CORONAVIRUS: Saturday 4/11 roundup

| Coronavirus | West Seattle news

We have begun the seventh week since King County’s first COVID-19 case. Here’s our nightly roundup:

NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the daily Seattle-King County Public Health news release:

4,262 confirmed positive cases (up 145 from yesterday)

284 confirmed deaths (up 7 from yesterday)

One week ago, those numbers were 2,898 and 200.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: 10,224 cases and 491 deaths, up from 7,591 and 310 a week ago; other state stats are here.

WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them – nation by nation – here.

PARK-CLOSURE WEEKEND: Here’s what we and readers saw today at the three West Seattle parks included in the mayor’s order closing 15 major city parks until early Monday. This evening, we noted the SPD mobile precinct at Alki:

Of course, the MP was sometimes there on clear-weather spring evenings pre-pandemic, too.

WHEN WILL RESTRICTIONS END? SKCPH’s daily update includes this explanation of what authorities are watching for:

When it appears safe, Public Health will be looking at the following indicators to help inform the timing and approach for the gradual relaxing of one or more social distancing measures:

*A steady decrease in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations for at least two weeks;

*Healthcare system readiness, including sufficient staffing, supplies, and bed space, to be able to accommodate the increase in cases we expect to see when we loosen social distancing measures;

*Widespread availability of rapid testing and reporting of results, beyond what is currently available, so people who are infected can take quick action to slow the spread of COVID-19;

*Capacity to conduct widespread case and contact investigations to quickly identify people who are infected and their close contacts and help them isolate and quarantine;

*Availability of proven COVID-19 treatments, which are currently under evaluation.

At the same time, we are sensitive to the unintended economic and social impacts from a prolonged Stay Home order. We must advocate for and provide support to those who are experiencing hardships as a result of this necessary disease-control strategy.

Barb vadakin April 11, 2020 (10:22 pm)

It did not seem like the park closing was being enforced on Alki. Very frustrating to those of us following the rules. Seeing the police van parked on Alki really did nothing. For enforcement.

LCW April 12, 2020 (12:07 am)

We saw and felt the same. Is there anything [other than glower and feel angry] that we can do? Emails and phone calls to the city seem to go unnoticed.
- S April 12, 2020 (8:26 am)
  
  Here’s something you could try. Stay at home and worry about yourself.
  - Delridge Resident April 12, 2020 (9:13 am)
    
    The faster everyone ‘stays home and worries about themselves’ the faster we can all be out enjoying the parks. Stay home means stay home except for traveling for essential items nor services. Alki is not essential.
    - north admiral April 12, 2020 (4:10 pm)
      
      Exercising (walking, running, bicycling), even at Alki, is considered essential…despite what entitled Alki residents would have you believe.
  - Matt P April 12, 2020 (9:48 am)
    
    All the people flaunting the rules extend the time I have to stay at home.
  - Go gull April 12, 2020 (10:16 am)
    
    These people might be staying home and live on Alki… might not be so easy to just tune it out, seeing the disregard every day…
    
    Deep breaths Barb and LCW, it will get better :)

Rick April 12, 2020 (7:50 am)

Seattle seems to have a fairly high percentage of “special” people so it must be OK. For them.

anonyme April 12, 2020 (9:59 am)

I’m very worried about what will happen when restrictions are loosened, which many might interpret as meaning precautions, including distancing, are no longer needed. This will place a lot of us who are (and will remain) vulnerable in an impossible position where we dare not venture out. There could very well be a surge in cases – and deaths.

Pilsner April 12, 2020 (5:07 pm)

Eggzachary. What’s everyone gonna do May 5th? Go shopping, for everything, everywhere. It’ll be worse than xmass. I might stay unemployed untill that’s over with.
WS Transit Rider April 13, 2020 (6:31 am)

Not if, but when there will a be a surge in cases/deaths. This virus is extremely contagious, thus why we are trying to “flatten the curve”. I don’t think the precautions others are taking are magically going to disappear May 5th. We have to realize this is our new normal.

