How to keep your cool when working
It’s finally feeling like summer! A wave of days over 80 degrees, perhaps into the 90s, are in the forecast next week. But things are different this year with COVID-19. Going to a movie theater, a mall, or the library to cool off after work aren’t possible for most of us in King County in this phase of the state’s Safe Start reopening plan. Remember to let safety be your guide. Check with your supervisor or manager for specific information or directions related to your job.
Tips from Public Health specific to COVID and heat:
COVID-19 risk adds an additional concern during hot weather. Unlike the flu, hot weather does not decrease the transmission of COVID-19.
- Cities will not be able to set up cooling centers this summer with the increase in COVID-19 spread.
- Many swimming beaches may be closed or lifeguards may not be present. Never swim alone, use lifejackets in or near rivers and lakes, and heed Public Health warnings about crowded parks. Get more information about safe swimming in COVID times.
- Wearing a mask is a key measure to prevent the spread of COVID; in hot weather, wearing a mask can also contribute to overheating. Avoid spending time in hot indoor and outdoor locations where you would have to wear a mask. Take a safely distanced “mask break” if you are getting too hot and uncomfortable:
- Go outside and make sure you are distanced from others by at least 6 feet.
- Remove your mask to breathe and cool down.
- Put the mask back on before returning to the venue or activity where the mask is required.
For everyone:
- Keep window blinds or curtains closed when outdoor temperatures skyrocket. This reduces indoor temps and reduces the strain on the HVAC equipment, if in use.
- Keep windows and doors closed in locations with HVAC.
- Drink plenty of fluids (but avoid alcohol, caffeine, or lots of sugar that can make you lose body fluid).
- Dress in layers to manage varying temperatures.
- Minimize extended time outside.
- Turn off unnecessary lights and unplug unused electrical equipment.
- Take a tepid shower or bath to cool down.
- Avoid hot and heavy meals that can raise your body temperature.
- Check on vulnerable family or neighbors by phone or text to make sure they are safe and cool.
- NEVER leave pets or children in a hot car. Call 911 if see a child or pet in a hot car.
- Learn the warning signs of heat illness that happens when the body can’t cool down. If someone has heat stroke, they need to call 911 or go to the emergency room immediately.
For those who work in county buildings:
- The county recommends against using indoor fans inside county buildings, as they can create “hot zones” in other places in the building and can create a fire hazard. Please don’t block or manipulate air vents or returns.
- The County standard for building temperature range is 70-74 degrees.
- As a reminder, feel free to print out and post the FMD Summer Heat Reminder Flyer (PDF) in your workspace.
- FMD staff will help close the blinds on unoccupied floors of county buildings.
Think outside the box if you’re teleworking and it’s hot:
- If you can, buy a portable or window air conditioning unit for your telework location. Now might be the best time to make the investment.
- Box fans, usually about $40 or less, can help if you don’t have AC.
- Take a break and run through the sprinkler or buy an inexpensive wading pool and dip your feet in.
- Ice cubes in a wash cloth feel wonderful on the back of your neck!
- Ventilate and cool your house off in the evening and night when temperatures are cooler.
If you must be outside:
- The most important thing to do is to drink lots of water. When it’s really hot, drink up to a quart of water every hour with moderate to heavy physical activity.
- Carry a water bottle.
- Consider sports drinks for electrolyte replacement when sweating a lot.
- Wear loose, light clothing with materials designed to wick sweat.
- Wear a hat with a brim.
- Check with your supervisor about adjusting your work hours to start earlier, when it’s cooler.
- Stop all activity if you become lightheaded, confused, weak, faint or have a pounding heart or trouble breathing. Tell your supervisor if you or a colleague experience any of these symptoms of heat-related illness.
The county offers training for supervisors about how to help employees deal with the heat and keep employees safe. Keep in mind that personal factors, such as fitness level, age, obesity, alcohol use (even the night before), nicotine use, etc., affect an individual’s susceptibility to heat illnesses.
For more information, visit the King County Emergency News blog post “Keep your cool this summer.”
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Governor Inslee COVID-19 press conference today at 2:30 p.m.
Governor Jay Inslee will hold a press conference to provide an update on the state’s ongoing response to COVID-19 today, Thursday, July 23, at 2:30 p.m. The governor will accompanied by Washington Secretary of Health John Wiesman.
You can watch the livestream here at 2:30 p.m. today.
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Celebrating 30 years of the ADA
This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed into law in 1990 by former U.S. President George H. W. Bush. Here at King County we’ve worked to provide everyone equal access to employment, transportation, housing, education, health care, recreation, and community life.
On July 26, 2020, we celebrate thirty years of progress in access and inclusion, and renew our commitment to making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. For more information about the ADA and how can get involved in King County’s efforts to celebrate and support it, contact DisabilityServices@kingcounty.gov.
