CORONAVIRUS: Sunday 5/3 roundup

| Coronavirus | West Seattle news

The numbers top tonight’s roundup of pandemic-related news:

TWO MORE LOCAL DEATHS: The daily update on the Seattle-King County Public Health data dashboard shows two more local deaths since Saturday’s update – the first one in 98116, the ninth one in 98126. Here are the updated totals:

98116 – 1
98136 – 1
98106 – 2
98146 – 4
98126 – 9

COUNTYWIDE NUMBERS, WITH AN ASTERISK: The countywide case total posted today, 6,464, is lower than yesterday. Here’s the county’s explanation:

There are many serology (antibody) tests currently available that have not been evaluated and validated by the FDA and the accuracy of results based on antibody tests in general is not known. Therefore, at this time WA DOH AND PHSKC will only report results based on PCR testing for SARS-CoV2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), which accurately identifies people with current COVID-19. As of 5/3, there are 154 King County residents reported with a positive COVID-19 result that was based only on antibody testing; these results have been removed from our case counts.

The King County death toll, meantime, is 458, up 2 from yesterday.

WEST SEATTLE MAN LOSES 3 RELATIVES TO COVID-19: Multiple readers sent the link (thank you!) to this heartbreaking Seattle Times report – the story of Raymond Lee, a West Seattle resident whose mom and two sisters all died of COVID-19 last month. The women lived together in Snohomish County, the story says.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.

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

THOSE OTHER NUMBERS: Also this weekend, a state update on unemployment filings – in the two months since COVID-19-related job losses began, 787,533 people have filed to seek benefits.

FARMERS’ MARKET REOPENS: After seven Sundays without a West Seattle Farmers’ Market, it returned today, with a new layout:

That’s what it looked like when we were there in the first half-hour. More photos here. Will it be back next week too? That’s up to the city.

WATCH FOR ‘STREET CLOSED’ SIGNS: The “Stay Healthy Streets” expansion announced last week to facilitate more “distancing” space for walking, running, and riding is supposed to start early this week. See the map and list in our story.

REOPENING TOMORROW: C & P Coffee Company (5612 California SW, alley side; WSB sponsor), as announced Saturday. And remember – we’re still updating our restaurants/beverage-businesses list!

GRATITUDE: The photo and report are from Brookdale West Seattle:

Before the world was threatened by the COVID-19 outbreak, we created the Everyday Heroes program for associates who excelled in serving our residents and patients.They embody our selfless spirit.

We also recognize, now more than ever, our community partners who assist us. They are on the front lines helping to maintain the health and safety of our residents and many in our community. And we’re so proud of you all.

To our Frontline Partners – Thank You!

Each sign – like the ones on 59th SW in Upper Alki – honors a specific group of workers. You can see them on the west side of 35th, south of Avalon.

GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!

West Seattleite May 3, 2020 (10:48 pm)

I’m curious what others are experiencing, but I have found that testing is still not “available to all”. In my experience, Swedish is a very discerning gate keeper, using a fair dose of subjective decision making, stating that certain symptoms are still “not enough” to warrant testing. This would make our West Seattle statistics on reported cases very skewed.

AMD May 4, 2020 (6:56 am)

Testing is not widely available. It’s something Inslee has been working to make happen because it’s one of the needed criteria to allow bigger gatherings. There are supposed to be swabs coming from the federal government this week, I think. Epidemiologists at Fred Hutch estimate we’re catching about 1:10 cases overall (nationally). We know there are a lot of people who have it and don’t know it; that’s why there are stay at home orders and social distancing guidelines in place until we can do thorough test and tracing to slow the spread.
WSNative May 4, 2020 (7:55 am)

I was denied testing by Swedish in early March, right before my company switched to remote-only (my team switched earlier as many were hearing from their families in China and felt it warranted), weeks before state closure. I had fever and asthmatic symptoms, but according to Swedish (and many other “gatekeepers”) I did qualify as no recent travel/confirmed contact with positive case. Shared an office floor with coworkers/family in/out of China and had meeting with a person that was in/out of Evergreen hospital. Just quarantined myself but had been curious-aside from making running feel difficult, I felt fine. Two weeks ago came down with flu symptoms (four days after single trip to grocery store with mask-second trip out of house since early March) that kept me in bed four days, with fever, sore throat, loss of smell, and cough. Thankfully my company has since provided their own testing site for employees and dependents. Before I was completely bedridden, called and within three hours was screened and tested. Results came back negative. So grateful for the benefit provided by my company, as I know this is not the case for others in my zip (98106). No question it needs to be. Until that’s the case, our household is staying in phase 1 for as long as possible.
East Coast Cynic May 4, 2020 (10:44 am)

It is rather frustrating that testing isn’t available to all. You should simply be able to pay a fee or use your insurance to get tested without jumping through the hoops of having to get a recommendation from a doctor, who may too busy to deal with you, or some on-line nurse who has to diagnose you, or having severe symptoms to justify testing, or testing locations that only serve people who are patients or employees of that medical facility. Do what California is about to do and allow everybody to be tested regardless of any preconditions.
- WSNative May 4, 2020 (2:32 pm)
  
  Agreed. To better gauge what percentage of people are asymptomatic, we actually need to be testing “healthy” people.
Wseattleite May 4, 2020 (8:13 pm)

Testing is available. Just did it today without question in a different State and within minutes. If you are not getting immediate testings, write Inslee.

gxnx May 3, 2020 (10:58 pm)

Paranoid breeds ParanoidThe economy needs to be opened, disastrous damaging emotional spiritual to the society.Go watch the 60 minutes tonite-so sad depressing.Universal income and universal health care-that the way to go for now.

Anne May 4, 2020 (7:40 am)

Maybe you should also watch CBS Sunday Morning from yesterday.

Mj May 4, 2020 (10:37 am)

I believe that not allowing businesses to open up with appropriate precautions will cause many to go under and others to open up anyway without precautions in defiance of the order.

HS May 4, 2020 (12:30 pm)

To our fellow West Seattlite, Raymond Lee. I’ve been trying to find the words since I read about the loss of your family yesterday. They feel too little. So, in a simple acknowledgement of your too big grief please know that I read the names of your sisters and mother. I looked at them in the photo you shared. I imagined their lives, full and busy with family and friends. I tried my best to remember three women whom I’d never met.