Official insights from Public Health – Seattle & King County staff
By Eric J. Chow and Sandra J. Valenciano This opinion piece was originally published in The Seattle Times on August 20, 2026. The U.S. now has more recorded cases of measles — a highly contagious but vaccine-preventable disease — than any time in the past 35 years. Over the past two years, the infection has impacted […]
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Elevated levels of lead have been found in the public right-of-way along the 4200 block of 23rd Avenue W in Seattle’s Interbay neighborhood. Additional testing is underway to determine the extent and source of the contamination and whether further cleanup is needed.
While the investigation continues, Public Health – Seattle & King County recommends that pedestrians use alternate routes around the affected block, between W Commodore Way and W Elmore Street, when possible, and avoid the alley between 22nd Avenue W and 23rd Avenue W unless access is necessary.
The health care coverage and access landscape is facing one of its most significant shifts in a decade, and here in King County, a mighty team of health insurance experts have been preparing for the impacts.
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A partnership between Chief Seattle Club and Evergreen Treatment Services offers immediate support to people who ask for help with substance use. Funded by the King County Opioid Settlement, the pilot program has provided 500 over client engagements and referrals.
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Executive Girmay Zahilay announced that King County is investing $900,000 as part of a new public-private partnership to support the health and wellbeing of immigrant and refugee communities impacted by federal immigration enforcement activities in South King County. Two Best Starts for Kids initiatives based in Public Health – Seattle & King County will be leading the partnership at the county: Communities of Opportunity (COO) and the Community Well-Being Initiative (CWI). They are partnering with the Renton Regional Community Foundation (RRCF) and Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation to invest in immigrant and refugee communities in south King County.
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School’s about more than math quizzes and book reports. It’s where kids go to play, grow, and build community. But where kids thrive, so do germs. Enter: vaccinations! Vaccinations are the body’s practice test for diseases like measles and whooping cough. That way, if the real thing shows up, kids’ immune systems know exactly what to do.
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