first dose (or one dose Johnson & Johnson) to reach the goal of 70% inoculated. Currently, the state is administering 15,000 first doses a day, indicating on paper, we could be back to full reopening on June 25.

However, vaccination rates in the state are plummeting – down over 70% from mid-May. Washington state has provided a number of incentives to push over the finish line including a vaccine lottery, a specific lottery for veterans and military members, and other incentives such as free college tuition.

Federal data indicates that Washington state has already reached the 70% mark but there are differences in methodology. The federal data is counting adults 18 and over and is using older census data. Washington state is counting people 16 and over and using the more up-to-date population estimates.

King County Health announced on June 15 that the county achieved its goal of 70% of residents vaccinated. The King County mask mandate will end on June 29, 2021. In a press conference on Thursday, Governor Jay Inslee made it clear that by June 30, the state will be fully reopened.

King County residents can visit the King County Health, Getting Vaccinated page to find a vaccination site, get transportation assistance, and find childcare assistance.

Health and Lifestyle, Local

Ready to throw away your mask on June 29? Not so fast

[KIRKLAND] – (MTN) Yesterday, King County Health announced that the county had achieved 70% of those 16 and over completely vaccinated, and the indoor mask mandate would be ending on June 29. If you’re ready to throw your mask away, you might need to reconsider because even though the mask mandate itself is being lifted in King County, there remains plenty of exceptions.

Community living areas

Community living areas where people congregate without being able to socially distance such as homeless shelters, jails, and prisons will still require masks. That will include people who are visiting or work in these facilities.

Hospitals

Hospitals, medical art buildings, and surgical centers are required to continue the mask mandate for visitors, employees, and patients when they are waiting or involved in procedures where they don’t need to remove their face covering.

Public transportation

The mandate to wear masks on public transit such as commercial aircraft, ships, trains, light rail, and buses, is a federal mandate, not a state or county one. People will still need to wear a mask when using these forms of transportation. All of these services could decide to maintain mask requirements even if the federal requirements are lifted.

Federal buildings and property

The federal mask mandate is still in effect, however, pieces of it are being lifted. Until it is announced masks are still required inside federal buildings including offices, courthouses, and facilities at National Parks, National Forests, and Bureau of Land Management grounds.

Private businesses that still require masks

Private businesses such as restaurants, hotels, retailers, and venues, can still require masks for entry even after the county mandate ends. The request does not violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or HIPAA. Private companies can also request to see proof of vaccination as a condition of employment or entry. Private businesses that require masks do need to provide some alternative to shop such as personal shopping or curbside pick up.

Gray areas

We checked with the Washington State Department of Health on whether Uber, Lyft, taxi, or limousine services count as public transportation. We were told these services are not considered public transportation and do not fall under federal mandates. Until June 29, masks are still required but after that date, it will be up to the policy of the companies and their drivers.

According to the websites of Uber and Lyft, both have a no mask, no ride policy in place nationally regardless of local regulations. Yellow Cab and STITA Taxi did not have mask policies on their website.

One other thing to consider before you throw away your masks, especially if you have N-95 or KN-95 masks. Models still indicate we will have a significant fire season from California to British Columbia, and from Alberta to Texas. If we have our orange skies and chewy air, only N-95 and KN-95 masks are effective at blocking the soot and other small particulates in wildfire smoke.

Health and Lifestyle, Local

70% of King County is fully vaccinated for COVID – mask mandate ends on June 29

[SEATTLE] – (MTN) King County Health announced that the county is the largest in the nation to achieve 70% of the population 16 years and older fully vaccinated today, and will drop the indoor mask mandate on June 29. Currently, 77.8% of King County residents have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine, and 70% of those 16 and over have received both doses. The 14 day lag from the immunization milestone is to let the second dose for those who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccination reach full efficacy.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee had previously announced that Washington state would move to full reopening on June 30 or earlier if the state could achieve 70% of residents with at least one dose. It appears the state will get close to the goal but not achieve it.

Despite the victory, the vaccination rate for Latinx, Black, Indigenous, and Pacific Islander populations lag behind their white counterparts. King County is still experiencing 2 COVID deaths a day on average. Black/African American and Latinx residents have the lowest vaccination rates among racial/ethnic groups in King County, with about 52% have completed their vaccination series compared to 66% for Whites, 74% for Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders, 76% for American Indian/Alaskan Natives and 79% for Asian Americans.

