West Seattle, Washington
24 Tuesday
As the new statewide restrictions start taking effect, here’s tonight’s roundup of virus-crisis news:
WHAT’S TAKING EFFECT AND WHAT’S NOT: First a reminder about what the governor announced on Sunday. Everything takes effect at midnight tonight EXCEPT the end of indoor service for restaurants/bars – that’s not until midnight Tuesday night.
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: On to today’s daily summary from Public Health – the cumulative countywide totals:
*35,209 people have tested positive, 672 more than yesterday’s total
*829 people have died, 1 more than yesterday’s total
*2,867 people have been hospitalized, 33 more than yesterday’s total
*598,646 people have been tested, 1,096 more than yesterday’s total++++
One week ago, the totals were 31,244/812/2,643/573,962. (++++The county says the number of new test results and people tested is “underreported” because of a delay in data from the state.)
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them – nation by nation – here.
MORE NEARBY TESTING: In addition to the city’s 6-days-a-week testing, you have an extra opportunity tomorrow (Tuesday, November 17th) – noon-4 pm in White Center; details here.
NEED FOOD? 3 chances coming up – first, Food Lifeline will distribute free emergency boxes of food to anyone who shows up, 2-5 pm Friday (November 20th) at its South Park HQ, 815 S. 96th.; then, two events on Saturday – starting at 9 am, the Eastridge Church turkey-and-groceries giveaway (39th/Oregon), and 2-4 pm, the Greater Filipino-American SDA Church has 50 holiday food boxes (turkey and groceries) to give out, first-come first-served (2620 SW Kenyon).
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
(WSB file photo)
Not all local businesses face changes because of the new pandemic-related restrictions – some were already operating under those same guidelines. Among them, longtime WSB sponsor Illusions Hair Design (5619 California SW), which wants you to know it has been open and will remain open, as “personal services” :
Since opening up again in June, we have been operating at 25% with safety of staff & clients at a high priority. With the new rules, we will not need to change anything we have been doing currently. We do need to stress that clients MUST have reviewed our current COVID-19 protocols, and have filled out and submitted our online waiver (illusionshairdesign.com) prior to their first appointment. We ask that any client who has recently traveled out of state to not schedule until they have followed the state quarantine guidelines (currently set at 14 days). All clients with appointments are required to call from their vehicle when they arrive at the salon, and wait for instructions on entry time. We remain open M-F, and clients can currently schedule through Dec. 23 (unless we get completely shut down).
If people are interested in purchasing any of our retail items, and they do not have an appointment, we encourage them to call during business hours for item availability. We will take their credit card over the phone, and have their items available for curbside pickup (the same day if timing works out). Clients can always call our 24-hour phone line and leave a message about setting up an appointment or for retail purchase requests. 206-938-3675
Hair salons are under the “personal services” category in state guidelines, with 25 percent maximum indoor occupancy (see #14 here).
Just in from Senior Center of West Seattle executive director Amy Lee Derenthal:
Following the Governor’s new restrictions announced Sunday, the Senior Center of West Seattle will be closed for most in-person programming beginning today.
The Senior Center will continue to provide essential services including weekday lunch delivery, food bank distributions, Meals on Wheels distributions, social worker outreach and phone counseling. If you are in need of services, please contact the Senior Center for help.
The Senior Center will continue to provide a variety of online and virtual classes, programs and social opportunities. Check out the list of activities on the Senior Center’s website.
The Senior Center’s Stop-n-Shop Thrift Shop, located at 4504 California Ave. SW, will remain open with a limited schedule. Hours are Thursday-Sunday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and Monday from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. (Donations accepted by appointment.)
Questions or to access resources: Contact us at 206-932-4044 or visit sc-ws.org.
As reported here earlier, the governor has announced a new round of restrictions aimed mostly at local businesses. (Here’s the governor’s office document with the complete list.) Many businesses that were already required to operate at reduced capacity are now under orders to cut back further.
Your spending decisions matter more than ever. A dollar spent with a local independent business has direct impact on whether we’ll still have a local independent business community when this is past. And the West Seattle Bridge closure, about to go into its ninth month, has intensified the need for local businesses.
So we’re going to do what we did when the first wave of restrictions happened back in March. We’re going to step up all the info we can bring you about local businesses. In the next few days before restaurants/bars are required to suspend indoor service, for example, we’re going to refresh/relaunch the food/drink-establishment list we launched back in March (which has been used almost 100,000 times), with updated information about takeout and outdoor service. We’ll also be collecting, for our forthcoming holiday guide, information about local retailers with online shopping.