Mj April 12, 2020 (10:21 am)

Getting outside and exercising via jogging, walking, riding a bike is allowed with appropriate social distancing. I have zero issue with someone walking, jogging on the beach. A parent taking a child to check out the tide pools is of no concern to me either.
This nanny state is getting out of control.

What would really help right now is if the State, County and City would cut taxes, in particular the property tax.

Without the ability to work how the blank is one to pay the tax. The government has prevented evictions for failure to pay rent, mortgage forbearance that passes the buck to others but still no cut in taxes? It’s time for a across the board property tax relief measure.

WSJ April 12, 2020 (3:24 pm)

Property taxes have been delayed in King to June 1st.

Mj April 12, 2020 (12:21 pm)

anonyme – an honest person admitting your situation. I am older but do not consider myself as particularly vulnerable, but I am vulnerable economically and need the economy to get back to work. What about those that are not vulnerable that need to get back to work? This is the other side of the discussion that is also important to point out.

Youngstown Yuppie April 12, 2020 (12:38 pm)

The tide was incredibly low yesterday, too, so the available beach extended way beyond the “closed” beach park boundaries. It actually made it easier, I think, for the usual amount of joggers to spread out and there was plenty of space for families at the tide pools.

Go gull April 12, 2020 (1:19 pm)

What new things are people doing to make the most of all this time at home?

Anyone feel like they are accomplishing more? Spring cleaning? Gardening projects?

Catching up on work or studies or to-do lists?

Learning new skills? Sewing, knitting, cooking?

Are people getting back to reading actual books and puzzling?

What changes are you noticing at home?

Please share!

Joe April 12, 2020 (5:22 pm)

I just drove through Alki and it was absolutely packed. It looked just like any Summer weekend there.

WSB April 12, 2020 (6:04 pm)

The roads are busy but very few people on the boardwalk and beach per our pass just after 5 pm.

SirMixA*Shot April 12, 2020 (5:41 pm)

I’m guessing the only way places will be able to start opening up is if this virus goes dormant or they have a way to treat the infected with medications that work. A vaccine would be nice but they are saying that could be 1+ years away. We could also all eventually get it and hopefully build up immunity. Just seems considering that this pandemic started from one city and from a handful of people and spreading the way that it did thru the whole planet that life back to normal would only cause it to resurge. I have a feeling this could be the norm for a few more months.

Ice April 12, 2020 (10:36 pm)

I’ve been eagerly checking the numbers in specifically in Seattle here almost everyday and it doesn’t look like COVID-19 is spreading nearly as fast as some of the models predicted, so we’re doing something right. Hooray!

Wseattleite April 13, 2020 (12:14 am)

The numbers what they are is not proof of anyone doing anything right, since any other projected numbers were purely theoretical anyway. It could turn out in the long wrong we are doing everyt thing wrong. The real way to get people to follow orders like “stay in your own house until you can’t”, is to put defined definitions of the end goal. A simple Date is easily moved and is almost insulting since no one really knows what metrics will exist at that time, and if they are even that accurate. A defined “until every COVRVID-19 cell is eliminated from earth” is an example of an actual goal. Problem is, everyone knows that’s not going to happen so many people just say forget the “rules”. But until someone actually declares an actual milestone that will lift restrictions, many people are not going to to follow them, there can be little planning for the future, very little ability to see how close we get to that finish line, and most the most damage caused is the obvious reality that the people giving the orders don’t actually know much. This allows people wanting to manipulate the situation (multiple Trillions of dollars are going to be transferred around), into one of the greatest situations they could ever even have engineered. So want people to follow the rules and keep the carpet baggers out? Set milestones, a finish stone, and accurate percentages complete. Otherwise the lemmings are going to get on the rail cars to treatment camps or whatever else they are told to do, and profiteers are going to have a field day. Be respectful of all, including those that wonder where in this process we are. Most are not stupid, they are often being treated as such by others.

Sorry, comment time is over.