New cases are down 90%, and the COVID Alpha variant first identified in the United Kingdom was responsible for a fourth wave of cases. Currently about 10% of those tested are testing positive for the Delta variant out of India. That variant is between 40% to 80% more contagious and is making people much sicker.

There have been signs of vaccination success, including closing the mass vaccination site at Lumen Field over the weekend. The county is offering free transportation to get vaccinated and is even offering free childcare for vaccination appointments and the recuperation period. Although side effects are mild, many have reported feeling fatigued, experiencing headaches, and having brain fog 24 to 48 hours after the second dose for a day or two. The one-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine has been reported to have lesser side effects, but that evidence is anecdotal.

Vaccine hesitancy still is holding along political lines. Twenty-eight percent of Republicans and 20% of Independents have stated they will not get vaccinated. However, in that same survey 50% also reported they were taking a wait and see approach, and were somewhat likely or likely to get vaccinated in the future.

If you or a family member needs to get vaccinated in King County, you can visit the Getting Vaccinated King County page on the Public Health website.

Health and Lifestyle, Local

Governor to announce which counties move back to Phase 2 Tuesday

[SEATTLE] – (MTN) Governor Jay Inslee is expected to announce which Washington counties will move back to Phase 2 as COVID cases and hospitalizations continue to increase. The latest data from King County Health indicated new cases may have hit a plateau, while hospitalizations increased significantly over the weekend.

The health department reported 242.3 cases per 100,000 and hospitalizations increasing to 6.5 per 100,000. These numbers are significantly above requirements to stay in Phase 3 and a rollback is widely expected.

King County Health Key Indicator Dashboard for May 3, 2021

According to the website COVID Act Now, King County ICU utilization improved slightly over the weekend to 72%. Yakima, Benton, Thurston, Pierce, Clark, and Kitsap counties are reporting total ICU utilization of over 85% with Yakima county at a troubling 96%.

Hospital systems across Washington are universally reporting seeing younger patients who are coming into emergency departments much sicker than during previous surges. The latest data from the Washington Department of Health indicates that people 20 to 29 are overwhelming the largest group testing positive for COVID. Seventy-two percent of those testing positive for COVID are from birth to 49 years old.

Currently, four counties are in Phase 2. Cowlitz, Pierce, and Whitman counties went to Phase 2 on April 16, and Ferry county went to Phase 2 on an emergency basis on April 30. Skamania and Ferry counties have some of the highest positive test rates in the United States and the Seattle, Spokane, and Mount Vernon metro areas are in the top 100 metros for daily new COVID cases.

Health and Lifestyle, Local

Judgement Day – COVID case numbers indicate Phase 2 ahead for King County

[SEATTLE] – (MTN) Data from King County Health indicated COVID spread was accelerating in King County as officials start their review of statewide infection rate and hospitalization data to determine which counties will move back to Phase 2 on May 6. On Friday new COVID cases in King County were 245.5 per 100,000 and hospitalizations had grown to 6.1 per 100,000. Both numbers are significantly above the requirements to stay in Phase 2.

In Ferry County, officials announced they voluntarily moved back to Phase 2 on Friday in an attempt to contain a major outbreak caused by an indoor super spreader event on April 9-11. Ten percent of the town of Republic has tested positive since the Fraternal Order of Eagles held a self-described “recruiting event” featuring live entertainment. A person infected with COVID connected to the event died on Friday, according to a report in The Spokesman-Review.

Ferry County Hospital, a 25-bed facility, has been overwhelmed with patients, transferring the sickest individuals to hospitals in Spokane and Wenatchee. COVID positivity in the county exceeds 25% indicating significant under-testing and widespread community transmission.

A review of data available from the Washington Department of Health indicated that 31% of all COVID cases detected in the county have happened in the last 19 days. Ferry County has the second-lowest single-dose vaccination rate in Washington and the third-lowest fully vaccinated rate, according to the latest data from the Springfield News-Leader.

Technically, Ferry County remained qualified to stay in Phase 3 but with city offices in Republic working on reduced hours due to so many sickened and other community impact, officials felt there was a critical need to introduce stronger measures.