If you’re a businessperson, we invite you to send us a quick update (hours, link for online ordering/shopping, whether you have in-house delivery, curbside service, outdoor service or shopping, etc.). We’ll do our best to proactively gather updates too, but help is appreciated. westseattleblog@gmail.com – or if texting is more convenient, 206-293-6302 – thank you!
11:02 AM: As previewed last night, Gov. Jay Inslee is briefing the media on new restrictions to try to stop the surge of COVID-19 – the feed (and afterward, archived video) is above. His office says he’s being joined by “Dr. George Diaz, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards, King County Executive Dow Constantine, State Health Officer Kathy Lofy, and Spokane COVID unit nurse Clint Wallace.” We’ll post notes as it goes, and will link official documents when they’re available too.
The governor says this is “the most dangerous day” in our state’s public health history, in more than a century – the “third wave” of the pandemic – and says the virus cannot be “left unchecked. … Inaction here is not an option.” He stresses that the biggest concern is that the health-care system will be overwhelmed. He then recaps the current stats, including another statewide daily record yesterday in number of cases, and another one expected today.
This is a “more dangerous” place than we were in last March, he says.
11:08 AM: He says he’s announcing executive orders “to give us reasonable hope” that the virus can be gotten back under oontrol. The restrictions will be in place until December 14th, and will take effect at midnight Monday. They include:
*Indoor social gatherings with people from outside your home are prohibited unless people have quarantined for 14 days or (added) quarantined 7 days AND received a negative test less than 48 hours ahead
*Outdoor gatherings limited to 5 people
*No indoor operations for bars/restaurants
*Indoor retail limited to 25 percent capacity, including grocery stores
*Personal services also limited to 25 percent capacity
*Religious services limited to 25 percent indoor capacity – with some restrictions on live music; no choirs
*Indoor service closed at fitness facilities and gyms
*Youth and adult amateur sporting activities limited to outdoors only with facial coverings
*Bowling alleys, museums, zoos, aquariums, and movie theaters closed for indoor services
*Timeline: “The restrictions are statewide and will take effect Monday, November 16 at 11:59 PM and will remain in effect until Monday, December 14. The modified restrictions of restaurants, however, will take effect Wednesday, November 18 at 12:01 AM.”
(List has been updated; more info here … and here’s the complete list.)
He acknowledges that restrictions are painful for businesses and employees – but “what’s at stake here is life itself.”
He says he’s committing another $50 million in business “grants and loans” before year’s end to try to get businesses more help. “But we know that’s not enough … but it’s what we’ve been able to do so far.” He says they’re also trying “to get the federal government to step up to the plate” and send more help to people. If that doesn’t happen, he says, the state will talk to legislators about unspecified “other” possibilities.
He also says guidance for child care and education is NOT changing.
11:18 AM: Now Dr. Lofy, the state health officer, is speaking. She notes the state’s daily case numbers have doubled recently and hospitalizations are increasing too. She says the “rationale” for the governor’s announcements are based on the newest knowledge about how the virus can spread, through “aerosols,” and that indoor exposure is the biggest danger. Droplets and aerosol particles can even travel beyond 6 feet, she says. She also says it’s not easy to pinpoint where people get infected. But “if we act now, we can be successful.”
11:27 AM: After the nurse says conditions are as bad as he’s seen them, Mayor Durkan speaks. She thanks everyone for their response over the months – “I want to call out Seattle residents and businesses for taking the pandemic so seriously … their actions have saved lives.” She notes that while Seattle hospitals are not overwhelmed yet, the hospitalization rate is increasing. She says she’ll be working on more small-business relief and more flexibility for outdoor dining. “We will continue to fast-track those programs.” She also says the city needs the state and feds to do everything they can. “Please show some love for your local businesses … go and buy from local restaurants and local shops,” she adds.
Next up is Executive Constantine. “Every generation has its sacrifice … this is our moment.” For the businesses and workers that are sacrificing most, “we owe them our patronage,” he says. He also thanks people for doing what they can, saying 93 percent of people in the state are wearing masks “in the appropriate circumstances.”
