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CORONAVIRUS: Friday 5/8 roundup

May 8, 2020 9:31 pm
|      39 COMMENTS
 |   Coronavirus | West Seattle news

Don’t throw caution to the wind – well, the sun – this weekend. That’s the big message as we present the Friday edition of the nightly roundup, exactly 10 weeks after King County’s first confirmed COVID-19 case was announced:

NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the county’s data dashboard:

*6,940 people have tested positive, up 77 from yesterday

*485 people have died, up 5 from yesterday

One week ago, those totals were 6,407 and 449.

ONE MORE LOCAL DEATH: The county’s by-zip-code-breakdown map shows 98126 now has lost 10 people, one more than the Thursday update.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.

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

ONE STAT OF CONCERN: Today’s Seattle-King County Public Health spotlight noted that a key metric – how many additional infections can be expected for each case – may be on the rise again in Western Washington.

SO DON’T STOP NOW: Keep up the distancing so things don’t get worse – that was a key message from the governor at his media briefing this afternoon.

He said this is a dangerous time because people may feel more and more like they can let their guard down, when they absolutely shouldn’t. “With COVID-19 lurking,” he said, you need to protect yourself and loved ones.

REOPENING UPDATE: Meantime, the governor has released safety/health rules for a variety of reopening businesses. The releases include:

Curbside Retail & E-commerce Memo
Curbside Retail Requirements
Pet Walking Memo
Pet Walking Guidance
Landscaping Memo
Landscaping Guidance

Those are all linked here.

TESTING UPDATE: The governor also said the feds have sent 37,000 test swabs, with 60,000 more due next week, and a promise of 100,000 a week after that.

8 PM PARK CLOSURES: Alki Beach, Lincoln Park, and other “major parks” citywide are supposed to be closed by now – we’ll be going out shortly for a look.

We saw that sign on the north gate of Lincoln Park’s north lot; there was one on the west side of the south lot too (which now has spaces open for disabled visitors, and a Parks employee was stationed to watch the lot by the time we went by late in the day).

‘STAY HEALTHY STREETS,’ 3RD ROUND: The signs went up this morning to block off Beach Drive between 63rd and Alki to through traffic, as announced Thursday. That didn’t keep all drivers away, it appeared from our early-evening spot check as well as police-radio dispatches.

On Twitter tonight, a local resident suggested signage belongs at 63rd and Alki, and city traffic engineer Dongho Chang said that’s under consideration:

DE-INTENSIFYING SHELTER SPACE OPENING: A month and a half after the plan was announced, Southwest Teen Life Center in Westwood is now hosting young adults who need shelter, the city announced today.

DON’T GO HUNGRY: This week, KBM Seattle Commissary‘s free-meal distribution is on Sunday – details here.

MORALE FLYOVER: Some West Seattleites got to see the flyover this afternoon:

GOT INFO? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!

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39 Replies to "CORONAVIRUS: Friday 5/8 roundup"

  • Lin May 8, 2020 (10:47 pm)

    Drove by alki beach today and saw as many people on the beach as a non-pandemic summer weekend. It’s a bit worrisome especially since our death toll keeps on going up. Pray people are careful, and we won’t see a jump in cases…

  • Greg May 8, 2020 (10:49 pm)
    1. I don’t feel ok within 10′ of another person at rest.  Am I alone?  Mask or no mask.  Don’t want my best friends dog jumping up on me.  Am I being too cautious?  How can I socialize responsibly.  Cocktails in the back yard at 10′?  I suck at text and email.  Can I make a campfire in the backyard with smoke going into neighbors windows?  5k soft lot…  
  • patrick W May 8, 2020 (11:07 pm)

    A total s–t show at Alki tonight, this is going to last for a long time, because of selfish people.

    • Smittytheclown May 9, 2020 (6:09 am)

      Herd immunity.  As long as the older and unhealthy are safe and quarantined (95% of deaths) we need to let this thing run its course.  Our goal was to flatten the curve.  We have done that.  Now, keep hospitalizations low by keeping the most vulnerable safe and continuing to social distance with them. We can’t lock down the entire country  until there is a vaccine. The country won’t survive. 

      • Stay well May 9, 2020 (10:46 am)

        I haven’t heard anyone suggesting keeping the whole country ‘locked down’ until there is vaccine. That’s an exaggeration. I understand it may feel that way though.

        The strategy being taken here is a phased approach, that has already begun lifting some restrictions in a measured and strategic way.  I know this situation isn’t easy, but if we have a little patience, more people won’t get sick and die from this virus unnecessarily.

        The idea of having the ‘most vulnerable’ simply stay home, and the majority return to business and achieve herd immunity, seems like an easy enough idea. However, unfortunately, the ‘most vulnerable’ isn’t so easy to narrow down.  Yes we know those of older ages are more vulnerable in general, but there are also people dying across all age groups (Including children), and some who do not have a known underlying health condition. 

        Also, keep in mind, some who recover may go on to have long term lung damage from this. 

