The signs of these times were rooted 2
years ago when the economy was feeling it.
So was Bernie Construction was booming?
The Sounders, fresh off another cop,
huge huge win. This picture for
six for the City of Seattle were
fired out. We start with breaking
news right now. This February 28th, 2020.
Health officials are urging
people not to panic.
It all changed.
We expect more cases the next day.
The first COVID death in the
nation here in King County and
outbreak in Kirkland by March 5th,
the vice president came to
town and downplayed concern.
Do you agree
with the president's assessment?
We may well arrive at at A at a lower number.
The Sounders still played two
days later, and if somebody is
coughing you move away from them.
And on March the 11th, what
do you say to the people say
this is a complete overreaction.
Well go talk to those
families of the 22 people
who who died.
Governor Jay Insley canceled
large events. We're
not only talking about a Sounders game,
a Mariners game and XFL game,
we're talking about the
University of Washington.
We're talking about Pacific
Northwest Ballet, Benaroya Hall,
the Seattle Symphony,
the Tacoma Dome by
night. Fault the National Basketball
Association did the same in Seattle.
Schools became the largest
district in the country to close,
Kinsley put the state essentially
on lockdown on the 17th,
and on the 21st the US and Canadian
border shuttered to nonessential travel.
Things were trending well
in April of that year.
Before a social reckoning in May,
the daily protests and virus trends
just some of the factors behind the
implementation of a statewide mask mandate.
In June it took until November
9th for a vaccine breakthrough.
First shots in arms, December 15th of 2020,
but mass vaccination sites weren't available
until March of 21 and patients worthan
in towns like Point Roberts, Washington.
With no known cases of COVID.
And a border closure that cut it
off from the rest of Whatcom County.
But it did not stop the Mariners
from having a reopening day.
By April,
vaccines were available to everyone.
Schools started to return to full
in person classes four days later,
even as vaccination levels stagnated
and incentives were floated.
Would
you encourage the liquor and
Cannabis Board to also allow,
say, cannabis retailers,
to give free joints for jabs?
No, I would not rule out these kind
of incentives.
It appeared by the summer of 2021.
Welcome back, a return to
normal between businesses.
And the Canadian border.
But as cases and deaths continued,
the culture wars ignited
mask and vaccine work.
Mandates were put in place as
kids finally came back to school
in September and Washington State
football coach was fired because of it.
Will you
get your shot or have you scheduled your
shot? I'm not gonna answer that Chris.
Once Omicron surged in December of 21,
history started repeating itself.
Events canceled.
A downsized New Years at the needle.
But in this new year, a positive trend,
a curve flattening and now come tomorrow.
A proof of vaccination no
longer needed in Washington.
Mask mandates will end soon,
perhaps a symbol after 1.4
million Washington cases,
58,000 hospitalizations and 12,000 deaths.
In this state. Two years later,
there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
In Seattle,
Chris Daniels King 5 News.