11:44 AM: The governor insists “there is light at the end of the tunnel.” He also urges people not to hoard (this as we received a reader photo of a long line outside 4th Avenue Costco). He repeats that action is important now, not once things get even worse. “We make the decision about whether this pandemic is going to swallow us whole.” He says “the single most important message” is that “the single most dangerous place … is inside our own homes” if people are socializing there with people from outside their households. Then he goes to Q&A.
Why crack down further on businesses when they’re not the most dangerous place? is the first question. They’re “not doing anything wrong’ by operating, says the governor, but “we have to close this window of transmission, every window we can.”
No further limits on pro/college sports, he says, in response to a question. He says the teams already have “rigorous” precautions in place.
Why restrict grocery stores when they’re not a major outbreak source? He says it’s not a major change, as they’re currently supposed to be limited to 30 percent – dropping that to 25 percent is an issue of “equity” among retailers.
What metrics will determine if these do indeed end after four weeks? Nothing specific but “at a minimum” they hope to see a decrease in “the rate of infection.”
Though construction does not have new restrictions, the governor says they’re watching it closely and “hope we get better compliance” with existing rules.
Will there be a special legislative session for business relief? Right now the governor says they don’t believe that’s necessary, that they should be able to take action without it, but he also warns that they have to figure out a way “to finance” more help. (He later noted that they’re thinking about a “state substitute” for federal help but they’d have to be “very creative” in figuring out where the money would come from, given that there’s already a multi-billion-dollar “hole” in the budget.)
What about enforcement for businesses that don’t comply? They’ll be asked to comply, the governor says, but if they don’t, action could be taken (liquor licenses could be pulled, for example).
Why did he just loosen the restrictions for restaurants a month-plus ago, only to now crack down again? He says they were hoping the fall surge wouldn’t happen … but it did.
Are further restrictions possible? “Obviously” – but he hopes they won’t be necessary.
12:33 PM: The briefing is over. The window above will display the archived video soon; also above, we’ve updated the list of restrictions that were announced, with a link to the governor’s first online post, and will add anything more (such as detailed proclamation documents) that emerges today.
3:54 PM: Here’s the document with all the newly announced “guidance.”
On the eve of new restrictions, here’s the latest on the pandemic:
GOVERNOR SPEAKS AT 11 AM: As announced tonight, he’ll be joined by the mayors of Seattle and Tacoma, and the King County Executive. The stream will be here, and we’ll feature it here too, with as-it-happens toplines.
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: First, here are the cumulative totals from Public Health‘s daily-summary dashboard:
*33,995 people have tested positive, 627 more than yesterday’s total
*828 people have died, unchanged from yesterday’s total
*2,798 people have been hospitalized, 7 more than yesterday’s total
*592,199 people have been tested, 4,464 more than yesterday’s total
One week ago, those totals were 30,415/811/2,635/567,658.
WEST SEATTLE TREND: Here’s our weekly check of this stat, with numbers accessible in two-week increments via the “geography over time” tab on the daily-summary dashboard, combining the totals from the West Seattle and Delridge “health reporting areas.” As with the county in general, we’re continuing on a big upswing – in the past 2 weeks, 329 positive test results were reported; 103 in the 2 weeks before that; 59 in the two weeks before that.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 53.9 million people have tested positive, and more than 1,311,000 people have died; U.S. deaths have passed 245,000. Most cases: U.S., India, Brazil, France, Russia (same top three as last week, while #4 and #5 traded places). See the breakdown, nation by nation, here.
CLOSURES & REOPENINGS: We started the day with word of one more COVID-related restaurant/bar closure and within a few hours, there was word of four more – the list grew to Shadowland, Supreme, Can Bar, Pizzeria 22, Ma’ono. Meantime, two closures we’d reported earlier are over – Mashiko and Zeeks (WS) have reopened.
DONATION DRIVES TOMORROW: First, our weekly reminder – the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle is at California/Alaska every Sunday, by the Farmers’ Market entrance, 10 am-1:30 pm, collecting new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots. … Also tomorrow, socks and food will be collected outside Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds), 10 am-3 pm.
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
5:09 PM: Two nights ago, Gov. Inslee said he expected “additional measures” within a few days to try to crack down on COVID-19. Tonight, it looks like he’ll make the announcement tomorrow. That’s according to email from the Washington Food Industry Association to its measures; we’ve received a copy. The email says the governor’s office briefed the WFIA’s president today, with word of new restrictions including:
*A ban on indoor social gatherings
*No indoor service for restaurants/bars (takeout and limited outdoor service will continue)
*25% capacity limit for retail, including grocery stores
(It’s been 5 1/2 months since limited indoor dining started being allowed again.) We haven’t yet received an official announcement from the governor’s office; though the WFIA memo said the announcement is expected around 10 tomorrow morning, multiple regional news outlets say 11 am.
