5 things to know Friday about coronavirus in Washington
Gov. Inslee answers coronavirus questions; Some prisoners could get out early; Coronavirus and homeless; Nurses protest lack of PPE; 99-year-old survives COVID-19.
In an exclusive interview with KING 5, Washington Governor Jay Inslee said the state originally looked at bringing kids back to school in August. He also said large sporting events may not take place anytime soon.
Those were just two of the topics covered in the wide-ranging interview with the Governor on Thursday about the coronavirus pandemic and the state's response.
Close to 9,700 people have tested positive for coronavirus in Washington state, including 446 confirmed deaths, according to the Department of Health. The trend line has not been as sharp as other states, but Inslee said, "it would be deadly for a lot of people" to change behavior now.
Washington prisons consider early release for some inmates to curb coronavirus spread
People in prison for nonviolent offenses may be getting out sooner than planned as the state responds to the area outbreak of coronavirus, state officials said.
"We have started looking at individuals... nonviolent drug offenders and people like that within 60 days of release, that we could potentially move out sooner," said Department of Corrections Secretary Steve Sinclair Thursday.
The DOC has not yet released those inmates because Latest Washington News Alert corrections officials have to reconsider procedures for early release and create an environment so the incarcerated person doesn't re-offend.
As King County shelters see more people testing positive for coronavirus, those who work to help the homeless are concerned about the potential for a surge in that population.
Daniel Malone, the executive director of the Downtown Emergency Service Center, said they have been making dramatic changes. The organization helps 8,000 homeless and formerly homeless people.
The organization has been working to create more space and get more testing. To that end, almost 1,900 spaces have been created for those living unsheltered to be able to spread out and quarantine if necessary.
Nurses protest lack of personal protective equipment
Nurses in Washington and across the nation are protesting the shortage of masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) in hospitals.
At St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tacoma, a small group of healthcare workers gathered outside the hospital on their breaks. Some wore masks and held signs that read, “Trump, where is my PPE?”
Meanwhile, Ohio-based company Battelle announced the launch of a large-scale mask sterilization system at Camp Murray near Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Pierce County.
The massive decontamination system can sterilize around 80,000 N95 respirator masks per day so they can be reused by health care workers on the front lines.
99-year-old Mill Creek man survives coronavirus
More than half of those who've died from the novel coronavirus are over the age of 80, according to the Washington State Department of Health's breakdown of ages on its website.
Yet, those above 80 years old only represent 10% of the confirmed coronavirus cases, Press Release Distribution Services according to the health department. For people who are over 80 and their families, those are scary numbers.
Based on that, it’s remarkable that someone about to turn 100-years-old has managed to survive the illness with mild symptoms
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