KIRO Radio's Dave Ross and reporter Aaron Granillo join up for the last time, after nearly a year of this reporting project. They'll discuss the impossible online waitlists for vaccines, and if we're ready to reopen schools. And, over the past year of this crisis, what story or moment has stuck with Dave and Aaron the most? This will be the final formal episode of the COVID-19: Seattle podcast. To keep up with us elsewhere, you can: Sign up for our newsletter , which goes out once a week. We'll ...
Feb 18, 2021•13 min
Dr. George Diaz is an infectious disease specialist with Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, WA. He treated the very first confirmed coronavirus patient in the United States, isolating him with the hospital's strictest Ebola precautions and using a robot for examinations. Exactly a year later, he joins KIRO Radio's Dave Ross and reporter Aaron Granillo on the COVID-19: Seattle podcast to reflect on those earliest days of the pandemic, and make predictions for the year ahead....
Jan 21, 2021•15 min
KIRO Radio's Dave Ross and reporter Aaron Granillo discuss the vaccine rollout in Washington state, and whether teachers should be able to cut the line. You can check your current eligibility for the vaccine here . And, Whatcom County is seeing a surge of cases. They expect January to triple what they saw in December, which was already the county's worst month ever. Dave and Aaron issue a timely reminder: don't forget about "stranger bias."...
Jan 14, 2021•12 min
KIRO Radio's Dave Ross speaks with Dr. Keith Jerome, head of the University of Washington's Virology Lab, to answer common questions about the vaccine rollout and address the post-holiday surge in cases. Plus, reporter Aaron Granillo joins with more information about your place in line for a vaccine, and the statewide app that should be online next week.
Jan 07, 2021•12 min
Social Distancing... lockdowns... PPE shortages... and distance learning. Those were just a handful of the major challenges we faced in 2020. And KIRO Radio's Dave Ross and reporter Aaron Granillo tracked it all right here, day by day. What were people in Washington thinking and feeling during the very first statewide lockdown? Did the predictions of doctors and researchers in the early days come true? Aaron is joined by KIRO Radio's Mike Lewis as they listen back to the earliest episodes of thi...
Dec 31, 2020•12 min
Governor Inslee's recently revised guidelines mean we could see many school districts reopening for in-person classes before the end of January. Join KIRO Radio's Dave Ross and reporter Aaron Granillo as they cover what this means for children, teachers and staff across Washington state. And, the next federal relief bill has inched just a little bit closer to passing. This version includes a second stimulus check. Finally, this was a big week for healthcare workers: Pfizer's vaccine was distribu...
Dec 17, 2020•14 min
KIRO Radio's Dave Ross is joined by reporter Aaron Granillo to discuss the agonizing process of being so close to a vaccine while daily coronavirus cases numbers have reached a new peak nationwide. How are our hospitals and healthcare providers holding up here in Washington state? Aaron explains our hospital capacity, and who will be at the front of the line for vaccination. And, Governor Inslee's restrictions on restaurants, gyms and theaters - now extended through January - have put many busin...
Dec 10, 2020•13 min
Reporter Aaron Granillo is joined this week by Mike Lewis, host of KIRO Nights and a familiar voice on the show. They'll take a look at the latest coronavirus stats as a third surge in cases meets with the holiday season. How are we doing on hospital capacity, and what is the current survival rate from the virus? Mike also owns a local bar, and discusses how the new statewide restrictions on indoor dining and alcohol service are impacting his business and employees. In an impossible situation, w...
Dec 03, 2020•18 min
KIRO Radio's Dave Ross talks with Governor Jay Inslee about Washington's response to the pandemic. What is hospital capacity like right now? How dire is this third wave? And what do the predictive models tell us about the rest of the holiday season? Then, reporter Aaron Granillo joins Dave Ross to debrief the interview and look ahead at how we can possibly dig our way out of the dire financial straits this virus has left so many families and businesses in.
Nov 26, 2020•24 min
KIRO Radio's Dave Ross and reporter Aaron Granillo cover the encouraging early results of the Pfizer vaccine trial, and chat with Dr. Julie McElrath. She's leading one of 3 major vaccine trials in Seattle and looking for volunteers. And Dr. Stephen Anderson from MultiCare Auburn Medical Center has been working on the frontlines in the emergency department throughout the pandemic. He joins us to explain just how serious the third wave of the virus is for Washington state, and the conversation con...