7:33 PM: The official announcement is finally in, confirming the 11 am time; it’ll be streamed here (and we’ll carry the stream here too). No details in the announcement other than that it’s a media briefing with “an update on the state’s response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” and adding:
The governor will be joined by:
Dr. George Diaz, infectious disease physician, Providence Regional Medical Center, Everett
Jenny Durkan, mayor, Seattle
Victoria Woodards, mayor, Tacoma
Dow Constantine, county executive, King CountyDr. Kathy Lofy, state health officer and Nick Streuli, external affairs director, will be available for questions.
11:09 AM: Thanks for the tips. Shadowland in The Junction is the latest to announce a closure after positive COVID-19 testing. The restaurant/bar announced online that “a customer alerted us that they tested positive for COVID-19. Shortly after, one of our employees’ results came back positive as well. Out of an abundance of caution, Shadowland will not be open until all of our staff members have tested negative, and our restaurant has been fully sanitized.” This is at least the sixth West Seattle COVID-related closure announced in the past week; our ongoing coverage is archived here.
11:37 AM: Make that at least eight closures. Moments after we published this, commenters pointed to online announcements by both Supreme in The Junction and Can Bar in South Delridge that they too are closed temporarily after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19.
Meantime, another of the previously announced closures is ending – Mashiko has announced that “the test results are pouring in negative” and that the restaurant will reopen tonight. (Added: Allison from Mashiko emailed to confirm everyone tested negative.)
1:18 PM: And another announcement: Pizzeria 22 in The Admiral District, which says a staff member has tested positive, and offers a broader message:
Effective immediately we will be closed until all our employees have been tested and quarantined for the appropriate time frame as per King County Public Health guidelines. We will then perform a thorough sanitation of our entire establishment and will reopen when or if deemed safe by city, county, and State officials.
Please note that many restaurants in West Seattle have now closed due to Covid-19. We are all in this together and we encourage you to please wear a mask , wash your hands and practice social distancing. And please continue to support your local restaurants and businesses that are still open. We will get through this and we look forward to safely reopening soon.
1:28 PM: And as just also pointed out in comments (thank you), Ma’ono has announced a temporary closure because of an employee’s positive test.
37 weeks now since the Friday night announcement that King County had its first case of COVID-19 – and tonight’s case total sets a record:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily summary:
*33.368 people have tested positive, 798 more than yesterday’s total
*828 people have died, 2 more than yesterday’s total
*2,791 people have been hospitalized, 19 more than yesterday’s total
*587,735 people have been tested, 4.255 more than yesterday’s total
One week ago, those totals were 29,997/811/2,633/564,082.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 53.3 million cases, 1,302,000+ deaths – see the nation-by-nation numbers here.
TRAVEL ADVISORY: Last night, Gov. Inslee mentioned “additional measures” in the days ahead. He made one announcement today via news release:
Gov. Jay Inslee issued a travel advisory for Washington today, recommending a 14-day quarantine for interstate and international travel and asks residents to stay close to home. Inslee joined California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Oregon Gov. Kate Brown in urging visitors entering their states or returning home from travel outside these states to self-quarantine to slow the spread of the virus. …
In addition to urging individuals arriving from other states or countries to self-quarantine for 14 days after arrival, the states’ travel advisories recommend individuals limit their interactions to their immediate household. The advisories define essential travel as travel for work and study, critical infrastructure support, economic services and supply chains, health, immediate medical care, and safety and security.
Read the full advisory document here.
NEED TESTING? Our weekly reminder – the city-operated testing site in West Seattle – south side of the Southwest Athletic Complex parking lot (2801 SW Thistle) – is open Saturdays (as well as weekdays). Go here to choose an appointment time before you go.
IF YOU CAN HELP … here are two more local donation drives, one through the holiday season, one this Sunday.
GOT INFO OR PHOTOS? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!
No new crackdown yet, but the governor hinted something’s in the works:
INSLEES’ ADDRESS: Earlier tonight, Gov. Jay Inslee and wife Trudi Inslee gave a seven-minute address, echoing what health authorities said two days ago – stop socializing, and stay home for the holidays. The governor mentioned in passing that “additional measures” were expected in a few days.
