CORONAVIRUS: Friday 7/10 roundup

| Coronavirus | West Seattle news

19 weeks ago tonight, King County announced its first confirmed coronavirus case. We start tonight’s roundup with the numbers:

NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily summary:

*11,632 people have tested positive, 146 more than yesterday

*603 people have died, 1 more than yesterday

*1,674 people have been hospitalized, 12 more than yesterday

*201,745 people have been tested, 3,035 more than yesterday

One week ago, those totals were 10,719/590/1,610/179,644.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.

WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 12.4 million cases, 560,000+ deaths – see the nation-by-nation numbers here.

SANITIZER CONTAMINATION: The state wants to be sure you’re aware of this FDA alert about some hand sanitizers.

PICKUP MARKET: If you want to shop the West Seattle Farmers’ Market without visiting multiple booths, the new online-ordering system for one pickup point is offered again this week. Midnight tonight is the deadline for orders to be picked up this Sunday (July 12th).

NEED FOOD? West Side Presbyterian Church (3601 California SW) is serving free bag lunches (“turkey, ham or beef sandwiches plus other goodies”) from 12-1 pm tomorrow, all welcome.

FREE BUS RIDES: Noticed in a Metro advisory tonight that “fares will remain suspended through the month of August,”

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

JJ July 11, 2020 (11:46 am)

WSB- Can you put a link to area testing locations? It sounds like people were being turned away from the SSC site yesterday. There are other regional options. Also, was it the state health department that employees and customers could call if they suspected a business or employer needed a little more customized education on infection control? What was that number?

JJ July 11, 2020 (4:05 pm)

King County Testing Sites: https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/covid-19/care/testing/locations.aspx

anonyme July 11, 2020 (12:54 pm)

Why are Metro fares suspended through August, at a time when they are complaining of huge budget shortfalls? Free rides only help criminals and make the buses less safe for anyone else. When I rode two weeks ago hardly anyone was wearing a mask, including drivers. The fare has nothing to do with Covid, and suspension of fares could even increase exposure for those trying to commute to essential jobs. There have been rumblings at Metro of making buses fare-free permanently. ‘Free’ is never really free; somebody pays, and you can bet Metro will then come at us with huge tax increases. This city gets more insane every day.

Brian July 11, 2020 (2:09 pm)

The bus should have always been free.
pilsner July 11, 2020 (2:25 pm)

This is pretty much the way is was before. Not many people payed to begin with, even before the ‘rona.
Suz July 11, 2020 (3:44 pm)

One reason is so that metro bus drivers don’t have to handle tickets. Free allows drivers to limit access to rear doors thus minimizing their exposure to passengers.
Lagartija Nick July 11, 2020 (5:44 pm)

The poor aren’t criminals, what a disgusting comment.
AMD July 12, 2020 (9:24 am)

Requiring fares means requiring passengers access to the fare boxes, which are only a couple feet away from the driver. Metro has an obligation to protect its drivers. Limiting access to the space adjacent to the driver is a big part of how Metro is working to minimize the risk to its drivers.

Joan July 11, 2020 (3:39 pm)

I’m shocked to hear that bus drivers are not wearing masks. I read that in NY many transit workers died from the virus. I thought we were all told to wear them. Metro should not leave it up to personal choice.

Kristin July 12, 2020 (12:04 am)

Okay, in a completely juvenile and inappropriate manner (but take humor when you can), I totally did a double take and giggled at the “pickup market” heading. Immediately pictured eligible singles on display next to tomatoes and lettuce.

anonyme July 12, 2020 (8:16 am)

Dear Nick: I am poor and also have a disability, so I’m fully aware that poor does not equal criminal. Criminal equals criminal, and that’s what I’m seeing, and stating. The downtown free ride zone was eliminated for precisely this reason. Please stop trying to turn absolutely EVERYTHING into an issue or an agenda for an offense.

Sorry, comment time is over.