Nov 12, 2020•19 min
The US is hitting a 3rd wave of coronavirus cases while we reconsider our nation's leadership. What would it take for either Biden or Trump to get life in the US "back to normal" again? KIRO Radio's Dave Ross interviews virologist Dr. William Haseltine , a former Harvard researcher with a focus on public health, about how we can banish the pandemic for good... even without a vaccine. Then, reporter Aaron Granillo joins to talk about what the exit polls suggest American voters prioritized this el...
Nov 05, 2020•22 min
Reporter Aaron Granillo breaks an exclusive interview with the first confirmed patient in Seattle who was re-infected with the coronavirus. Then, he does a Q&A with KIRO Radio's Dave Ross to answer questions like: how long does immunity last? How many different strains of the virus are out there? And what does this mean for the vaccine? Join the conversation and get your own questions about the virus answered by joining COVID-19: Seattle on Facebook ....
Oct 29, 2020•11 min
KIRO Radio's Dave Ross and reporter Aaron Granillo discuss the fall wave of new coronavirus cases that's sweeping the country, and compare red and blue state policies. Is another lockdown ahead of us in Washington? Governor Inslee did issue some restrictions earlier this week, but only for college campuses. With 35 outbreaks statewide, the message to students is: stop socializing. And, local health officials released an early version of their plan for distributing a vaccine throughout the state....
Oct 22, 2020•13 min
Coronavirus cases are rising in King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties. But some restrictions are loosening: movie theaters reopen on Friday. Dr. Ali Mokdad from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, which tries to predict when coronavirus cases will rise and why, joins KIRO Radio's Dave Ross to discuss what to expect as we head into colder weather and plan more indoor gatherings. Dr. Mokdad also offers his best prediction for when this will all be over: in other words, when we can expec...
Oct 15, 2020•19 min
KIRO Radio's Dave Ross and reporter Aaron Granillo give a 10-minute recap of Wednesday night's debates. How did the candidates talk about the ongoing pandemic? Incumbent Governor Inslee faced off against his Republican challenger Loren Culp. And Vice President Mike Pence took the stage, behind plexiglass, to debate Senator Kamala Harris. Plus, we'll give you a rundown of all this week's coronavirus news you can use. A coronavirus outbreak strikes the University of Washington's Greek Row, there a...
Oct 08, 2020•16 min
KIRO Radio's Dave Ross and reporter Aaron Granillo react to today's breaking news that President Trump has tested positive for the coronavirus. With just 30 days until the election, what does this mean for the health of his campaign - and the health of the country?
Oct 02, 2020•8 min
KIRO Radio's Dave Ross and reporter Aaron Granillo discuss this week's coronavirus news. First up: COVID is accelerating job losses at Boeing, and the company decided this week to shutter it's 787 Dreamliner production line in Everett. The first presidential debate confused and dismayed many of those who tuned in. Dave Ross parses through the mayhem and pulls out a better idea of each candidate's plan to handling this ongoing pandemic. And, select school districts in Washington are welcoming bac...
Oct 01, 2020•20 min
KIRO Radio's Dave Ross and reporter Aaron Granillo discuss a sobering milestone the US passed this week: 200,000 deaths from COVID-19. How is our country grieving? And what does this say about how we've handled the pandemic so far? Speaking of our pandemic response, Dr. Anthony Fauci and the head of the CDC testified before Congress on Wednesday about the seemingly ever-changing CDC guidelines. Senator Patty Murray wants a task force to investigate. And, the very earliest infection rate data is ...
Sep 24, 2020•17 min
As skepticism about vaccines rises nationwide, KIRO Radio's Dave Ross calls Dr. Keith Jerome, head of the University of Washington's Virology lab, to ask him the question on everyone's mind: when can we expect a vaccine in pharmacies? By election day? And how safe will it be? Join the conversation on our podcast's Facebook page.
Sep 17, 2020•17 min
In a freshly formatted weekly episode, KIRO Radio's Dave Ross and reporter Aaron Granillo discuss the shocking revelations from Bob Woodward's new book, 'Rage,' and play tape of the president admitting to the severity of the virus being far worse than the flu as early as February. How much of a difference would an earlier lockdown or mask mandate have made? And should Woodward have broken this story back in March, when lives still could have been saved? In other news: a "worship protest" on Labo...
