Eilís O'Neill
Reporter
About
Eilís (eye-LEASH) O'Neill fell in love with radio when she was a 14-year-old high school intern at KUOW, in the program that later became RadioActive. Since then, she's worked as a radio reporter in South America and New York City and was thrilled to return to her hometown radio station in 2017. Her work has appeared on The World, Marketplace, and NPR.
Eilís has a degree in English and Spanish from Oberlin College and a master’s degree in science, environment and health journalism from Columbia University.
Stories
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Health
It's so hard to find Covid boosters in WA, experts worry people will give up
As the season for respiratory illnesses approaches, public health officials in Washington state are encouraging people to get updated Covid booster shots as soon as possible. But many locations are booked weeks out and residents say they’re struggling to find appointments.
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Health
No one's getting the updated Covid booster shots — and that has public health officials worried
Public health officials want people to hurry up and get their updated Covid booster shots. But so far, not many people have.
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Health
Western WA is covered by smoke again. But for how long?
There’s smoke in the air again this week, thanks to winds from the east that are bringing smoke from the Bolt Creek fire into the Puget Sound region. And an inversion is trapping that smoke close to the ground. Still, the air quality is not hazardous for most people.
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Environment
Military providing water to Yakima Valley homes after tests show it contaminated area's wells
Over the years, the chemicals leached into drinking water near military bases around the United States, including on Whidbey Island and in the Yakima Valley.
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Health
Wildfire smoke is here to stay. But critics say our preparations are still 'lackadaisical'
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.
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Health
Washington clinics brace for effects of Idaho's near-total abortion ban
Clinics in Washington state that provide abortions are bracing for an influx of patients from Idaho, now that most abortions are illegal in that state.
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Health
'Another kind of homophobia:' Critics say King County's monkeypox vaccine criteria are intrusive
To try to make sure scarce monkeypox vaccine doses are reaching those most at risk of contracting the virus, King County put detailed eligibility requirements in place. But critics of the county’s approach say it’s not working as intended and might be doing harm.
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Health
Washington has new rules protecting outdoor workers from the heat — but advocates say they're not being enforced
With climate change, the Pacific Northwest is in for hotter summers and more frequent heat waves. That’s uncomfortable for pretty much everyone — and downright dangerous for some, including those who work outside.
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Health
A pregnant mom was 'writhing in pain,' but a Catholic hospital refused to intervene
Alison was three months pregnant and on a camping trip with her family in 2013 when she started bleeding. She rushed home to Bellingham, where the only hospital is Catholic-owned PeaceHealth.
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Health
As monkeypox cases grow, King County scrambles to distribute limited vaccine doses
The number of confirmed monkeypox cases in King County is doubling every week — in part because of increased spread of the virus, and in part because of increased testing and detection of cases. To date, there have been 91 monkeypox cases in King County, and 103 statewide.