Livestream of coronavirus press conference at 10:15 a.m. today, March 9
You can tune in to this livestream at 10:15 a.m. today where King County Executive Dow Constantine, Governor Jay Inslee, and regional leaders will announce new community strategies to contain novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
The speakers include:
- Governor Jay Inslee
- Dow Constantine, King County Executive
- Bruce Dammeier, Pierce County Executive
- Dave Sommers, Snohomish County Executive
- Jenny Durkan, Mayor of Seattle
- Cassie Franklin, Mayor of Everett
- Victoria Woodards, Mayor of Tacoma
Watch the livestream here (starts at 10:15 a.m.). Please refer to the Public Health – Seattle & King County website at www.kingcounty.gov/covid and the Public Health Insider blog for the latest information, and see our list of answers to common questions for King County employees. You can also sign up for free email alerts from Public Health.
When the livestream is over, a recording of the press conference will still be available for viewing here.
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Doing what we can do minimize COVID-19 spread and protect ourselves
Last week, we advised that a person with a confirmed case of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was in multiple King County buildings in downtown Seattle. Public Health – Seattle & King County worked to identify where there may have been exposure, and workspaces that might benefit from additional cleaning received additional cleaning, as have workspaces across the county. Importantly, employees should not assume that any public spaces are without risk.
It is essential that we protect people’s identities in a public health emergency for a number of reasons. Experts in public health and bioethics say that far from helping society, a decision to reveal the identities of people who have contracted the coronavirus would be a disaster with far-reaching ramifications. Health privacy laws (HIPAA) strictly protect confidentiality. People won’t seek medical care if they feel that their privacy will be compromised, and that compromises the ability of health officials to respond to the outbreak. Health officials are responsible for contact tracing and any notifications medically necessary. While we are taking appropriate actions, we are being careful not to announce particular buildings or spaces to avoid identifying individuals and to ensure people don’t assume that other spaces are without risk.
As testing capacity for COVID-19 has increased and more results have come in, it has become clear that this virus is now common in our community, and we will see many more positive tests. We all need to assume public spaces in our community have been exposed, and that we have already or can be exposed to the virus if out in public spaces.
We must focus on what we need to do to minimize our risk of contracting and spreading the virus, and follow Public Health and King County advice about avoiding public spaces, practicing excellent personal hygiene habits, staying home when sick, and taking extra precautions if we are at higher risk of illness. We have also taken measures to limit the number of county employees who need to come to work, by encouraging telecommuting wherever possible; and as mentioned above, have increased our cleaning protocols.
If you believe that you need to utilize leave to be away from the workplace, please contact your Human Resources Manager. For medical questions, please contact your medical provider or take advantage of telehealth resources. If you are stressed or just want to talk to someone, the Employee Assistance Program and Making Life Easier (login: King County) can be helpful. Both resources are free and confidential.
This is a challenging situation for our community. The health and wellbeing of our employees and customers is paramount. As public servants, we are all working to ensure that our community continues to receive the services that it counts on us to deliver, while doing everything that we can to minimize the spread of this virus.
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Tech Tips: Using Skype successfully
KCIT is committed to ensuring all eligible employees can efficiently telecommute. That means using Skype to make calls and conduct your meetings virtually on County-owned devices like laptops and tablets. Many are already using this valuable tool daily, while it may be new to others.
Here’s what you need to know to get started:
- If you use Microsoft Office 365 on your King County device (laptop, tablet, etc.) you are good to go to conduct Skype calls/meetings. You do not need VPN access and no further permissions are needed.
- If you haven’t used Skype meetings or shared your screen using Skype, here are some resources to get started:
More information on using Skype for Business for sharing and conducting Skype meetings can be found here. For questions, contact the KCIT Help Desk at 206-263-4357 or submit a Help Desk ticket.
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How to obtain extra necessary medications to have on hand
King County is committed to the welfare of our employees, and as the COVID-19 virus continues to impact our community, we want employees to know that our prescription benefit vendors have taken steps to address the outbreak and protect employee’s access to medication. The following information will help you and your covered family members obtain extra necessary medication to have on hand.
- If you have long-term maintenance medications, you are encouraged to refill eligible prescriptions for 90-day supplies via mail-order/home delivery or pick up. This can help reduce the number of trips you make to the doctor’s office and pharmacy, and the copay for a 90-day supply is typically less than paying for three 30-day supplies.
- Restrictions on early refills have been relaxed, so you can fill prescriptions ahead of their normal schedule to ensure you can keep an adequate supply of medication on hand.
If you are a KingCare or KingCare Select (Regence) medical plan member
- Your prescription medication coverage is administered through CVS Caremark.
- CVS is waiving early refill limits on 30-day prescriptions for maintenance medications (except controlled substances) at any in-network pharmacy. For non-maintenance prescriptions, CVS will approve a one-time emergency refill for a 14-day supply.
- Go to CVS Caremark to sign in, or Welcome to Caremark if you need to create an account.
- To request a new prescription from your doctor, or change any eligible 30-day prescription supply to a 90-day supply, go to Change from Pharmacy Pick-Up to Mail Service.