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: Still on the rise. From the Public Health daily-summary dashboard, the cumulative totals – and no disclaimer for the first number:
*32,570 people have tested positive, up 622 from yesterday’s total
*826 people have died, up 10 from yesterday’s total
*2,772 people have been hospitalized, up 19 from yesterday’s total
*583,480 people have been tested, up 4,391 from yesterday’s total
One week ago, those totals were 29,465/810/2,629/558,794.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them, county by county, on the state Department of Health page,.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 52.6 million cases worldwide, 10.5 million of them in the U.S. See the nation-by-nation breakout here.
WS FOOD BANK CLOSED AGAIN TOMORROW: The West Seattle Food Bank was closed today and will remain closed tomorrow after a “helper” tested positive. WSFB advises calling 211 if you’re having a food emergency. Also note: Free emergency food boxes are available again 2-5 pm tomorrow at Food Lifeline HQ (815 S. 96th).
2 RESTAURANT UPDATES: Mashiko announced a temporary closure because a “family member” was exposed; Talarico’s reopened after a four-day closure also blamed on an employee’s family member testing positive.
GOT PHOTOS/TIPS? 206-293-6302, text or voice, or westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
5:30 PM: Just under way in Olympia, Governor Jay Inslee and the state’s first lady Trudi Inslee have a message for you about the surging COVID-19 pandemic. Watch live (and later, archived) above; we’ll add notes as it goes.
“We have to rethink the holidays,” he begins, saying his family will share the holidays “virtually.” But, he promises, “we’re only going to have to do this once … We’re optimistic that Thanksgiving 2021 will be the best ever. But this year, it’s just too dangerous.” Scrapping plans to gather in person “is an act of love,” he says. “Please don’t gather with people outside your household … Our weekly number of COVID cases has doubled in the past two weeks … We’re in a time of exponential growth.” He says some “further measures” to tamp down the pandemic will be announced “in the past few days,” but right now, he says, what you do in your personal life matters the most.
“We’re all fatigued, and it’s OK to feel not OK right now,” Trudi Inslee says. The governor urges “difficult conversations” with relatives if that’s what it takes. “This is a temporary situation … we WILL get back to normal,” he reiterates.
They conclude the 7-minute address by thanking everyone in the state for “having (each other’s) back.”
5:58 PM: Archived video of the address is now playable above.
Another West Seattle restaurant has announced a temporary closure. Just posted by Mashiko in The Junction:
Unfortunately Mashiko will be closing temporarily. We have had a COVID exposure to a family member and will not reopen until everyone gets tested and the results come back negative. Stay safe everyone and hopefully we will see you soon.
Thanks for the tips on this. It’s at least the fourth local restaurant with a temporary closure since Sunday (after Talarico’s, Zeeks, and Haymaker).
10:37 AM: Another closure just announced because of a positive COVID-19 test. We received this from West Seattle Food Bank executive director Fran Yeatts:
The West Seattle Food Bank will be closed for distribution today, Thursday, November 12. Last night we learned that a helper at the Food Bank tested positive for COVID-19. We’re not too concerned about exposure as all were wearing masks, socially distanced, and outside most of the time, but we do want to make sure we follow all protocols and keep everyone safe.
We will keep you all posted as we determine our operating status moving forward. Anyone needing food today can call 211 for additional resources.
We thank you all for your support and are truly sorry for any inconvenience this will cause anyone in the community. We will work diligently to reopen as quickly as possible.
As mentioned in our daily preview, with the pandemic in a surge, the governor has an address to the state planned tonight at 5:30. Meantime, all our ongoing pandemic-related news can be accessed any time by going here.
4:28 PM: An update:
The West Seattle Food Bank will be closed for food distribution again tomorrow, Friday, Nov. 13th. However, home deliveries already scheduled will be going out tomorrow. We are waiting to confirm with King County Public Health that we can get back to normal hours next week.
Tonight’s local pandemic-related toplines:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily-summary dashboard, the cumulative totals:
*31,948 people have tested positive, 372 more than yesterday’s total
*816 people have died, unchanged from yesterday’s total
*2,753 people have been hospitalized, 9 more than yesterday’s total
*579.089 people have been tested, 3,575 more than yesterday’s total
One week ago, the four totals we track were 28,948/809/2,621/550,631.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them, county by county, on the state Department of Health page,.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them, nation by nation, here.
