For 18 months – more than 500 days – Dr. Chris Spitters was at ‘ground zero’ of the COVID pandemic. Spitters, Snohomish County’s Chief Health Officer, and his staff scrambled to confront this deadly unknown and help county residents through it. Spitters had been the Snohomish Health District’s “interim” chief health officer for seven months; he wasn’t…
Jan. 21, 2020 was the day our world turned upside down. It was the day that Snohomish County discovered the first case of coronavirus in the U.S. An Everett man who had traveled to Wuhan, China became America’s “patient zero. On Tuesday — 527 days later — county leaders held their last scheduled COVID-19 briefing….
Edmonds College announced that it will continue to serve students remotely through Aug. 1 “for the health and safety of our campus community.” The exception will be a few hands-on, on-campus classes, the college said. Summer quarter classes begin July 6, and face coverings are required when on campus. The college will begin offering limited…
Mass vaccination sites in Snohomish County are closing after six months and more than 318,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered. In making the announcement Thursday, the Snohomish Health District notes that while “vaccination against COVID-19 remains vital,” vaccine supply has stabilized, demand is down and other providers such as clinics or pharmacies are in a…
Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers announced Wednesday that with the lifting of pandemic restrictions, Snohomish County government facilities will reopen to the public Tuesday, July 6. When visiting county facilities, visitors and staff are required to follow Washington state and Snohomish Health District guidelines, including wearing masks if unvaccinated. “Snohomish County residents can be proud…
As Washington State officially prepares to reopen Wednesday after residents have spent more than a year living with COVID-19 restrictions, Gov. Jay Inslee said the state still has “work to do” and the State Department of Health reminds people that masks will still be required in some places. “Washington has come a long way since…
“It feels great.” That’s how Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers put it as the county and the state get ready to end COVID restrictions. In his weekly COVID briefing, Somers added, “Let’s get out and enjoy summer as safely as possible.” Governor Inslee has set next Wednesday, June 30 as the day the state fully…
Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers Tuesday proposed ordinances to the Snohomish County Council to provide supplemental pay to front-line, public-facing county employees and certain grocery workers in unincorporated Snohomish County. With the re-opening of businesses later this month, the tightening labor market and the spread of new variants, this supplemental pay will ensure essential government…
After being closed for more than a year to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Edmonds is aiming to reopen city buildings the week of July 12. Coordinating with that date, the Edmonds City Council is also looking to begin in-person council meetings that week. City Council President Susan Paine said…
Starting June 7, City of Edmonds employees who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 have the option of going without masks at work. The city announced Friday that employees can request an exemption from wearing a mask and social distancing in the workplace. This is in response to Gov. Jay Inslee’s announcement that Washington State would…
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Gov. Jay Inslee Thursday announced new incentives to help encourage unvaccinated Washingtonians to get the COVID shot. The Washington State Lottery will be conducting a “Shot of a Lifetime” giveaway series during the month of June, working with state agencies, technology companies, sports teams and higher education institutions across the state to offer a myriad…
The coronavirus pandemic has brought a year of transition to Sno-Isle Libraries, and June will see more changes as public health rules are expected to ease. Throughout the pandemic, Sno-Isle Libraries staff have been working on ways to bring more services to customers with contact-free delivery options, online programs and events, and the gradual reintroduction…
The Washington State Department of Health has launched a new mobile vaccine service called “Care-A-Van” that will deliver vaccines to communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. The department said it is working closely to support community partners and local health jurisdictions to increase vaccine access for priority communities, which include: Counties with higher vaccine gaps by…
Edmonds United Methodist Church will be hosting a COVID Pfizer vaccination clinic that will be run by the Snohomish Health District on Wednesday, June 2 from 5-7 p.m. A second dose will be guaranteed on June 23. All people age 12 and up are welcome. There is no ID required. Spanish language translation will be offered onsite. Walk ups…
Paktia Pharmacy is providing free COVID-19 vaccines to eligible patients in partnership with the U.S. government. Eligible patients can visit https://www.healthmart.com to make an appointment or call Paktia Pharmacy at 425-967-5375 “We are proud to help Edmonds fight COVID-19 and are here to help the most vulnerable and most at risk of suffering from COVID-19,”…
Community Transit is now offering people free rides on the bus to get their COVID-19 vaccination. The free round-trip does not require customers provide any documents. They can simply state they are traveling to get the vaccine or returning from receiving it. The free ride can be used to travel to mass vaccination sites, a…
Snohomish County leaders said during a May 11 briefing that due to stable COVID-19 case rates they are hopeful the county will be able to remain in Phase 3 of the Healthy Washington: Roadmap to Recovery reopening plan when Gov. Jay Inslee’s statewide two-week pause on counties’ phase movement is expected to end next week….
If you are looking for a nearby option for a COVID-19 vaccine, a reminder from our friends at Shoreline Area News that the UW Medicine North King County Vaccination Clinic in Shoreline provides walk-in vaccinations for Pfizer (age 16+) and Moderna (age 18+) first and second doses. Located in the auditorium at the Shoreline Center…
The Washington State Department of Commerce is partnering with ArtsFund to provide over $10 million in grants to help community organizations across the state that have been impacted by the pandemic. The Nonprofit Community Relief grant application portal opens Monday, May 10 for eligible Washington state organizations The grant program focuses on arts, culture, science and…
Snohomish County gets a reprieve. There is no rollback to Phase 2 COVID restrictions for the county; in fact, no rollbacks statewide. That’s the news from Gov. Jay Inslee, who says all counties will stay where they are for the next two weeks. That means shopping, dining, outdoor recreation all stays where it is; we…
Starting Wednesday, May 5, all mass vaccination sites operated by the Snohomish County Vaccine Taskforce will begin offering on-site registration for people who do not have a prior appointment. People may arrive at the sites during open hours to receive their vaccine even if they do not have an appointment. Vaccinations will be provided as…
Gov. Jay Inslee Tuesday announced a two-week pause on movement in the Healthy Washington: Roadmap to Recovery reopening plan. Under the pause, every county will remain in its current phase. At the end of two weeks, each county will be re-evaluated. The decision was made in consultation with the Department of Health, and reflects current…
The Edmonds police sent out a warning Wednesday regarding two curbside COVID test sites that have appeared in downtown Edmonds during the past few days, labeling them as “scams” involving potential identity theft. Edmonds police spokesperson Sgt. Josh McClure said police made the determination after officers spoke with workers staffing the pop-up sites at 5th…
The weekly COVID media briefing from Snohomish County officials was marked by a growing concern over the county’s stubbornly rising numbers of case rates and hospitalizations, the two critical metrics used by Gov. Inslee’s office to determine which reopening phase will be operative. On March 11 Inslee rolled out the revamped Roadmap to Recovery program,…
We had inquiries from readers Monday asking about free COVID testing being offered near the Edmonds ferry terminal, as it appeared that proper testing protocols weren’t being followed. Turns out, the Snohomish Health District has also received questions about the operation and is investigating. “We have received a couple emails from folks about the Edmonds…