In King County, hospitalization rates for COVID increased 15% in a week and were not showing signs of abating. Thirteen counties are at risk of going back to Phase 2. Currently, 4 counties, including Ferry, have moved backward in the last 2 weeks.

State officials will announce on Monday which counties will move back to Phase 2 and any other measures that will be taken to help slow the spread. The biggest impact is reducing indoor occupancy rates at public venues such as restaurants, gyms, and stores to 25%.

BIPOC, Editorial, Health and Lifestyle, Local, National

Malcontentment Happy Hour: April 28, 2021

Video

Our live webcast from the former Seattle Anarchist Jurisdiction

Content Warning

Editor’s Note: This show contains multiple videos of events that some viewers may find disturbing including graphic violence. Viewer discretion is advised.

The show from April 28, 2021, featured David Obelcz and our co-host Jennifer Smith.

  • Exodus from the Seattle Police Department continues
  • All Fireworks Banned in King County Beginning in 2022
  • Auburn Police Treat Road Rage Victim Like a Criminal Suspect
  • King County Health Tells Business Leaders to Prepare for Phase 2 COVID Restrictions
  • Was the Stabbing In Bothell and the Shooting in Rainier Beach Asian-bias Crimes?
  • Malcontented Minuted – Police Edition
    • Video shows Police seconds before the raid of Andrew Brown, Junior’s Home in Elizabeth City, North Carolina
    • Video shows police officers fist-bumping and celebrating the injuries they caused to a 73-year old Alzheimer’s Patient
    • Stephanie Bottom, 66, in brutalized by North Carolina police on body cam and is starting a federal lawsuit
    • Virginia police officer misidentifies a cellphone as a gun and shoots Isaiah Brown 10 times
    • Bodycam video of Anthony Alvarez being shot by Chicago Police shows him running away
    • Two Hialeah, Florida Police officers have been arrested for writing fake traffic tickets
    • Bodycam video released on April 28 shows Lymond Moses being shot by police after a pretext welfare check because he was sleeping in his car
    • Tennessee police officer fired for high-fiving a suspect who used a racial slur during the arrest
    • Bodycam video of Mario Gonzalez being arrested in Almeda, California shows officers restaining him for over 5 minutes before he dies in custody
    • Prince Georges police officer arrested on multiple charges, including first-degree assault, after fellow officers turn him in for treatment of a Black teen suspect
  • Colleen Echohawk on Native-American Women Leaders

Health and Lifestyle, Local

King County COVID cases keep climbing as officials tell businesses to prepare for Phase 2

[SEATTLE] – (MTN) The latest numbers for COVID cases and hospitalizations show a worsening situation with new COVID cases now 236 per 100,000 residents and hospitalizations up to 5.7 per 100,000 residents. To remain in Phase 3, new cases must be below 200 per 100,000 and hospitalizations under 5.0.

King County COVID Key Indicators for April 28, 2021 show cases and hospitalizations continue to surge

King County Public Health Director Patty Hayes warned business owners to get prepared, “We should expect that the announcement next week will be that King County will move back to Phase two.”

According to the website COVID Act Now, Washington has a 6.2% positivity rate and 76% of available ICU beds are utilized statewide. A positivity rate over 5% indicates under testing and ICU utilization over 80% is considered high. The 7-day moving average for new cases is 1,424, almost doubling since March 22 when the county moved to Phase 3.

The biggest impact is a rollback to 25% occupancy for businesses such as restaurants, bars, gyms, and yoga studios.

King County is not alone in dealing with surging COVID cases with numbers worsening in Pierce and Snohomish County.

Health and Lifestyle, Local

COVID cases and hospitalizations continue to grow in King County

[SEATTLE] – (MTN) King County appears to be destined to fall back to Phase 2 as COVID cases grew to 229 per 100,000 and hospitalizations increased to 5.5 per 100,000 in the latest data released from King County Health. To stay in Phase 3, new cases must be below 200 per 100,000 and hospitalizations below 5.0. The hospitalization number is most troubling, growing more than 25% from 4.3 per 100,000 to 5.5 in a little more than a week.

