Eilis O'Neill
KUOW
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Past articles by Eilis:
A decade after wildfire smoke became a part of life in western Washington, the region’s still not prepared
August and September in the Pacific Northwest now come with a reliable risk of wildfire smoke. When it rolls in, our health — physical and mental — suffers. But local governments are still working out how to protect people from this polluted air. → Read More
Colds aren’t just colds. They’re a big driver of pediatric hospitalizations
Colds are back. Kids are getting sick. Some people say that’s a good thing: Kids need to build immunity to common viruses. But it’s more complicated. → Read More
Parents fret about desk distances. Experts say a good cross breeze does more to keep kids safe
The Seattle school district only requires that students be three feet apart; that’s in line with the CDC’s latest guidelines. But, with the very contagious Delta variant causing a surge in Covid cases, a lot of parents worry that’s not nearly far enough. → Read More
Breakthrough cases have you headed for the bunker? Experts say vaccines are working
Breakthrough cases — vaccinated people testing positive for the coronavirus — have people wondering if the vaccines work as well as they were supposed to, or if their immunity is waning. The short answer is, yes, they are doing their job. Just 0.5% percent (that’s one out of every 200) of Washington state’s fully vaccinated residents have tested positive for the coronavirus. → Read More
What we know about breakthrough Covid in Washington state – and what we don’t
How common are breakthrough cases in Washington state? Not common at all. From January 17 till July 24, only about 0.1% of fully vaccinated Washingtonians tested positive for Covid. → Read More
In this covid hot zone, unvaccinated people fear side effects — or want more answers
Covid cases in Walla Walla have come roaring back. It now has one of the highest rates of Covid per capita in the country. This month, it had more daily cases than it did during the worst of last summer’s surge. That’s in part due to low vaccination rates. In Walla Walla County, half the population is unvaccinated. → Read More
King County health official recommends going back to masking up indoors
Even if you're fully vaccinated, King County's health officer recommends wearing a mask in indoor public places. → Read More
A 'new normal': What Washington's reopening means for you
Today’s the day. After more than a year, Washington state is officially open again. → Read More
Washingtonians have trouble checking vaccination status as lottery begins
As Washingtonians wait to see who will be the first winner of the state's "Shot of a Lifetime" Covid-19 vaccine lottery, some people are having a hard time finding out if they're even eligible to win. → Read More
So when do I need to mask up? Confusing guideline changes clarified
‘It has led to a super-confusing patchwork. Some companies have said they're keeping their mask requirements for now. Other companies say they're no longer requiring masks for people who are fully vaccinated.’ → Read More
1 million Covid vaccines sit in freezers as Washingtonians hunt for doses
State health officials say the major sticking point in the vaccine rollout is supply: How many doses the federal government has sent to Washington. But what about the doses here already — that haven’t been given to the millions of Washington state residents yet to get a single shot? At least 1 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine have been delivered to providers in Washington state but never… → Read More
‘Who knows if I’ll be myself again?’ Covid long-haulers turn to Seattle rehab clinic
This Seattle rehabilitation clinic is working to help Covid long-haulers get back "as much life as possible." → Read More
Thanksgiving plans squashed. Don't be a turkey, health experts say
The holidays are going to look different this year with all the Covid restrictions. We asked what people are planning, and what safe holidays could look like. → Read More
This is why Washington's Covid-19 rates are on the rise
‘There are a lot of people in our community who have Covid and don't even know it.’ → Read More
Seattleites are preparing for post-election unknowns in their own ways
With an uncertain Election Day outcome on the horizon, Seattleites say they are preparing for any and everything. → Read More
Behind the coronavirus outbreak on Greek Row at the University of Washington
Nick Baldini is a senior at the University of Washington. This past summer, there were no internships or jobs to speak of, so he decided to enroll in classes and stay at his fraternity house. → Read More
No more stop signs for Washington's bike riders ... sort of
Starting Thursday, people riding bikes in Washington state won’t have to stop at most stop signs. That is, they legally won’t have to stop. → Read More
KUOW Public Radio
The Puget Sound region’s #1 radio station for news. Our independent, nonprofit newsroom produces award-winning stories, podcasts and events. → Read More
Keeping your student athlete strong and engaged amid pandemic can be a workout
Most fall sports for students in elementary through high school in the Seattle area are canceled this year. But experts say kids can still stay active and learn new skills. → Read More
The plan if wildfire smoke descends on Seattle during a pandemic? There is none
The plume of smoke we’ve seen in past years hasn’t descended on Seattle, but if it does, researchers fear worse health effects than in normal years, because of the pandemic. Officials in the Puget Sound area don't have a plan for protecting residents if the air gets smoky — beyond telling people to just stay home. → Read More