How we can protect the whole community as the mask directive ends

June 30, 2021.Reading time 11 minutes.

A woman working at a cash register is wearing a mask. She places clothing in a bag as a female customer stands waiting.

The mask directive has been lifted now that over 70% of King County residents are fully vaccinated. But not everyone has been able to get vaccinated yet, so we need to be thoughtful towards those who still depend on others to help protect them.

Navigating two truths for “re-opening” – we’ve made tremendous progress and we also still have COVID-19 spreading

June 25, 2021.Reading time 9 minutes.

Black woman wearing a mask, putting up a sign in a shop window that reads "We are reopening"

Ending COVID-19 restrictions as more people are vaccinated will require new ways of thinking about risk and uncertainty. You can take protective steps — vaccinated or un-vaccinated.

Protecting unvaccinated children as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted

June 22, 2021.Reading time 9 minutes.

Washington state is about to reopen with 70% of people 16 and older initiating the vaccine series. For families and caregivers with children under the age of 12 who are not yet eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, re-opening may cause concern and raise a lot of questions on how best to protect our kids who are still at risk of getting COVID-19.

Here are ways you can continue to keep children under the age of 12 safe.

Ask Miss Rona: Pregnancy, Fertility & Breast/Chestfeeding

June 21, 2021.Reading time 11 minutes.

Miss Rona is a Q&A series started on Public Health’s Instagram to respond to community questions related to different topic areas of COVID-19. For this week’s Miss Rona, we had two experts from Public Health answering your questions related to all things reproductive health.

VIDEO: DR. JEFF DUCHIN’S COVID-19 PRESS BRIEFING – June 18th 2021

June 18, 2021.Reading time 1 minute.

On May 18th, in his weekly press briefing, Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin on COVID-19 trends and the latest on COVID-19 vaccination efforts.

Wildfire season is coming — get smoke ready!

June 17, 2021.Reading time 11 minutes.

Hand-drawn art depicting young person using an inhaler in front of a smoky Seattle skyline.

Wildfire activity and weather patterns vary from year to year, making it a challenge to predict the likelihood of experiencing wildfire smoke events in any given year. However, for three of the past four years, wildfire smoke in our region has exposed people to unhealthy levels of particulate air pollution for prolonged periods of time. That is why Public Health is encouraging all residents to prepare now and be Smoke Ready.