CORONAVIRUS: Wednesday 5/27 roundup

| Coronavirus | West Seattle news

The governor’s still mulling June 1, and tonight’s other virus-crisis toplines:

WHAT THE GOVERNOR SAID & DIDN’T SAY: We’re still in suspense as to whether the stay-home order will be extended or will expire Sunday as scheduled. The governor’s only announcement today was a loosening of the rules for religious gatherings – in Phase 1 counties like ours, under 100 people can gather outdoors to worship, but with precautions.

Here’s our coverage of today’s briefing.

MOVING TO PHASE 2: The county that is home to the state capital, Thurston, just won approval, as did Kittitas and Walla Walla.

NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily-summary data dashboard:

*7,931 people have tested positive, up 35 from yesterday

*549 people have died, up 5 from yesterday

One week ago, those totals were 7,617 and 530.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them, county by county, on the state Department of Health page,.

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

WHAT’S A ‘CLOSE CONTACT’? From the state Health Department’s nightly digest:

Today, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) updated the definition of a COVID-19 close contact to align with new CDC guidance. The new guidance states that a close contact is defined as someone who was within six feet of someone with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes. Previous guidance stated 10 minutes.

“Our guidance has changed over time as we learn more about COVID-19, and will continue to do so in the future,” said State Health Officer Dr. Kathy Lofy. “This update doesn’t change our recommendations for members of the public. We continue to urge people to maintain physical distance to protect themselves and others.”

DOH will be working over the next few days to update our website and associated guidance documents.

CONGRATS, CSIHS CLASS OF 2020: Another drive-thru event in honor of seniors who won’t get to have an in-person ceremony. The Sealth staff made it as festive as possible:

The Sealth “virtual graduation” is June 17th; WSHS is June 18th. (District-wide list is here.)

ANOTHER CELEBRATION AT A DISTANCE: Anniversary serenade!

ALL IN WA: This relief coalition is presenting a fundraising concert (online, of course) June 10th, and headliners include local superstar rockers Pearl Jam (which you of course know includes West Seattleites!).

GOT INFO? Email us at westseattleblog@gmail.com or phone us, text or voice, at 206-293-6302 – thank you!

AMD May 28, 2020 (3:04 am)

Maybe I’m alone in this, but I feel like the stay home, stay healthy order is a bit moot. Counties and cities have enacted their own restrictions, couple that with the other statewide restrictions on certain gatherings and other activities… if the stay home, stay healthy order were to expire would anything functionally change? To be clear, I’m not in any way advocating “opening up” the state and going back to business as usual–that sounds like a terrible idea. It just feels like enough other policies have been enacted (and honestly, our “stay home” order was never as restrictive as other states’ to begin with) that it’s redundant.

WSB May 28, 2020 (11:37 am)

Someone asked a similar question during the briefing. (The gov has another one at 2:30 today, by the way, announced this morning.) And it’s a valid point. The next big change in King County won’t be until more businesses are allowed to open in Phase 2, and that does not necessarily accompany a lifting of the stay-home order.

drM May 28, 2020 (3:58 am)

I would listen to our Governor. I have sadly, stopped following CDC guidelines ever since they issued Emergency Authorization for the use of Chloroquine based on the idiot’s recommendation based in turn on a Fox news host. The whole world got roped into trialing this, and as a result, people actually died from it’s use. Anyone with an iota of knowledge of this drug could and did predict this, yet the CDC caved to the obsession of the so-called CIC.So, no, follow your own best instincts, certainly not the CDC’s.

Nurse May 28, 2020 (3:03 pm)

I stopped listening to the CDC in February when they threw up a bunch of phoney rules to prevent any sick people from getting tested, and insisted it was droplet spread rather than airborne, as was obviously the case in China, without one shred of evidence. And when they told nurses to just wear paper masks, and only with previously diagnosed patients, and re-use them, and the public to wear none at all. And when they would not even test staff or visitors and drug their feet to even test symptomatic patients at Lifecare. And when they did not tell hospitals to stop discharging patients dying of COVID19 like illness to nursing homes and assisted living facilities, and adult family homes. And when they refused to acknowledge asymptotic spread which was well documented internationally. That’s when I knew they were not in our state to protect us, but had another agenda.

Greg May 28, 2020 (4:37 am)

West Seattle Grunge runs deep. As the Great Grunge bands take their stage in a couple of weeks., some in White Center and Southwest West Seattle miss their ad hoc Mayor. Bam Bam and Tina Bell’s rhythms erupted underthe feet of the empty Nirvana aluminum risers and their LA passtimes. It is easy to forget Tommi Sound and his passing. I challenge Grunge to forget. A great studio sits, just unfinished, not too close to where our next artists get burgers on the street near the center of Seattle. I raise my toast to Tom Martin and realize his Punk Salute. I hope Grunge pays homage to Bam Bam when they sing National.

mr happy face May 28, 2020 (6:33 am)

I had reservations to stay at a small 10 site campground by Mt Baker June 5-7th. Last night I got a notice that they cancelled the reservation and it will all be closed until June 11th. Bummer. I feel the state told the land management to cancel all reservations until that point. So maybe we won’t get to Phase 2 until mid June.

