Tag Archives: covid-19

COVID-19 in 2024: Seven million doses later around Seattle, it’s time to get vaccinated ahead of respiratory virus season

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By Ava Gonzalez/UW News Lab

Despite the current low totals of COVID-19 and flu cases, health officials are warning against complacency as Seattle approaches peak respiratory virus season and a 7 million milestone fo total COVID-19 vaccine doses in King County since the start of the pandemic.

“While current COVID and flu cases are low, these numbers can be misleading as we head into the peak of the year’s illness season,” said Amy Xie, a CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer assigned to Seattle/King County Public Health. “The important message here is to not let our guard down.”

Since its release in late August, just under 7% of King County residents (approximately 162,000 people) have received the most recent vaccine, but recent count data of COVID-19 vaccination among residents shows a probable increase in numbers as the respiratory virus season approaches.

“The CDC recommends both the flu and COVID-19 vaccine at the same time for eligible people,” said Jessica A. Bender, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington and Co-Medical Director of the UW Long COVID Clinic. “We have seen over the last few years that this is very safe and effective, and it can be more convenient for people to avoid multiple trips to the doctor or pharmacy.” Continue reading →

New era? This Capitol Hill restaurant is ready to move on from its pandemic streatery

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A view out to the soon to be removed Barrio streatery

Some of the dining habits and street seating setups of the pandemic may never go away but times have changed enough for one Capitol Hill restaurant to move on from its COVID-era “streatery” and restore an increasingly rare feature along 12th Ave — street parking.

“We are selling our Streatery!,” Barrio Mexican Kitchen and Agave Bar announced this week. “Thank you to our guests, team, and neighbors for making covid a bit more bearable by enjoying this streatery with us, but the time has come to move on.”

Get your offers in now for the 60-foot long x 8-foot wide patio that the restaurant installed during the years of restrictions and precautions under a city program put in place to regulate the proliferation of street patios that sprung forward during the pandemic. Continue reading →

Seattle health officials say now is time to make appointments for latest COVID vaccine

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Officials at Seattle and King County Public Health are encouraging people to start arranging appointments following the CDC approval of updated COVID-19 vaccines.

“The new 2023-24 COVID-19 vaccines have been approved,” the health department’s announcement reads. “Some pharmacies and providers may have it in the next days and weeks. Check http://Vaccines.gov to find appointments or check with your provider.”

The CDC is recommending the new vaccines for the upcoming “fall/winter season” for everybody 6 months and older.

Officials are hoping to head off overlap of increasing COVID-19 infections with flu season and the seasonal rise in the spread of other respiratory viruses. Continue reading →

Seattle Commute Survey reveals new habits for workers on Mondays and Fridays and why we still have so much traffic even with everyone ‘working from home’

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(Image: King County Metro)

An annual survey of commuting habits in Seattle updated to capture new information about how the city’s residents have changed their commuting habits since the pandemic reveals insights about major changes in the work week, working remotely, and why we still have so much motor vehicle on the streets and highways even with so much work taking place in online meetings and by email.

First run in 2010, this year’s survey from the Mobility Innovation Center at the University of Washington and Commute Seattle provides new insights into the travel choices and patterns of workers and reveals simple takeaways like Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday commutes now differing significantly from Monday and Friday. Midweek, more workers physically commute to their workplaces, while on Mondays and Fridays, teleworking is more common. 39% of people in the Center City telework on Tuesday and Wednesday, while 57% telework on Friday.

There are more complicated — and more frustrating — takeaways. The survey shows that driving alone to work during peak hours in the Center City has declined since 2019. In that year, the rate was 26%, which fell to 25% in 2021 and 21% in 2022. However, transit use has slightly rebounded, with respondents reporting 22% public transit use in 2022, up from 18% in 2021. Nevertheless, transit use remains far below pre-pandemic levels, with 46% using public transit in 2019. Continue reading →

Report: Seattle a leader in COVID-19 recovery spending

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Seattle officials have nailed one aspect of overcoming the COVID-19 crisis — spending recovery funds. A report (PDF) from the City Budget Office shows Seattle is a leader in putting American Rescue Plan funding to work.

“According to a Bloomberg analysis of spending reports from across the country, on average as of last September, large cities and counties have spent 29% of their CLFR funds; Seattle has spent 75% of CLFR funds,” the city report notes. Continue reading →

Three years later: Capitol Hill in the first dark days of the pandemic

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There is no getting away from the fact that It will always be some anniversary of the pandemic. First presumptive cases. Masks. Vaccines. This week brings a milestone of the COVID-19 outbreak that, thankfully, already looks like the distant past. This week three years ago, CHS visited a dark Broadway and Pike/Pine as bars and restaurants closed and businesses locked up under some of the first restrictions of the pandemic.