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Disability history virtual tour, July 23
The U.S. Department of Defense’s Diversity Management Operations Center, Disability Programs Directorate, a partner in the Office of Disability Employment Policy’s Workforce Recruitment Program, will host a virtual tour of the Smithsonian Institution’s disability history collection on Thursday, July 23 from noon to 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
During this celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Smithsonian historian Dr. Katherine Ott will show the National Museum of American History’s disability exhibit.
Register for the event and request accommodations by emailing dodhra.dmoc-dpd@mail.mil. For more information, visit the National Museum of American History’s disability history website.
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Waiting for your COVID-19 test results? Here’s what you can do
Crossposted from Public Health Insider
In the past few weeks, we have heard reports of longer wait times to get COVID-19 tests and delays in receiving test results in some instances. For most labs, the average time from testing to results being available has typically been one to three days, but recently it has been taking five to six days for tests done in some settings. Healthcare providers (or testers) then report results to patients. Because these are averages, some people may wait longer than these times.
We believe these delays are largely due to both recent increases in the number of people seeking testing for COVID-19 which is creating increasing workloads for laboratories, and limited supplies called reagents needed for COVID-19 laboratory testing. This is an issue nationally, not just in Washington state. Large outbreaks of COVID-19 in areas across the U.S. with high demands for testing are a factor impacting the ability to obtain the needed supplies.
Public Health is working with the Washington Department of Health and regional laboratories and healthcare providers to develop strategies to decrease the time between testing to results and to minimize disruption of the availability of COVID-19 testing locally. Labs are also working hard to increase their staffing and equipment to be able to run more tests.
Importance of testing
While there are shortages and some delays, this should not prevent people from seeking testing. To prevent COVID-19 from spreading to family, friends, and the community, Public Health – Seattle & King County continues to recommend that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms or anyone who has been in close contact with someone with COVID-19 seek testing promptly. If you’re not sure about whether your symptoms might be COVID-19, contact your healthcare provider.
“Access to rapid testing is crucial to identify cases and infected close contacts in order to prevent further spread of illness and in some cases help with medical decisions. Adequate access to testing across our community is necessary for effective public health contact tracing and can also help identify hot spots experiencing higher levels of disease so that we can inform the community on actions to prevent transmission,” said Dr. Jeff Duchin, Public Health – Seattle & King County.
“Although testing for COVID-19 in King County has more than doubled since June and continues to increase, we still do not have the number of tests or access throughout the county we think we need. The current national reagent shortage further complicates our ability to meet our expectations.
“Our healthcare partners, Community Health Boards and community organizations are helping us to expand access to testing, and we are actively working with Washington State Department of Health to find laboratories that can provide the volume of testing our community needs.”
Testing is one very important piece of the COVID-19 response. To decrease transmission, illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths we also need to remember the importance of limiting our activities outside of the home, decreasing the number, duration and closeness of contact with others, remembering to always wear a face mask in public, and frequent hand washing.
Free testing
Our list of free testing is updated each Wednesday. Bookmark this link to our map of testing sites to see the most up-to-date list of sites. Call ahead to confirm hours & availability.
If you do not have a healthcare provider or have further questions about testing, call the King County COVID-19 call center between 8 AM – 7 PM PST at 206-477-3977.
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Americans with Disabilities Act 30th Anniversary celebrated by ODEP
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) posted information on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of its signing on July 26, 1990. Featured is a timeline highlighting disability employment legislation enacted since the signing of the ADA and other notable related events from the past 30 years. Also included are suggestions on ways for organizations and individuals to celebrate ADA30.
View the timeline here, and visit the ODEP’s ADA30 webpage.
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Wastewater Treatment Division employees help design a world for everyone
Pictured: The Coal Creek natural area
The Community Services (CS) team in King County’s Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) is known for comprehensive, creative, and thoughtful outreach. CS team members solve problems and find ways to work with diverse communities throughout WTD’s 400-square mile service area. The CS team takes the County’s True North initiative seriously, engaging residents through trusted community-based organizations and expanding translation and live interpretation services every year.
CS team member Monica Van der Vieren found ways to address a need that all of us will face at some time in our lives: accessibility.
Monica leads community outreach for the Coal Creek Sewer Upgrade Project. This project will provide needed wastewater capacity to a growing area of Bellevue and Newcastle. It also gives King County the opportunity to move much of an active sewer pipe away from a creek with fish habitat in a beloved natural area.
Pictured: King County will restore the trailhead with more accessible signage and seating.
The Coal Creek project will require closure of a popular trailhead for up to three years during construction. The City of Bellevue improved this trailhead in 2015, increasing parking and accessibility for people with disabilities. King County, like the City, will need to restore the work area to current accessibility standards.
Monica identified ways to improve accessibility when the work area is restored, including trail surfaces, signage and seating. She learned that accessible maps and online content could help people with disabilities plan their visit to the area.
