by Carolyn Bick
Amidst the wildfires and smoke blanketing the state, Washington State reached 2,000 deaths from COVID-19 and more than 80,000 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, Gov. Jay Inslee announced in a press conference on Sept. 15.
Continue reading Washingtonians’ Indoor Behavior Will Dictate COVID-19 Case Levels and Death Rates This Autumn, Inslee Saysby Luna Reyna
In April, ACLU Analytics and researchers from Washington State University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Tennessee predicted that if the United States continued to operate jails and prisons as usual and refused to reduce the number of people incarcerated, estimated fatalities from the coronavirus would double. That same month, in Washington state, Gov. Jay Inslee authorized the release of approximately 1,100 individuals nearing the end of their sentences, but organizations like Human Rights Watch believe that this is far too few. Currently, Washington state prisons have been exposed to COVID-19. Washington State Immigrant Detention Centers have been exposed to COVID-19. And now, the Federal Detention Center (FDC), SeaTac has been exposed.
Continue reading SeaTac Federal Detention Center Exposed Prisoners to the Coronavirus by Allegedly Failing to Follow Coronavirus Protocolsby Carolyn Bick
The City of Seattle will be standing up a new free novel coronavirus testing site at the Chief Sealth High School (CSHS) Athletic Complex in Southwest Seattle, Mayor Jenny Durkan announced at a press conference on Aug. 20. The new site will open on Aug. 28 and will bring the city’s testing capacity to 4,000 tests per day.
Standing in front of the newly opened testing site in the parking lot of Rainier Beach High School (RBHS) in Southeast Seattle, Durkan, District 2 City Councilmember Tammy Morales, and Seattle Fire Department Chief Harold Scoggins outlined the city’s plan for the new site. Like the RBHS testing site, the CSHS testing site will be a walk-up. It will accept anyone who comes to get a test regardless of whether they have insurance and does not require a person to be a United States citizen to get tested. Though registration is encouraged, it is not required. The new site will be open from 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Continue reading Mayor Announces New Testing Site at Chief Sealth High School, Says Site Strategically Positioned for Hardest-Hit Communitiesby Guy Oron
Families of incarcerated people, advocates, and community organizers held a press conference Wednesday to shine a light on the intersecting crises of racism and COVID-19 in Washington State prisons. The press conference, organized by Seattle COVID-19 Mutual Aid and Columbia Legal Services, denounced the Department of Corrections’ (DOC) handling of the pandemic, saying its response has been inadequate, negligent, and harmful.
Continue reading Community Members Expose Harmful, Racist COVID-19 Response in Washington Prisonsby Carolyn Bick
Shiny, blushed coral apples sit in rows on the tables in front of brown paper bags. Lined up almost perfectly straight, one right next to the other, they almost look like little cherubs, dutifully waiting their turn to leap into a bank of puffy clouds.
But they aren’t mythical creatures. They’re vital sources of nutrition for the more than 160 seniors who rely on the Southeast Seattle Senior Center’s hot meal program. On this particular Thursday morning, a handful of masked volunteers works to prepare the day’s meal, a steaming-hot, colorful mix of vegetables cooked with golden cubes of fried tofu served over a couple scoops of white rice.
Continue reading Senior Center Meal Program Works Every Weekday to Fill Need, But Challenges Remainby Carolyn Bick
Though his office unveiled a $40 million fund for undocumented workers earlier this week, Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee said in a press conference on Aug. 13 that the one-time payment fund won’t be available for undocumented workers until the autumn. He also said that the state has made available another $3 million in CARES Act funding for certain food production workers who have to quarantine themselves, due to infection from the novel coronavirus.
Continue reading Relief Fund for Undocumented Workers to Go Live in Autumn, Inslee Saysby Carolyn Bick
South Seattle will see a third free, walk-up novel coronavirus testing site at Rainier Beach High School, starting on Friday, Aug. 7.
Joined by Public Health – Seattle & King County Director Patty Hayes and Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins in a press conference on July 31, Mayor Jenny Durkan announced that the new testing site will replace the one that opened in April at the Atlantic City Boat Ramp.
The test will be free, neither citizenship nor insurance is required. While pre-registration also isn’t required, it is encouraged. The site will be open from 9:30 am. – 5 :30 p.m., and will be accessible for those with disabilities.
Continue reading New COVID-19 Testing Site to Open at Rainier Beach High Schoolby Sharon H. Chang
It has been six months of an escalating US coronavirus outbreak which began in Washington State. During this chaotic time, when many government leaders and Americans have shown more interest in protecting personal politics than actual human lives, it has been confusing and hard for Washington’s most impacted communities to navigate safety and wellness. But one thing has been made abundantly clear to undocumented people in the state who are among the hardest hit by coronavirus — if they don’t take care of each other, no one will. This is why the Washington Dream Coalition did not wait to take action and has raised millions of dollars in COVID-19 relief funds for their community since March. Continue reading Young Latinx Raise $5.2 Million in COVID Relief for Undocumented People Shunned By Government
by Carolyn Bick
Washington State has reached a new milestone in the ongoing saga of the novel coronavirus pandemic. As of today, there have been 50,000 people who have tested positive for the virus, since the start of the pandemic.
This is not a good number.
Continue reading As State Hits 50,000-Case Milestone, South King County Appears to Be Next Potential Outbreak Hotspotby Carolyn Bick
Between June 9 and July 9, the rate of novel coronavirus cases in Washington State has doubled from the state’s previous peak in April. Despite this, with the exception of limiting gatherings, Gov. Jay Inslee has once again shied away from imposing more stringent regulations and measures or rolling counties back into earlier phases of the state’s Safe Start plan.
Continue reading COVID-19 Cases in Washington State Double to Twice April’s Peak in Less Than a Month