- CVS Caremark Mail Service will mail your medication to your home.
- You can also opt to fill and pick up a 90-day supply of many medications at a CVS pharmacy using a program called Maintenance Choice.
- You can also use the CVS Caremark mobile app to refill mail order prescriptions, track order status, and view prescription history.
- If you have questions, call CVS Customer Care: 844-380-8838.
If you are a SmartCare (Kaiser) medical plan member
- Kaiser is waiving early refill limits so members with less than a 30-day supply on hand can obtain up to a 90-day supply (except controlled substances) at a Kaiser pharmacy.
- Go to Kaiser Permanente to sign in.
- To get a 90-day supply of your medicine, transfer your prescriptions to the Kaiser mail order pharmacy.
- Go to Medications, then Transfer Prescriptions. You’ll need:
- Name and phone number of your current pharmacy
- Prescription number, name, strength, and instructions
- Name and phone number of the doctor who prescribed the medication
- Once you’ve transferred your prescriptions, you can order refills when you sign in.
- You can also use the Kaiser Permanente Washington mobile app to refill or transfer most prescriptions, see a list of all your medications, or contact a pharmacy representative.
- If you have questions, call Kaiser at 888-901-4636.
For questions regarding your prescription drug coverage, contact the Benefits team at 206-684-1556 or KC Benefits.
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Increasing King County COVID-19 case numbers for March 10, point to importance of social distancing
Crossposted from Public Health Insider
With increasing number of COVID-19 cases, Public Health – Seattle & King County urges King County residents to take very seriously the recommendations to limit social contacts and minimize the spread of COVID-19 in the community.
Public Health is reporting 74 new cases today, bringing the official case count total in King County to 190. In addition, two new deaths are reported, bringing the total deaths to 22.
Story:
Access to more testing is showing us that COVID-19 is spreading more rapidly in King County. Ten long-term care facilities have reported positive COVID-19 cases. This underscores why it is critically important for residents to take seriously the precautions announced previously:
- Employers should encourage and enable as many employees as possible to telecommute and follow other guidance for businesses.
- Avoid bringing large groups of people together, and consider postponing events and gatherings.
Read more from Public Health Insider
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Increased cleaning service in response to COVID-19, March 9
Dear King County colleagues,
You might have seen increased cleaning activity from Facilities Management Division (FMD) custodial staff across our worksites as part of our efforts to stop the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
FMD has implemented additional protocols in efforts to regular clean highly touched surfaces such as door handles, elevator controls, and conference rooms. These protocols are being utilized on a reoccurring basis as we respond to COVID-19.
We are grateful for the extra efforts of our FMD colleagues in our buildings. For steps you can take to prevent spread of germs, click here. See our complete employee Q&A guide here.
For facilities questions or concerns, please contact FMD Customer Care Services at 206-477-9400. Customer Care is available Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. For afterhours emergencies, please contact the FMD Emergency Dispatch Center at 206-296-5000.
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Pet of the Week: Royal
Hi! My name is Royal and I am available for adoption. I was brought in by an Animal Control Officer on February 2, 2020. I am a very smart dog! At the shelter I am practicing how to “sit.” I am an independent dog who likes to do my own thing! I am full of energy and I love to play! I tend to calm down more when the people around me stay calm. I do best when I have lots of exercise and something to keep my mind busy.
Read more and view all available pets at www.kingcounty.gov/adoptapet. Have you or someone you know adopted a pet from RASKC? Let us know. We’d love to tell your story.
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Answering employee questions about COVID-19 response
Dear King County employee,
As we continue our efforts to slow the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in King County, we have put together a list of answers to common questions for King County employees about our operations during this outbreak.
This is a rapidly evolving event and we will update these Q&As as needed with the most current information. If you have any additional questions, please talk to your supervisor, division director, or Human Resources Manager (SharePoint link). Please also refer to the Public Health – Seattle & King County website at www.kingcounty.gov/covid and the Public Health Insider blog for the latest information.
This guidance applies to Executive Branch employees. Employees in separately elected agencies will continue to receive guidance from their leaders: Department of Assessments, Department of Judicial Administration, District Court, King County Council, King County Elections, King County Sheriff’s Office, Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Superior Court.
Supervisors: please print and post for employees who do not have access to email.
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Performance Excellence Awards ceremony rescheduled
Due to King County’s continuing response to the COVID-19 public health situation, the Performance Excellence Awards ceremony, originally scheduled for March, will be rescheduled for a later date. The awards program recognizes high-performing teams and employees who have achieved outstanding improvement results for King County and its residents. Rescheduling the awards ceremony will ensure the awards finalists get the full attention and recognition they deserve.
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Employee Engagement Survey delayed until further notice
Due to the ongoing need for messaging about coronavirus (COVID-19), the 2020 King County Employee Engagement Survey will be delayed until further notice. Please know your feedback is important to us. We will reevaluate the best time to conduct the survey as the impact of coronavirus on our workforce and region evolves. For any questions about the survey or your participation contact KCEmployeeSurvey@kingcounty.gov.
Employee News 