Sep 10, 2020•16 min
As students return to Washington State University for a hybrid model of in-person and online classes, student parties are on the rise. So the Pullman Police Department has switched from an education-first approach to issuing fines, and Chief Gary Jenkins joins KIRO Radio's Dave Ross to talk about how it's working in practice. Plus, we have an update about this podcast project! We are switching to a weekly schedule rather than a daily one. Dave Ross and reporter Aaron Granillo will explain the re...
Sep 04, 2020•12 min
The CDC instructed states to prepare to distribute a vaccine to health care workers and other high-risk groups by November 1st. KIRO Radio's Dave Ross and reporter Aaron Granillo discuss whether this timing is politically motivated or being rushed unsafely. And, a sunny Labor Day weekend is fast approaching! Dave Ross tells us how to stay safe while gathering with friends or family ... even outdoors.
Sep 03, 2020•9 min
KIRO Radio's Dave Ross and reporter Aaron Granillo walk through a widely misinterpreted report from the CDC that only 6% of reported deaths are solely from COVID-19. In other CDC news, a broad reach of the agency's power resulted in a new nationwide eviction moratorium for renters. Who exactly qualifies for this protection? And unemployed Washingtonians waiting for the $300 addition to their weekly checks have an end in sight: September 21st is when payments are set to arrive....
Sep 02, 2020•10 min
KIRO Radio's Dave Ross and reporter Aaron Granillo discuss a rumored White House strategy to combat the virus: waiting for herd immunity to kick in. Two new free testing sites are opening in South King County, aimed at minority populations who have been disproportionately impacted by the virus. Find a comprehensive list of free Seattle and King County testing locations right here . And Paul Gallant from 710 ESPN's Danny & Gallant joins the show to discuss the coronavirus outbreak that has po...
Sep 01, 2020•13 min
KIRO Radio's Dave Ross and reporter Aaron Granillo discuss a recent interview that Dr. Brett Giroir gave to our sister station, KTTH, saying it's safe for Washington to reopen businesses and schools more fully. But do our state public health experts agree? Dave Ross explains the stalemate over the next coronavirus relief package and the sticky situation legislators and President Trump now find themselves in ... as they haggle over trillions of dollars of bailouts for state and local governments....
Aug 31, 2020•11 min
King County Public Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin joins KIRO Radio's Dave Ross and reporter Aaron Granillo to answer lots of questions: Are we ready for the flu season that's about to hit in the middle of a pandemic? Is there any chance schools could reopen by the end of the year? And, what's going on the with the CDC's new recommendation not to test asymptomatic people?
Aug 27, 2020•15 min
KIRO Radio's Dave Ross and reporter Aaron Granillo have information about how kids can keep playing team sports safely, from an expert. The CDC changes it's recommendations for testing: now, they're saying you shouldn't get tested if you don't have symptoms - even if you've recently been exposed. Dave Ross discusses whether this is part of some larger conspiracy to lower the positive case data from the Trump administration. And reporter Nicole Jennings joins Aaron Granillo with an update on the ...
Aug 26, 2020•12 min
KIRO Radio's Dave Ross and reporter Aaron Granillo discuss the mental health of kids heading into an online-only start to their school year. Are schools, parents and teachers prepared? Plus, some important updated guidelines: The World Health Organization changes their recommendations for young children wearing masks. The Food and Drug Administration retracts some of their confidence in convalescent plasma therapy and clears up a misleading statistic. And the Center for Disease Control and Preve...
Aug 25, 2020•10 min
KIRO Radio's Dave Ross and reporter Aaron Granillo discuss how the University of Washington and Bloodworks Northwest have been using convalescent plasma therapy since March, to treat only the most severe cases of COVID-19. CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield joined KTTH for an interview, and seemed to criticize many schools in Washington that have opted for all-remote classes this fall. And Washington State University's campus may be remote this year, but students are back on Greek Row, and partyin...
Aug 24, 2020•8 min
KIRO Radio's Dave Ross and reporter Aaron Granillo recap Governor Inslee's reopening of bowling alleys and U-Pick farms, as well as a glimmer of hope: COVID cases are trending just slightly downwards again in Washington state. Another thing that's declining just slightly? The number of people on unemployment in our state. If you're still waiting for payments and can't get through the phone lines, Dave Ross wants to help. And it seems like wearing a mask, social distancing, and washing your hands...
Aug 21, 2020•11 min