        The country, and the economy, will be better off with healthier, and living, citizens.

        • WSB May 9, 2020 (10:48 am)

          The number of people at elevated risk is higher than most who THINK they’re in the not-so-elevated-risk category understand – not even the scientists have fully figured it out. From the CDC:

          Because COVID-19 is a new disease, more work is needed to better understand the risk factors for severe illness or complications. Potential risk factors that have been identified to date include:

          Age
          Race/ethnicity
          Gender
          Some medical conditions
          Use of certain medications
          Poverty and crowding
          Certain occupations
          Pregnancy

          So those supporting the “hey, just hide everyone who’s at risk” idea is talking about quarantining a majority of people anyway.

          • West Seattle since 1979 May 9, 2020 (12:06 pm)

            Thanks WSB.  I wrote before reading your comment.  But I wish someone would address how “vulnerable people can stay home” when many vulnerable people need to either work or be on unemployment in order to live or feed families.  

          • WSB May 9, 2020 (1:02 pm)

            Exactly. I have seen too many stories of people well into their 60s who got sick on the job, for example. Whomever thinks that 60+ means retired and doing OK is extremely wrong. Many people that age now can’t/won’t be able to AFFORD to “retire.”

          • Stay well May 9, 2020 (1:11 pm)

            Yes, important point, thank you.

            There a number of issues with the idea of ‘vulnerable’ people just staying home indefinitely, including how would they support themselves.

          • Smittytheclown May 9, 2020 (7:25 pm)

            “So those supporting the “hey, just hide everyone who’s at risk” idea is talking about quarantining a majority of people anyway.”Better  than 100% of us.  The ramifications of a depression will far surpass this.  Sorry, but people will die.  95% of deaths are people over 60 or with underlying health conditions,  we need to be more tactical now that the curve has been flattened.We simply  cannot afford to do this every time a new virus comes out.  We can’t.  

          • miws May 9, 2020 (8:22 pm)

            Smitty, there is no vaccine for this virus, so the best protection against it right now, as painful as it is, is to self-quarantine/social distance. Yes, the curve has flattened. But, as has repeatedly been said, simply “flattening” is not enough. It needs to go down further, to where the experts feel it might be safe to get to what will be a new normal. The experts have also said that we need to get to that point in stages. Have you not heard Inslee and others state that it can’t be like flipping a light switch on, but needs to be more like a dimmer switch? And, for anyone that thinks everything is hunky-dory at the hospitals because they are not overwhelmed, do you realize how physically and mentally taxing this whole thing has been on frontline medical personnel, even those that have been fortunate enough to not (yet) become infected (as far as they know)? If, for some reason, anyone still “just doesn’t get it”,  after the continual reporting WSB has done on it, and from the information they provide and link to, then watch a few episodes of The Rachel Maddow Show. She has shared videos from several frontline healthcare personnel, some that are being recorded during a quick break while in the middle of a shift, or after their shift when they are completely exhausted. Some of these people have sent followup vids to Rachel, describing what they are still having to deal with. —Mike 

        • West Seattle since 1979 May 9, 2020 (12:01 pm)

          It’s not easy to have the vulnerable stay home, meaning older people and people with other health conditions. Because many of us have jobs or are job-hunting.  If our bosses call us to come back into work, we have to go.  We can’t get unemployment if we refuse work, so we will have no income.  

          Some employers might let some vulnerable people work from home, but not all, and not all jobs can be done from home.  

          Please rethink your ideas about this.  I think people think that all “vulnerable” people are either retired, on disability, or someone such as a spouse or partner is supporting them.   This is not true. 

          Could someone please acknowledge this?   I’ve made this comment before in other places, and no one ever says anything.  

          • Sue H May 9, 2020 (1:50 pm)

            I can definitely relate to what you’re saying. I have severe lung disease and I’m on oxygen, in my upper 50s and definitely in the higher risk, vulnerable category. I’m the only one supporting me, and I work full-time, commuting by bus. I’m grateful that my job is allowing me to work from home right now, but if that changes and I have to go back into work at some point before this is over, it’s frightening. I could probably get put out on disability if I chose, but then I wouldn’t be able to afford the mortgage. And even if I chose to drive into work to avoid the crowding/risk on the bus, that’s dealing with the bridge being out, more traffic, and nearly $400 a month to park at work. 

          • Beaches May 10, 2020 (11:27 am)

            It’s a good point and a valid one. Many people on this thread have acknowledged this. Maybe read all the comments before you start begging people to acknowledge your point of view?

      • miws May 9, 2020 (2:24 pm)

        Smitty, on herd immunity…https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/from-our-experts/early-herd-immunity-against-covid-19-a-dangerous-misconception

      • Chuck May 9, 2020 (5:47 pm)

        That’s not how herd immunity works, so stop rationalizing your reckless selfish behavior.