Monica realized that the project could go a step further to foster awareness of how accessibility supports community members living with disabilities. When the Department of Natural Resources and Parks hosted Rooted in Rights (RIR) to talk about their video projects, she saw an opportunity.
RIR is a team of disabled video producers, editors and digital organizers working as part of non-profit Disability Rights Washington. The team creates vibrant, authentic stories about people living with disabilities, mental health issues, and chronic illness. They have created stories about how nature and recreation benefits disabled bikers and hikers.
King County’s engineering consultant brought the RIR on board for the Final Design phase of the Coal Creek project. RIR was tasked to create 5 videos focused on recreation and in-person meetings, events, and programs.
Pictured: Program Director Anna Letitia Zivarts (back right) and the Rooted in Rights team.
“We are thrilled to be able to work with King County,” says Anna Letitia Zivarts, Program Director at Rooted in Rights. “For us, it’s a learning experience to work with government contracts, and we hope we can help the County improve processes for working with disabled creators.”
The team prepared to jump into gear as soon as spring weather painted a backdrop of flowers, greenery, and sun to showcase our beautiful area. Then the coronavirus pandemic arrived, just as the team got started. Public health guidance prohibited people from working in person and gathering at filming locations.
Undaunted, the RIR team found a way create timely content aimed at improving accessibility. They proposed a project to help hosts make video calls and online meetings, a staple of remote work and outreach, more accessible. The team completed the project with all team members and actors working remotely.
“It’s really important to create videos that highlight some of the access issues disabled people face in our daily lives,” Anna says. “Together, we can be part of building a more accessible and inclusive community.”
Celebrating a historic day
Pictured: Monica’s goal is to make outreach events like this one accessible for everyone.
The Coal Creek team was determined to support King County’s celebration of a historic day. On July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law. King County and local cities will observe the 30th anniversary by hosting online events in July.
Beyond the celebration, WTD’s Community Services group will continue to promote awareness and improved accessibility where possible.
“Accessibility is so important for every single one of us,” says Monica.
“Everyone will experience disability, whether it is temporary or permanent, impacting us or one of our loved ones. We help every community and person if we each become more aware and considerate, and improve design and practices as much as we can.”
Watch the video below for some great tips from real experts to welcome everyone to your online meetings and events!
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King County providing clear face masks to support deaf and hard of hearing people
Pictured: Image courtesy of ClearMask
King County will make clear face masks available to employees as part of its efforts to support deaf and hard of hearing people at work and in the community.
Clear face masks are critical for the deaf and hard of hearing community, but they are only effective if the hearing community wears them. Therefore, it’s important that our customer-facing employees and employees who have deaf and hard of hearing coworkers have access to these types of masks. King County has ordered 3,600 clear face masks for customer-facing and other employees who may need them to communicate with customers and coworkers.
For people with hearing difficulties, having the mouth covered is still a major barrier. At least 5% of the world’s population has disabling hearing loss, and reading a person’s lips and facial expressions can be an important part of communicating, even for those who use sign language. Covering most of your face can make it difficult to convey emotion and impact communication with others.
While clear face masks support the deaf and hard of hearing community, they also have a Targeted Universalism benefit for everyone. Targeted Universalism is the practice of setting universal goals pursued by targeted processes to achieve those goals. Here are some examples:
- Clear masks make it easier for all people to read facial expressions and can alleviate anxiety in customers and even support deescalating situations.
- Clear masks make communications easier for people whose primary language is not English.
- Clear masks make it easier for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities to read facial cues and communicate.
- Clear masks benefit small children by reducing anxiety due to being scared of masks and the need to be able to see facial expressions to feel safe.
A transparent mask allows you to see more of a person’s face, which may have an added mental health benefit given the increased isolation and anxiety that people are experiencing amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Departments who are interested in ordering clear face masks for their employees should contact fleetstores@kingcounty.gov
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Reminder: Need to see a health care provider during the pandemic? Try telehealth.
To protect themselves from the coronavirus, many people have chosen to delay non-emergency doctors’ visits and therapy appointments, hoping they can pause their medical needs until the pandemic is over. Unfortunately, we now realize the virus is likely here to stay for many more months. And so, we are faced with the challenge of developing strategies for safely navigating our new reality.
Fortunately, King County employees and family members enrolled in Kaiser and Regence medical plans have access to telehealth services that allow you to virtually access board-certified, trained medical providers from your home, using a tablet, smart phone, or personal computer. Visit the Balanced You blog for more information.
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Featured Job: Administrative Specialist III – Medical Examiner
Salary: $25.37 – $32.16 Hourly
Location: Seattle, WA
Job Type: Special Duty Assignment or Term Limited Temp (TLT)
Department: DPH – Public Health
Job Number: 2020ML11869
Division: Prevention
Closing: 7/30/2020 11:59 PM Pacific
Learn more about this position or view all available positions.
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