COVID-19 ridership update: Masks required as region uses transit for essential trips
Crossposted from Metro Matters Ridership on King County Metro continues to remain steady at just over 100,000 daily trips across our reduced service network. We’re in the first week of a new directive to wear masks or face coverings in King County and on public transportation, and by wearing a mask you are helping support and protect drivers and customers who are using Metro to make essential trips. Metro analyzed preliminary extrapolations to create an unofficial estimate of weekly ridership, which remains substantially lower compared to a year ago. Read more from Metro… Read More
Standing together against racism
Dear fellow King County employee, Earlier this week we witnessed the tragic last moments of a man’s life – a black man in Minneapolis, who died with a white police officer’s knee pressed to his neck. This follows the February shooting by three white men of an unarmed black man jogging in Brunswick, Georgia. These killings, and the deaths of countless black and brown Americans in much the same way over the past few years, are stark reminders that racism and hate continue to thrive in our nation – in communities large and… Read More
“Supporting our Kids through the Pandemic with Connection and Collective Care” webinar, June 10
During the recent Balanced You webinar “A Conversation on Self-care and Connection,” we heard from employees that one of your top concerns is how the pandemic is impacting your kids. Because you asked for help supporting your kids through this, we reached out to one of the area’s top parent coaches, Sarina Behar Natkin, to coordinate a webinar and Q&A session for King County employees. The webinar will be held Wednesday, June 10 from 12:30 – 2 p.m. Register here. The session will be recorded and posted for those who cannot attend the live… Read More
New data shows broader social, economic, health impacts of efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19
Crossposted from Public Health Insider Nearly everyone in our community has felt the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It might be from COVID-19 illness, or from local and state efforts to slow its spread. We all are experiencing social distancing, school closures, business closures, or isolation and quarantine. Public Health – Seattle & King County has created a new set of data tools that show some of the broader impacts in King County – focusing on social, economic, and overall health and well-being. Key topics include unemployment, housing and food needs, internet access,… Read More
D.I.Y. face coverings: Tips on making cloth masks from the Public Health Crafter’s Corner
Crossposted from Public Health Insider A lot has changed since we published our first Public Health Crafter’s Corner in December (where we featured bedazzled hand sanitizer as a surprisingly prescient holiday gift). Since then, crafting has become a way to fill the many hours at home, and now there is urgent need for homemade cloth masks with the directive to wear face coverings in King County. Fortunately, making your own face coverings isn’t necessarily hard or expensive. We’ve got you covered–so to speak–with Do-It-Yourself ideas, even if you’ve never threaded a needle or touched a glue-gun. Read… Read More
Translating video guidance helps keep people safe
Public Health – Seattle & King County has launched a Public Service Announcement (PSA) video entitled, COVID-19 Community Guidance, in different languages to support the diverse communities that make up King County and connect them to life-saving information. Employees from all over King County contributed to the videos, working to overcome language barriers by providing extensive language translations. Two of the employees who participated in this video project and translated information are Dr. Eyob Manzengia, Assistant Division Director for Environmental Health in Public Health, who translated in Amharic, and Silvia Rus, Health and… Read More
Stopping the COVID-19 pandemic depends on having the right supplies. Where can you get 5,000 masks?
Meet the team — from our King County Office of Emergency Management, Public Health – Seattle & King County and other county departments, as well as volunteers — tracking down thousands of masks and hundreds of gallons of hand sanitizer to keep healthcare and frontline workers safe.
Elliott Avenue modular pilot project opens to offer shelter beds and services to fight COVID-19
King County Executive Dow Constantine invited media to join in a tour of the newly completed Elliott Avenue enhanced shelter located at 551 Elliott Avenue West in Seattle that will offer safe housing and 24/7 onsite services for about 45 people currently experiencing homelessness. King County Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles who represents Council District 4 joined the tour, along with staff of Catholic Community Services, the contract service provider. The location is opening to further King County’s efforts around shelter de-intensification, reducing the density of existing congregate shelters that pose a danger for… Read More
New public health Directive requires masks or face coverings on transit
Crossposted from Metro Matters Starting Monday, May 18 until further notice, passengers are required to wear masks or face coverings while riding transit, according to a new Public Health Directive from Dr. Jeff Duchin, Public Health – Seattle & King County health officer, along with King County Executive Dow Constantine and Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan. Additionally, Executive Dow Constantine has directed that all King County employees, including transit operators and crews, wear masks or face coverings when in public indoor spaces or outdoors when they are unable to social distance. Metro has already… Read More
Tips for staying safe outdoors as more recreation lands reopen
King County Parks is reopening parks and trails on May 8 following a six-week closure in support of Gov. Jay Inslee’s Stay Home, Stay Healthy order to help flatten the curve of COVID-19 transmissions through the state. Outdoor recreation is a great idea but we absolutely need to continue to take precautions to prevent bringing COVID-19 back home with us. Everyone must practice safe distancing and good hand hygiene whether indoors or out because lives depend on it,” said Dr. Jeff Duchin, Health Officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County. “Where… Read More
Employee News 