“Monday night, CHS found a very quiet Capitol Hill,” we reported March 17th, 2020. “In 48 hours, the neighborhoods of Central Seattle transformed from warily busy pockets of activity to a state of battened down storefronts and handwritten signs imploring ‘we’re still open.’ The Comet Tavern was covered in plywood and coffee shop patrons lined up one by one, spread out as much as possible, for a warm cup on yet another weird day of COVID-19.” Continue reading →

Seattle, King County lifting COVID-19 vaccine requirement for employees — and sorting out what comes next for terminated workers

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(Image: City of Seattle)

Seattle and King County is ending COVID-19 vaccine requirements for its employees ending a 16-month mandate.

“The vaccine mandate was an effective and necessary tool for protecting the health and safety of City workers and the public we serve,” Mayor Bruce Harrell said in the announcement. “The City’s actions then and now have always been informed by the science of the pandemic and recommendations of public health officials – an approach based on data and dedicated to saving lives. Rooted in our shared values of safety and health equity, we will continue to follow this approach as we respond to next steps in the pandemic and continue to advance efforts to ensure a thriving and equitable recovery for all Seattle residents and neighbors.”

Instituted in October 2021, the requirements are some of the last vestiges of restrictions and protections put in place during the pandemic. October 2022 brought the official lifting of the civic emergency around the virus as Capitol HIll residents and businesses went through new restrictions and requirements including social distancing, mask, and vaccination mandates as officials tried to fine tune the public response to slowing the spread of the virus. The Inslee administration says the state of emergency orders resulted in Washington “having one of the lowest COVID death rates across all 50 states for the pandemic.” Continue reading →

With 73% of the population behind on COVID-19 vaccination, Seattle-King County health officials recommend indoor masking

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Might as well look cool — Zazzle lets you make custom facemasks (and fun CHS article illustrations)

Seattle and King County leaders have joined health officials across the state in calling for people to mask indoors as COVID and other respiratory viruses are running rampant heading into the holiday season and winter.

“Communities across our state and around the U.S. are experiencing an unprecedented surge in viral respiratory illnesses, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza and COVID-19,” the statement from Seattle and King County Public Health reads. “As health officers and health care leaders working to improve the health of Washington residents, we recommend that everyone wear a high-quality, well-fitting mask when around others in indoor spaces to protect against both acquiring and spreading these infections to others.”

The result is a lot of coughing and sneezing in the world right now pretty much everywhere you go or who you are with from groups of high school kids on the bus to the line at the QFC. Continue reading →

Seattle’s COVID-19 state of emergency ends

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Mayor Harrell and Gov. Inslee at an appearance at Capitol Hill’s Miller Community Center earlier this year

The state of emergency in Seattle and Washington declared nearly three years ago over COVID-19 ends today.

The lifting of the February 2020 emergency orders won’t change many day to day activities and rules around the city. Many elements of the emergency have already been canceled but the end of the emergency marks a new milestone in emerging from the pandemic across the state with the lifting of requirements like vaccination mandates.

“While we are grateful for the thousands of lives we saved together, thousands of lives were also lost, and many more were changed forever,” Gov. Jay Inslee said last week. “The past two and a half years have been some of the hardest anyone can remember. Through the loss and suffering, we did not lose faith and we did not abandon each other. Working together, we saved countless thousands of lives.” Continue reading →

With COVID-19 state of emergency coming to an end, First Hill’s Frye Art Museum adding new ‘mask-required hours’

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(Image: Jonathan Vanderweit/Frye)

The end of October will bring an end to nearly 1,000 days of Washington’s COVID-19 state of emergency. But, of course, it doesn’t bring the end of the pandemic. The transition is leaving many important decisions regarding life with the virus to individuals, private businesses, and organizations to sort out and find the best paths forward.

First Hill’s Frye Art Museum is taking steps to create a safe environment for all of its visitors by instituting new “mask-required hours” during the first Sunday of every month. Expect to see more similar solutions in Seattle.

“To accommodate immunocompromised individuals and those who prefer to visit when all guests and staff are required to mask, we offer mask-required hours on the first Sunday of the month from 11 am– 1 pm,” Frye’s announcement reads. Continue reading →