 | Here is your Mayor's update, some COVID-19 information, some other useful information! Please forward as widely as you would like.
I want to hear from you, contact me anytime. If you're reading this because it was forwarded to you, or you saw it on Facebook and would like to receive it yourself, email me here to subscribe. | Today and tomorrow are supposed to be warm! Stay hydrated and take care of yourselves (and yes, readers outside of the Puget Sound, I know mid to high 80's doesn't sound like a big deal, but we're Seattleites!).
Also, remember, a burn ban is in place in our City (and the rest of Snohomish County) which forbids outdoor recreational fires (charcoal and gas grills are the only exception). Here is the week's snapshot from yesterday. Case count is now down to 52.9/100,000 (remember, once the Governor reopens the ability to move to a different phase, our target is 25 cases). Case investigations and contact tracing metrics have trended in the wrong direction since the last report. Mukilteo is at 119 cases, 5 new through the weekend. It is important for me to remember that represents not just a number in this email, but 5 new Mukilteans facing COVID symptoms, or the fear of having been asymptomatic, and the families impacted with isolation requirements, medical needs, and other challenges. |  average daily tests | | Nature.com addresses why we have had a data crisis in the US surrounding COVID including years of neglect of public health data, politics and disorganization. A new data-driven map application called COVIDPulse uses simple lines and bar graphs to give you an up-to-date snapshot on trends in your city, town, or state. It's an interesting new way to look at the case counts, cumulative cases and deaths at different population levels. American Association of Medical Colleges: Prison should not be a COVID death sentence. Nature.com: Four new studies out of Europe, three of which are non-peer-reviewed preprints, have provided more evidence on the infection fatality rate (IFR) of the coronavirus, “which is the proportion of people infected with the virus, including those who didn’t get tested or show symptoms, who will die as a result.” All four studies indicate that the IFR is close to zero in young people but increases sharply around the age of 50, when about 5 in 1,000 people will die. After the age of 70 and older, about 116 in 1,000 people will die. The research also found that men are nearly twice as likely to die as women. The Mayo Clinic provided COVID-19 safety tips for travel, restaurants, the gym, and more. New York Times: ‘Here We Go Again’: A Second Virus Wave Grips Spain Washington Post: Maine Sleep-away Camps Prevented Coronavirus Spread Among More Than 1,000 People, CDC Report Finds and.... Boston Globe: How an Intimate Wedding in Rural Maine Led to the State’s Largest COVID Outbreak NPR reports with a video on how to protect yourself while coronavirus lingers in the air or is spread through lack of ventilation. Mayo Clinic news: is your hand sanitizer safe and effective? (Watch for 70% ethyl alcohol, and check the expiration dates) Nudists are spreading the coronavirus in France (BBC. StatNews reports on a U.S. advisory group lays out detailed recommendations on how to prioritize Covid-19 vaccine. | This year like no other, the Mukilteo Boys & Girls Club is bringing the Spirit of Aloha to us with their first-ever ONLINE Luau and Auction on September 26!
From free childcare for healthcare workers and first responders, social support for kids dealing with the stress of social distancing and academic tutoring and mentoring to make sure kids don't fall through the cracks of online schooling, the Mukilteo Boys & Girls Club supports the needs of our community.
Now, they're counting on YOUR support for their annual Luau and Auction fundraiser. Although they'll be hosting the event online this year, they do plan to bring the same energy and sense of community that the Luau has provided for 51 years running.
To join, please visit the Luau and Auction Website to find out more, to register for the Auction, buy the Luau To-Go dinner, or to learn more about becoming a sponsor or donating an auction item. | September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and this year it comes at a particularly difficult time for many people in our community. A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report found that 1 in 4 people aged 18-24 has had suicidal thoughts in the month preceding the survey, which was conducted in June. Behind that statistic are people experiencing racism, worrying about their jobs, and feeling the pandemic’s threat to their health. It is clear that these unprecedented times are having profound impacts on the mental health of people of all ages.
Together we can play an important role in de-stigmatizing mental health by talking openly about it. We can help one another by checking in on one another. Effective and compassionate resources are available for you, a loved one, or a colleague, 24 hours a day, and many people have found hope and support through them:
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
• Crisis Connections helpline: 866-4CRISIS (427-4747), a 24-hour crisis line
• Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 to connect with trained crisis counselors about anything that’s on your mind. Free, 24/7 and confidential.
• For immediate crises, call 911 right away. | A good reminder from King County Public Health to drive safely in school zones, even though our schools are using remote learning. Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families has resources for paying for childcare.
In related news, the Boys and Girls Club now offers 50% discounts to all families for childcare, thanks to Snohomish County CARES Funding. More information here, rates are approximately $100 per week. Port of Seattle reports that they have installed a new ventilation system which helps reduce transmission if airborne viruses like the coronavirus. The Seattle Seahawks launched a voter resources page. | This is a fundraiser, but Feet First has done cool virtual walks, so it is probably worth your $10. On this virtual walk, explore Seattle's most famous land alteration project: the complete removal of a hill in the downtown area. Through a series of illustrations, maps, and historic photos, the walk will virtually cover about 1.5 miles circumnavigating the old hill in the area known as the Denny Regrade where Amazon's campus is now located. Along the walk, learn about how and why early Seattleites undertook this audacious and ambitious project, which they completed between 1897 and 1930. it's scheduled for September 15, 6:30-7:30pm. Learn more here. Family daytrips- Seattle Times shares some local road trip ideas. The Stranger notes that people under 40 have the highest infection rates, "yet they still keep going to brunch." In their style, they make some great recommendations for what we can do for fun that does not include infecting one another (virtual karaoke, watch art stuff online together, and.... call each other on the phone). | Lighthouse Park, Edgewater Beach and 92nd Street Park reopened on May 5. Bathrooms are open only at Lighthouse Park 7am-7pm. Playgrounds are now open, with warnings about cleaning schedules and advise to use at your own risk posted. Trails and sidewalks continue to be open for your physical activity! Please respect physical distance of six feet, and put your face covering on as you pass others. All City Facilities closure: City operations will continue via primarily phone, email and online. The public is encouraged to call (425) 263-8000 for assistance with City services or visit our website at www.mukilteowa.gov. Government services are not slated to reopen until Phase 3 of the new reopening plan, which is mid-June at the earliest. For more information on city facilities, see this link. | Current case count is 120 confirmed or probable COVID-19 cases identified in Mukilteo (6 new cases), and 106 individuals who are recovered (6 new recoveries). County and city case counts are available at this link, updated each weekday at 2pm. | | |
