What’s the deal with boosters (and why it’s a good time for a boost)

May 16, 2022.Reading time 12 minutes.

Three female friends holding up their vaccination cards and smiling.

Booster shots prevent the most serious health threats from COVID: long-lasting symptoms, hospitalization, and death. But many people in King County who are eligible haven’t gotten their booster shot yet. If that includes you, we’ve pulled together answers to common questions about booster shots that explain why it’s so worth doing.

Feeling the heat? Maybe it’s your medication.

June 27, 2022.Reading time 6 minutes.

Illustration of older woman with white hair looking dizzy. She stands under a hot sun in a garden.

Some people are at higher risk for serious health problems on hot days and should take extra precautions to stay cool, drink water, and take breaks from the heat.

How childcare and early learning programs are taking simple steps to improve indoor air quality: A closer look at how it works

June 23, 2022.Reading time 5 minutes.

Improving indoor air quality is one of the most important and long-lasting approaches to reducing the spread of COVID-19. With the emergence of lower-cost options that can make a difference, Public Health has been working alongside child care providers to reduce the virus’ spread and to promote other health benefits by improving indoor air quality.

TB Evaluation at Transitional Care Center of Seattle

June 23, 2022.Reading time 6 minutes.

Chest x-ray of someone with tuberculosis

Public Health – Seattle & King County is following up on the report of an individual at Transitional Care Center of Seattle who was diagnosed with active tuberculosis (TB). Public Health is working to define the extent of any potential TB exposures, and supporting the facility as they conduct evaluations for those exposed and provide guidance and information to staff and residents.

Fresh, Affordable, and Culturally Relevant: A spotlight on Farmers Markets Serving our Immigrant and Refugee Communities

June 21, 2022.Reading time 10 minutes.

Tukwila Village Farmers Market staff with a vendor (center) from the Democratic Republic of Congo on a typical market day

In this spotlight, we are excited to introduce you to three markets we partner with that take their programs to the next level in how they provide their communities with access to local, fresh, affordable, and culturally relevant produce.

JUNETEENTH 2022: A Message to Community

June 16, 2022.Reading time 7 minutes.

President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, January 1, 1863, declared enslaved Black people in Confederate-controlled areas were free. However, it wasn’t until “Juneteenth” – June 19, 1865, two and a half years later, that Major General Gordon Granger and approximately 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas to announce the war was over and slavery had ended.

When can babies and young children finally get the COVID vaccine?

June 10, 2022.Reading time 8 minutes.

Preschool children smiling and playing instruments

Vaccine for children under 5 is finally just around the corner. Find out what Public Health – Seattle & King County is doing to be ready to serve the little ones and what you can expect in the coming weeks.