Alert date August 13, 2023

Covid 19 Related Resource

Contact: PLEASE YOU DO NOT WANT TO GET INFECTED OR RE-INFECTED WITH THIS DISEASE.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the growing “Long COVID” (a term used to describe a range of symptoms that continue for weeks, or months, or years, is having a profound impact on our African Heritage communities and members in King County. Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the impacts, months and years after the acute phase of a COVID-19 infection have subsided):

Direct Services:
Healthcare Services:

Hospitals and Clinics: Overburdened with Covid -Long Covid impacted patients, leading to delayed treatments for ALL conditions. Note: very few Long COVID clinics have been established in few areas to address the ever increasing number of ongoing symptoms.

Ambulance Services: Increased demand due to Covid-Long- Covid ALL CAUSE emergencies, REAL delays.

Pharmacies: Increased demand for CRITICAL medications, supply shortages and health care consultations.

Mental Health Services: Surge in demand due to linked Covid-Long-Covid -induced Emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. stress, anxiety, Psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.)

Specialized Clinics: Delays in appointments and treatments due to severe workforce shortages and resource allocation .

Public Safety:
Police and Fire Departments: Exposure risks, staffing shortages due to illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.)

Emergency Response Teams: Increased demand, exposure risks, staffing shortages due to illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, Psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.)

Disaster Preparedness: Lack of incorporating pandemic scenarios in future planning.
Water and Sanitation:

Clean Drinking Water and Sewage Treatment: Essential services maintained, but staffing challenges, due to exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, Psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.)

Garbage and Recycling: delays due to increased waste volume and management, staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, Psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.).

Food Safety and Inspection: Continued inspections with added safety protocols; delays due to staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, Psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.).

Housing and Shelter: Increased demand for homeless shelters due to economic impacts; outbreaks in crowded shelters, with added safety protocols; delays due to staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, Psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.).

Public Transportation: Reduced ridership; increased cleaning and safety challenges, delays due to equipment breakdown, staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, Psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.).

Education: Shift BACK TO IN-PERSON learning; delayed academic progress; mental health challenges for STAFF and students, with NEED FOR added child and staff safety protocols, WITH SERVER INCREASES IN staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.).

Animal Services: Increase in pet adoptions during lockdowns; REAL increase in abandonments post-lockdown.

Indirect Services:
Infrastructure Maintenance: delays due to budget reallocations, added safety protocols; staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, Psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.).

Energy and Utilities: Generally maintained, but delays in service repairs due to staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.).

Communication Services: Increased demand for internet services due to both RETURN TO OFFICE AND REMOTE work and delays in service repairs due to staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.).

Recreation and Leisure: Long Term closures of public spaces; financial challenges for cultural institutions, staff safety, delays in service and repairs due to staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.). and

Economic Services: Economic downturns; increased demand for employment services due to staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.).

Environmental Services: INCREASE in pollution AND DELAYS in waste management services due to staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.).

Social Services: Increased demand due to economic and mental health challenges, delays in services due to staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.).

Urban Planning: UPKEEP AND MANAGEMENT OF public spaces, increased interest in outdoor spaces, delays in service due to staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.).

Financial Services: Economic increase AND defaults on loans; increased demand for public assistance. delays in services due to staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.).

Legal and Judicial Services: Court delays; due to staffing shortages, exposure risks, illness, increased mental health stressors, emotional Dysregulation, mental disorders and illnesses (e.g. anxiety, psychosis, cognitive decline and depression.). Increased demand for legal aid due to economic challenges.

In summary, Covid Long COVID IS stressing many sectors, leading to both challenges and innovations, and many sectors will need to adapt to a “new normal” LONG BEFORE the pandemic is TRULY OVER.