Mark May 28, 2020 (7:16 am)

One of the outcomes of 9-11 was a massive power grab from our government against the people. It was a huge move on our rights. They are doing it again now. All under the pretext of “government knows whats best for you.” Our democracy is slipping.

Um, No! May 28, 2020 (12:01 pm)

@Mark Completely agree.

D May 28, 2020 (7:29 am)

This has gone beyond comical. The whole “flattening the curve” was to slow the RATE of spread, so as to not overwhelm hospitals. The objective was never to completely STOP the spread.A phased re-opening should have started before de-establishing additional capacity which was brought to bear (i.e. CenturyLink) so that you could handle hotspots. Anyone that thinks the way out of this is to end up with zero new cases/hospitalizations is living in a fantasy land.However, with the goalposts being on rails, and now at the 250yd line, it’s abundantly clear that Inslee doesn’t know what he’s doing (or his “scientists” don’t), or worse is he does, and is demonstrating he really doesn’t care about his constituency, and could care less what happens to the state in the long term.

Hank L May 28, 2020 (12:28 pm)

You’re alleging that the scientists working on this issue are not actual scientists? Is that what your quotation marks are meant to indicate? Please enlighten us about your discovery of an epidemic of fraudulently acquired doctorates among this team! My and my collection of crickets will await your response.
- D May 28, 2020 (2:27 pm)
  
  They’re not scientists, they’re public health professionals. My apologies for the mis-statement. The point is this. Public Health looks at this from really one point of view, and that’s just responding to this single pandemic. That’s great for the short term, but doesn’t account for long term effects. They don’t care about the long term increases in suicides, opioid abuse, economic damage that will be second and third order effects by dragging out this response in some effort to… what? Go back to what is the point of “Flatten the curve”? We need leadership in Olympia that has the backbone to accept a spike in cases here or there, and address those, while moving full speed to re-open everything. Unfortunately, Inslee’s fecklessness in on full display. He’s more afraid of if he opens, then ANY case or fatality will be laid at his feet… damn the long term damage to everything else that’s happening.

Jonah May 28, 2020 (1:14 pm)

Mark & um no & D. If you or a family member end up in the hospital with covid can we count on you to claim “the government” put you there with this “fake” virus??

D May 28, 2020 (2:30 pm)

Where did I say this was a “fake” virus? Let me ask a simple question: what life is worth more? The person that died of COVID related illness? The person that is going to die of cancer because they didn’t seek screening either because it was “non-essential” medical care or they were deathly afraid of dying from COVID because of the media hype? Or the person that kills themselves (or ODs) because they lost their job as the company closed, and there is no end in sight as to when things will turn positive and they can return to work?
- Stay well May 28, 2020 (4:51 pm)
  
  All of those other possible deaths are hypothetical, and which may or may not happen, regardless of the stay at home order.
  
  Without mitigation, this virus would spread wide and fast and would be devastating, with rampant illness, overwhelming hospitals, there would be many deaths, and long term economic impacts.
  
  We have already seen how highly contagious it is and how quickly it spreads.
  
  So we have an opportunity to try to prevent many covid-19 illnesses and deaths, and that is what the current approach is trying to do. We may not be able to save everyone in every circumstance, but we can try to save as many as possible.
  
  If the medical system is overwhelmed by covid-19, people may not be able to get in for their regular appointments and other medical needs. There wouldn’t be enough resources to manage all the needs in emergency rooms, as was seen in other places, with a worse spike than we have seen here.
  
  If covid-19 becomes more rampant in our community, those people who have cancer, and who may have a chance to fight their cancer, might become sick with the virus, and die from the virus.
  
  Those individuals who might be at risk of suicide, might end up dying from covid-19 first, if they catch it.
  
  In past times of crisis and disasters, suicides rates have sometimes dropped. I agree we should be concerned about this, but let’s look for solutions to mitigate these other serious issues and concerns as well. The suicide rate has been climbing in recent years, let’s hope it’s actually slowed down right now. Maybe the stay at home order is an opportunity for positive wellness interventions and for change.
  
  I agree concerns like these should be raised and addressed. We need to come together and try to figure out all these things as they arise, and help one another through these hard times. Just because there are other concerns, doesn’t mean we should give up managing the pandemic.
Um, No! May 28, 2020 (3:21 pm)

@Jonah….. What are you talking about? Did you read my comment? It has nothing to do with a “fake virus”. And for that matter, where does Mark say in his post that I was responding to say anything about a “fake virus”. Please re-read our posts. Seriously, what?

Sorry, comment time is over.