      • Cheesus: Brie has risen May 10, 2020 (2:50 pm)

        Haven’t you heard? Immunity isn’t guaranteed. Several reported cases of patients being treated for a second time. Also, while the majority of people severely affected are indeed seniors and those with preexisting health concerns (I’ll bet you know at least 10 people with diabetes, even if you aren’t aware) there have been not a small number of perfectly healthy, young (as young as 5) people dying some even asymptomatic, but having strokes and kidney failure. In their 30’s and 40’s. Quarantine isn’t meant to last until there’s a cure or vaccine, it’s meant to buy us time to find better treatments and keep hospitals from being overwhelmed so less people die. Do you want to potentially be responsible for someone dying, indirectly or not? That’s a serious burden to bear.

      • The Captain May 11, 2020 (8:02 pm)

        The experts are saying there won’t be herd immunity because the virus is mutating.

  • Bill May 9, 2020 (1:17 am)

    Do we know how many of the 10 in 98126 are from The Mount?

    • LG May 9, 2020 (7:31 am)

      Bill, last I read was 2-3 from the Mount

  • DS May 9, 2020 (2:22 am)

    Did Alki crowds clear at 8?

  • Concerned citizen May 9, 2020 (6:26 am)

    Inslee’s comments are once again infuriating. We have got to start moving forward as a society soon before he forces the state into a depression. We should be moving towards relaxing distancing guidelines and letting businesses reopen as long as the healthcare system isn’t reaching critical mass. This idea that we have to eliminate new cases to move forward is ridiculous and dangerous. 

  • Just wondering May 9, 2020 (7:39 am)

    That flag in the picture needs to be replaced.

  • jissy May 9, 2020 (8:00 am)

    Bill:  I have a 2 relatives at the Mount (an employee and a resident) and there has only been 2 residents that have passed away there last I heard.

    • Bill May 9, 2020 (9:35 am)

      Thank You for the info!

  • Chuck May 9, 2020 (8:19 am)

    Alki absolutely packed full of morons who are paying no mind to the social distancing requirements. Large gatherings, firepits going, garbage left everywhere as usual. I wish the cops were being asked to do more about this.

  • Mj May 9, 2020 (9:35 am)

    Concerned citizen – I agree.

  • Anna May 9, 2020 (10:54 am)

    Can we please stop calling people “selfish” and “morons?” They may be acting differently than you are, they may be going against the governor’s wishes, but we all are selfish, and we all, for the most part, do what we think is right and best. People in different states and in different countries are responding to this virus differently. Clearly, some people, leaders and experts support opening things back up to some degree. People can disagree with and disobey the governor’s orders without being selfish morons. 

    • Really May 9, 2020 (11:22 am)

      Did you go to Alki yesterday? If you did you’d understand that yes…there were a lot of morons out last night. Average IQ on Alki had to be below 100 last night. 

    • Shawn May 9, 2020 (2:50 pm)

      Some people wanna have a BBQ and some don’t want their loved ones to die. Y’know – both sides. Are you an epidemiologist?

  • Anne May 9, 2020 (11:07 am)

    Selfish-yes- morons-no. 

  • RobS May 9, 2020 (1:06 pm)

    The beach was not closed last night because I could see there were many people enjoying it as well as many of the cars parked along the walking path just shooting the breeze and cranking up their tunes. So, no, the parks didn’t all close at 8:00pm. People defying the governor’s and the cities request for reasons of survival or the well being of others are certainly not selfish. However those that defy the rules because they wanna hang out and have fun are absolutely selfish.

  • Erithan May 9, 2020 (1:54 pm)

    I don’t understand how people keep treating opening back up as “we don’t have to take precautions anymore!”(it’s what I’m seeing in general with people going out now). A mask and space is -not- much to ask while we all go through this. Vulnerable people staying home solves nothing either, they will still have to come in contact with goods and people. And it’s pretty unfair to expect them to stay home simply for people being unwilling to take simple steps….I help my dad avoid going into the stores, I do my best to stay safe so he is safe, and I still have people barge their way into my space instead of waiting even a few minutes for me to move. That is selfish, and rude, they’re negating my attempts to keep myself and my father safe.Short version: This effects all of us, and space, masks, and hand washing are very little to ask of people…

  • M May 9, 2020 (2:18 pm)

    MORE FLYOVERS, PLEASE!!!

  • Dunno May 9, 2020 (2:43 pm)

    It was a touching tribute.  (Flyover)   Not all agree, but I felt it!  The Alki order for 8pm was the Mayor,  in effect all weekend.    Remember you mom this weekend,  none of us would be here without her!!  Miss my mom so much.

  • rob May 9, 2020 (5:05 pm)

     We still only get the number of people who have tested positive. These numbers go back 2 1/2 months. If all people hear are these large numbers   this  creates this constant fear. We need to also get the numbers on recoveries. In Hawaii they put out both numbers daily. As of today  so far to date they’ve had 658 tested positive but 640 have recovered only 28 active cases. 78 people have been hospitalized but 62 have been released.  Why is this not done? 

  • Stay well May 9, 2020 (8:39 pm)

  • Stay well May 9, 2020 (8:41 pm)

Sorry, comment time is over.