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  Health

  Photos: A look back at Covid in Seattle, 5 years later

  Five years after the start of the first coronavirus outbreak in the U.S., we reflect on the images that stayed with us from a time marked by fear, loss, and uncertainty.

  • Megan Farmer
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  Health Care

  'I didn’t know it existed.' Why young people are the least vaccinated in Seattle area

  Seventy-one percent of King County residents never got the last booster. And young people are the least likely to get the vaccine: Only 18% of people ages 18 to 34 got last year’s shot.

  • Eilís O'Neill
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  Government

  Yes take-backs. Workers asked to return pandemic cash in Washington state

  Last month, joblessness our state reached its highest levels since the Covid-19 pandemic – higher than the national average. And the first thing many do when they’ve lost a job is file for unemployment benefits. But Washington’s unemployment system itself is still reeling from the one-two punch of Covid.

  • Libby Denkmann
  • Alec Cowan
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  Health

  Covid isolation reduced to 24 hours in Washington state

  Washington’s Department of Health announced Monday that people experiencing covid symptoms only need to isolate for 24-hours or until their health improves. Previous guidelines from the state and CDC recommended people stay home for at least five days to stop the spread of the disease.

  • Casey Martin
  • Dyer Oxley
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  Law & Courts

  Do doctors have a right to free speech, even when it includes spreading misinformation?

  John Stockton is a basketball legend. He’s the all time NBA leader in assists – feeding passes to Jazz teammates like Karl Malone. Their partnership is still revered by superfans of a certain age. Now, Stockton is assisting another group of people: doctors who felt persecuted by Washington state’s COVID speech policies. The Hall of Fame point guard, and Spokane resident, filed a lawsuit last week against the state Attorney General’s office. The filing itself says that quote: “the purpose of this lawsuit is to protect the right of physicians to speak, and the right of the public to hear their message.”

  • Libby Denkmann
  • Sarah Leibovitz
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  Health

  Why older people and the immuno-compromised could need yet another Covid shot

  Four-plus years after the first outbreak, people who've been vaccinated or who had Covid are still being infected. Where are we now?

  • Kim Malcolm
  • John O'Brien
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  Health

  Coronavirus FAQ: I'm immunocompromised. Will pills, gargles and sprays fend off COVID?

  People who are immunocompromised continue to worry about COVID. A raft of products promise protection. Is there any evidence they can protect from infection or lessen severity of disease?

  • Jonathan Lambert
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  Health

  Coronavirus FAQ: Are we in a surge? How do you cope if your whole family catches it?

  Are we in a surge? How would we know? Is winter now "COVID season?" And what do you do if your whole family got the coronavirus over the holidays? We tackle readers' coronavirus questions.

  • Max Barnhart
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  Health

  'The viruses are returning to normal' in Washington for winter 2024

  The winter season in the Northwest brings rain, dark skies, and the sniffles. For winter 2024, health officials expect that a lot more sniffles are coming, with three viruses circulating through the region.

  • Dyer Oxley
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  Health

  The viruses are back

  If you are starting 2024 with sniffles, a cough, or even a fever, you’re not alone. The festive holiday weeks have left many of us with a respiratory bug. Covid, the flu and RSV are all in play this time of year… along with the common cold… and anecdotally, they’re out in numbers. It’s a good time to talk with UW Medicine Professor Dr. Helen Chu.. she’s here to tell us what we should know about the trio of winter illnesses circulating right now, and what we can do to stay healthy.

  • Patricia Murphy
  • Clare McGrane
  • Vaughan Jones

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