Summary

King County has been selected as a recipient of American City & County’s Crown Communities Awards for its comprehensive response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Projects submitted for consideration are judged on uniqueness, short- and long-term value to the community and effective/innovative financing.

Story

King County has been selected as a recipient of American City & County’s Crown Communities Awards for its comprehensive response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Projects submitted for consideration are judged on uniqueness, short- and long-term value to the community and effective/innovative financing.

"King County was ground zero for the nation’s COVID-19 pandemic,” said Executive Constantine. “Led by Public Health - Seattle & King County, and supported by multiple county departments, we stood up a comprehensive pandemic response from day one, with a focus on equity to ensure those communities most impacted by COVID-19 had access to the resources that continue to keep everyone healthy during these difficult times."

The award recognizes the collaborative work across all departments during the pandemic, including:

• Standing up Isolation and Quarantine (I/Q) facilities;
• Developing and staffing of COVID-safe transit vehicles;
• Developing policies and protocols for the nation’s first civilian COVID isolation and quarantine system;
• Delivering robust trauma-informed services (including supported shelter de-intensification sites, vaccination sites and partnerships, and much more) for all King County residents including those with complex physical and behavioral health care needs; and
• Emphasizing an Equity and Social Justice approach: King County declared racism a public health crisis, equal to COVID, collaborating with the community on the pandemic response.

“Our approach has worked - we succeeded in slowing the spread to preserve hospital capacity, some of the highest vaccination rates in the nation, and thousands of lives saved,” said Executive Constantine. “ I am grateful to our dedicated employees, community partners, and the people of King County, who have worked together over the course of this pandemic to keep our community safe"

Relevant links

• 2021 Crown Communities Award winner: King County’s enterprise-wide COVID-19 response
  

Quotes

King County was ground zero for the nation’s COVID-19 pandemic. Led by Public Health - Seattle & King County, and supported by multiple county departments, we stood up a comprehensive pandemic response from day one, with a focus on equity to ensure those communities most impacted by COVID-19 had access to the resources that continue to keep everyone healthy during these difficult times. Our approach has worked - we succeeded in slowing the spread to preserve hospital capacity, some of the highest vaccination rates in the nation, and thousands of lives saved. I am grateful to our dedicated employees, community partners, and the people of King County, who have worked together over the course of this pandemic to keep our community safe.

For more information, contact:

Cameron Satterfield, Executive Services, 206-263-9758