COVID CLOSURES: Two more local restaurants are temporarily closed as of today after positive COVID-19 tests: Zeeks Pizza told its West Seattle staff that an employee had tested positive; Haymaker said its West Seattle and Eastlake locations are both closed after a staff member’s positive test.
NEED TESTING? West Seattle has one of the major citywide free testing sites, in the Southwest Athletic Complex parking lot at 2801 SW Thistle, open 8:45-5:30 Mondays through Saturdays. Go here to get an appointment.
GOT INFO? Email us at westseattleblog@gmail.com or phone us, text or voice, at 206-293-6302 – thank you!
Our second report of the day about a West Seattle restaurant temporarily closing following a positive COVID-19 test: The sign at Haymaker in The Junction simply announces a closure for today and tomorrow, but the restaurant explains it online:
Out of an abundance of caution and commitment to do the right thing, we will be closing both Haymaker East and West after an employee tested positive for Covid 19. While the individual has not been in either restaurant for several days, our top priority remains the safety of our guests and team. We are taking this time to assist our staff with testing, and will reopen when it is safe to do so. We will continue to carefully follow all virus safety guidelines, and will be fully sanitizing both locations. We believe it’s important to be transparent in these times and will keep you posted with any updates.
(Haymaker East is in Eastlake, formerly called Le Messe.)
The West Seattle location of Zeeks Pizza would usually be open for the day by now, but it’s closed and dark. No note was on the door when we went by about 2:30 pm, but according to email sent to staff, the restaurant is closed after an employee tested positive for COVID-19. The company has not returned our phone message seeking comment, but its website says the West Seattle location is “temporarily closed.” The email to staff says it’s closed for a “deep clean” and that all staff will have to get tested before they can return to work when it reopens.
A warning tops tonight’s pandemic-news roundup:
GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER, OR ELSE: State and local health authorities gathered online for a mid-afternoon briefing to all but beg people to stop flouting pandemic precautions, as case numbers are rising sharply. With Thanksgiving two weeks away, they especially emphasized avoiding gatherings. Our as-it-happened coverage has video and notes; here’s the state Health Department summary.
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: Meantime, here’s today’s daily summary from Public Health – the cumulative totals:
*31,576 people have tested positive, 332 more than yesterday’s total
*816 people have died, 4 more than yesterday’s total
*2,744 people have been hospitalized, 101 more than yesterday’s total++++
*575,514 people have been tested, 1,552 more than yesterday’s total
++++The dashboard page says this increase is because of a “data lag regarding hospitalizations over the past two weeks. … This change added 75 hospitalizations that were not previously counted. Many were from the past week, but some hospitalizations took place earlier.”
One week ago, the totals were 28,329/809/2,599/549,500.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
NATIONAL/WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 51.4 million cases worldwide, 10.2 million of them in the U.S. – see other nation-by-nation stats by going here.
HELPING: Today we featured two ways to help local food banks.
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
As mentioned in our pandemic roundup and daily preview, state and local health authorities are having a media briefing on COVID-19 response, announced as “urgent.” Watch it live above.
2:39 PM: State health officer Dr. Kathy Lofy says the surge has been particularly striking in the past two weeks, on both sides of the state. She says that the number of tests has remained flat, so this is not a case of {ore tests, more cases.” She suggests bluntly that people “stop socializing” for a few weeks. … Dr. John Lynch from Harborview Medical Center says keeping people healthy is not just a matter of keeping hospital beds available, but because they don’t want a rerun of spring when even important non-COVID-related care was deferred – they want to keep all aspects of the health-care system available, up and running.
2:47 PM: Also stressed: Any gathering is risky – but if you feel you have to have a Thanksgiving gathering, have it outside, and quarantine for the two weeks prior (as in, starting immediately). Participants are all acknowledging that while everyone is weary after eight months of this – “we may feel ‘done’ with COVID, but COVID’s not done with us.” Dr, Lynch noted that people in all age groups are still getting very sick – the hospitalized patients are NOT just older, high-risk patients
3:02 PM: King County Public Health’s Dr. Jeff Duchin says, “We’re here because we’re worried.” He says the hospitalization rate in King County has gone up 30 percent in the past week. “At this time we all need to cut back on non-essential activities … and contacts outside the home.” He says “the status of our health-care system … in the coming days” will determine whether any additional directives are needed.