King County Health COVID dashboard indicates that cases start to increase after the county moved to Phase 3

COVID hospitalization and infection rates haven’t been this high since January, and the upward trend is similar to the third wave that tore through the state in November 2020. The majority of hospitalizations due to COVID are for those under 50 years old, with 40% of hospitalizations for people under 40 years old. Evergreen Hospital in Kirkland saw COVID hospitalizations increase 19% overnight. Despite younger and perceived healthier people being hospitalized, many with the B.1.1.7 U.K variant, the state mortality rate is 1.4%.

King County Health reports that almost 61% of county residents have received at least one dose of COVID vaccine, and 39% are fully vaccinated. Both King and Pierce counties are reporting thousands of available slots for vaccination for anyone over 16 without an appointment. Lumen Field and Seattle and the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma are mass vaccination sites with excess capacity.

The CDC announced new guidelines today on masks, saying vaccinated individuals no longer need to wear a mask outside unless they are in a large group setting. A quick survey around Kirkland and Bellevue showed high mask compliance outdoors, despite the change in guidance.

A move back to Phase 2 would reduce the capacity inside restaurants, bars, gyms, yoga studios, and other retailers from 50% to 25%. It would cause the closure of public entertainment facilities such as theaters and performance centers and could cause the closure of T-Mobile Park, just as the Mariners have started play.

Pierce County dropped back to Phase 2 on April 16, and restaurants are reporting a 25% drop in business while foot traffic is also down.

The challenges in Washington state are not unique, with Oregon experiencing its own surge. The CDC COVID data tracker indicates that the entire eastern seaboard except Georgia is experiencing widespread transmission. Hospital utilization by COVID patients is trending high in eastern Massachusetts, New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, District of Columbia, south Florida, Houston, southern California, southeast Michigan, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Portland, and the metro Seattle area.

Texas, Wyoming, Arizona, Louisiana, Tennessee, Missouri, Nebraska, and Iowa are showing a significant surge in new cases reporting in the last 7 days.

Health and Lifestyle, Local

King County on the brink of stepping back to Phase 2

[KIRKLAND] – (MTN) The latest data indicates that King County is on the bring of falling backward to Phase 2 when the state Department of Health does their next evaluation on May 2. New cases per 100,000 are up to 217.5 and hospitalizations are 4.8. To remain in Phase 3, new cases must be below 200 per 100,000 people and hospitalizations below 5.0. According to the Department of Health, 85.4% of all ICU beds are utilized in King County, 12.2% with COVID-19 patients.

Pierce County, which moved back to Phase 2 on April 16, has not made enough progress on reversing the trend in the county. Cases are at 217.3 per 100,000 and hospitalizations are 7.2. Snohomish County is also at risk of dropping to Phase 2 next week. Hospitalizations have more than doubled since last month and new cases are 205.0 per 100,000.

Moving to Phase 2 would drop occupancy of restaurants and other facilities to 25% and could potentially end spectators at sporting events at high school, college, and professional levels.

On Friday, Dr. Jeff Durchin of King County Health explained, “King County entered Phase 3 with the rest of Washington state on March 22, at a time when cases and hospitalizations were already on the rise. Since that time, our 7-day average case numbers have risen by 70 percent, and hospitalization rates have increased by 75 percent.”

King County dashboard for April 24, 2021, at 10:00 AM

State, county, and hospital officials all echoed the same observations. New cases are mostly COVID variants such as B.1.1.7 from the United Kingdom. A majority of hospitalized patients are in their 30s and 40s and are presenting with extreme illness. One area hospital is canceling elective surgeries due to its patient load.

Currently, 36% of all King County residents are fully immunized and 57% have received at least one dose. The National Institute of Health, CDC, and other federal officials have stopped talking about achieving herd immunity, taking a more muted position due to vaccination hesitancy. The number of people being vaccinated is slowing down, with hundreds of available appointments in South King County going unused late this week.

Among the Black population of Washington, only 47% have received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine. Distrust in vaccination programs born out of historical medical experiments conducted by the government on Black populations has created distrust and fear.

King County can move the numbers in the right direction before the May 2 evaluation. Wearing masks even if vaccinated, limiting exposure to people, and sticking with to-go options for restaurants and alcoholic beverages can help lower the positivity rate.