3:10 PM: In Q&A, Dr. Lofy was asked, so how much time do we have until additional measures would be required, and what might those be? She said “everything’s on the table,” and there’s no specific timeline, but stressed that they really want to be able to avoid further crackdowns, so everyone needs to realize that’s possible IF they take this seriously – wearing masks, avoiding socializing, etc.
3:21 PM: So what’s stopping the governor from announcing new restrictions? Nothing’s “stopping him,” was the reply – “it’s not like he has some secret plan, this IS the plan” – urging more responsible behavior. They really don’t want to have to shut down the economy, said Gov. Inslee’s chief of staff David Postman. Echoed King County’s Dr. Duchin, they would rather see people take action voluntarily. He also noted that the current high numbers aren’t even an accurate number of infections – there’s probably “four to five times” the number of cases out there. “You and everybody have the power to avoid more onerous restrictions,” reiterated Postman.
3:36 PM: The briefing has wrapped up; the archived video should be available soon in the window above. State Secretary of Health John Wiesman summarized the message to everyone in the state: “Take action today,” so government doesn’t have to.
4:38 PM: Video’s now available above.
State and local health authorities are getting ready to sound the alarm, and that’s where we start tonight’s pandemic roundup:
‘URGENT’ BRIEFING TUESDAY: Every week, state and local leaders have media briefings about the pandemic. But we can’t recall the last one announced as “urgent” like this one was:
Urgent COVID-19 Response Media Briefing
Accelerated COVID-19 transmission is occurring across the state and time is running out to reverse course and flatten the curve. Join us for this important update on Tuesday afternoon and help us get the message out that people must act now to stop the spread from getting worse.
Top health authorities from the state, Seattle/King County, and Tacoma/Pierce County health departments are among the participants. This is set for 2:30 pm tomorrow and will be streamed here.
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: On to today’s daily summary from Public Health – the cumulative countywide totals:
*31,244 people have tested positive, 378 more than yesterday’s total
*812 people have died, 1 more than yesterday’s total
*2,643 people have been hospitalized, 4 more than yesterday’s total
*573,962 people have been tested, 5,126 more than yesterday’s total
One week ago, the totals were 28,262/806/2,594/545,651.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them – nation by nation – here.
HELP FOR SMALL BUSINESSES: The city plans to award additional $10,000 grants from its Small Business Stabilization Fund. You have until November 30th to apply.
NEED FOOD? Again this week, Food Lifeline will distribute free emergency boxes of food to anyone who shows up, 2-5 pm Friday (November 13th) at its South Park HQ, 815 S. 96th.
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
As the pandemic’s economic crunch continues, the city is offering a new round of $10,000 grants for small businesses. Previous grants went to 469 businesses – out of 9,000 that applied – and now the Small Business Stabilization Fund has money for 240 more. The application process started today and will continue through the end of the month. From the announcement:
To be eligible for a grant, a small business or non-profit must have 25 or fewer employees, be located within Seattle city limits, and have an annual net revenue at or below $2 million. Non-profits must explicitly provide economic opportunity supports through education programs and/or job training. In an attempt to prioritize funding to businesses that are more likely to have experienced the greatest economic impacts, OED will ensure that at least two-thirds of grant recipients will be selected from applications from businesses with five or fewer employees and from areas that are identified as high risk of displacement or highly disadvantaged. Those areas are determined by several socioeconomic factors to identify areas of the city that have been historically underserved and more likely to be disproportionally impacted by economic shocks. This fund also aims to better support creative industry small businesses and workers and will specifically allocate 10 percent of all grants—or 24 grants—to creative industry small businesses. All businesses and non-profit organizations that receive a grant must commit to not reducing wages and benefits provided prior to the COVID-19 emergency.
Application information is here, and two online events are coming up to help would-be applicants – noon-1 pm Thursday (November 12) and November 18. Go here to register to attend one.
Here are tonight’s pandemic notes:
KING COUNTY’S NEWEST NUMBERS: As with most nights, we start with the cumulative totals from the Public Health daily-summary dashboard:
*30,866 people have tested positive, up 451 from yesterday’s total
*811 people have died, unchanged since Friday
*2,639 people have been hospitalized, up 4 from yesterday’s total
*568,836 people have been tested, up 1,178 from yesterday’s total
One week ago, the King County totals were 27,967/804/2,582/545,102.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 50.4 million cases and 1,256.000+ deaths – see the nation-by-nation breakdown here.
(added 12:35 am) RESTAURANT CLOSURE: Talarico’s in The Junction announced via social media Sunday that the restaurant is closed because “a family member of Talarico’s staff has tested positive for COVID-19. Talarico’s will be closed until all staff tests negative and the entire establishment has been sanitized.”
SURVEY – COVID-19 & TECHNOLOGY: A reminder from the state Health Department:
The University of Washington’s anonymous COVID-19 and Technology Survey closes Nov. 10. Information from the survey will be used to inform the launch of a technology designed to help stop the spread of COVID-19. It asks questions about technology, privacy, your activities at this time, and some demographic information, such as your employment and the number of people who live in your household. The survey should take no more than 10 minutes to complete.
TELL YOUR PANDEMIC STORY: Another reminder – the Southwest Seattle Historical Society still wants your pandemic diary entry, to help tell the story for future generations, of what life is like right now.
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT? OR? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
One week into November, here’s the latest on the pandemic:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: First, here are the cumulative totals from Public Health‘s daily-summary dashboard:
*30,415 people have tested positive, 418 more than yesterday’s total (97 in Seattle)
*811 people have died, unchanged from yesterday’s total
*2,635 people have been hospitalized, 2 more than yesterday’s total
*567,658 people have been tested, 3,576 more than yesterday’s total
One week ago, those totals were 27,757/804/2,577/537,516.
WEST SEATTLE TREND: Here’s our weekly check of this stat, with numbers accessible in two-week increments via the “geography over time” tab on the daily-summary dashboard, combining the totals from the West Seattle and Delridge “health reporting areas.” As with the county in general, we’re on a big upswing – in the past 2 weeks, 217 positive test results were reported; 50 in the 2 weeks before that; 63 in the two weeks before that.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 46 million people have tested positive, and more than 1,250,000 people have died; U.S. deaths have passed 237,000. Most cases: U.S., India, Brazil, Russia, France (same as last week). See the breakdown, nation by nation, here.
STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT’S WARNING: The King County numbers are just part of a trend noted here. An excerpt:
These numbers reflect an overall surge that started in mid-September and are very troubling as we head into darker, colder months, the holidays and respiratory virus season. The fall surge, which is showing no signs of stopping, has erased the progress that we made this summer. Western Washington, specifically King, Snohomish and Pierce counties, are hot zones for disease transmission, and they’re following a troubling nationwide trend. This week, the United States broke two records in as many days: more than 100,000 cases reported on Wednesday, and more than 116,000 on Thursday.
The state acknowledges people are tired of precautions and lonely because of separation from friends and relatives, but says this is no time to pull back.
TOY DRIVE TOMORROW: Our weekly reminder – the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle is at California/Alaska every Sunday, by the Farmers’ Market entrance, 10 am-1:30 pm, collecting new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots.
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
36 weeks now since the Friday night announcement that King County had its first case of COVID-19. Here’s where we are now:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily summary:
*29,997 people have tested positive, 532 more than yesterday’s total
*811 people have died, 1 more than yesterday’s total
*2,633 people have been hospitalized, 4 more than yesterday’s total
*564,082 people have been tested, 5,288 more than yesterday’s total
One week ago, those totals were 27,423/804/2,573/537,331.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 49.2 million cases, 1,242,000+ deaths – see the nation-by-nation numbers here.
WHO’S GETTING IT? In her weekly newsletter circulated today, West Seattle/South Park City Councilmember Lisa Herbold pointed this out from the latest statewide situation report:
On top of being widely distributed geographically, case counts in western Washington have been increasing in all age groups since mid-September. This suggests that no single transmission route is driving rising trends, and the COVID-19 burden is widely dispersed across the population. Growth in cases is particularly pronounced in the 25 to 39 and 40 to 59 age groups.
Also in her newsletter:
If you or anyone you know is struggling to manage stress from COVID-19, call the Washington Listens support line at 1-833-681-0211. Call 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
NEED TESTING? Our weekly reminder – the city-operated testing site in West Seattle – south side of the Southwest Athletic Complex parking lot (2801 SW Thistle) – is open Saturdays (as well as weekdays). Go here to choose an appointment time before you go.
GOT INFO OR PHOTOS? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!
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