Kate Walters
Reporter
About
Kate Walters is a reporter covering Covid-19 and the many ways the pandemic has impacted our lives. She's covered personal experiences of community members, state and local policies, affects on the healthcare system, and more. In the past, Kate has reported on homelessness for KUOW, as well as general assignment stories ranging from city hall politics to sea stars. Originally from Australia, Kate studied journalism at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT). She started her career in public radio at WXXI in Rochester, NY.
Location: Seattle
Languages: English
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Stories
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Health
King County aims for Phase 2 of reopening. What does that mean?
King County could be further easing pandemic restrictions in just a few days.
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Politics
Seattle mayor, police chief address protesters; discuss curfew and police response
Seattle officials addressed a large crowd outside the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Tuesday afternoon as the city is in its fifth day of protests over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, and a long-standing pattern of violence against Black people across the country. Floyd, a Black man, died last week after a white police officer held his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes.
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Health
UW Medicine to temporarily furlough thousands, close psychiatric unit
University of Washington Medicine is temporarily furloughing roughly 5,500 workers. The institution is citing financial losses of roughly $500 million due to the pandemic. The move will lead to the temporary closure of a small psychiatric unit at the UW Medicine Montlake campus.
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Health
A new $1.6B proposal to house thousands experiencing homelessness in King County
As the economic fallout from the pandemic threatens to push more people into homelessness, a new proposal aims to house thousands of people who are chronically homeless in King County over a five-year span. The proposal comes from the Third Door Coalition, a group of businesses, homeless advocates, nonprofits and academics.
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Health
I had Covid-19. My body shook, 'discharging the collective terror' of us all
Penelope Bell is a Seattle-area resident and a leadership coach for entrepreneurs. At 60, she’s also a survivor of Covid-19. The following is a transcript of portions of a video Bell recorded about her experience falling ill and recovering. It’s been edited down with permission.
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Health
I provide spiritual care at a Seattle hospital. Here's what that means during the coronavirus pandemic
Elyse Fairweather is a spiritual care provider at University of Washington Medical Center. Part of her job is to provide end of life support and help guide people through some of their toughest times. Before the outbreak, her role often involved being a calming presence in the room. Now, that’s all changed.
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Health
It takes a lot of people to keep a hospital running
Voices of the pandemic features people in the Seattle area who are on the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak.
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Health
Life with a newborn during the coronavirus pandemic
Melissa Santos is a Seattle journalist and a new mom. She gave birth as the coronavirus began to spread in Washington state.
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Health
Staying home: I hope they know they're doing it for their community and, in a sense, also for me
Voices of the pandemic features people in the Seattle area who are on the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak.
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Health
Crowding, lack of social distancing enforcement may have contributed to Covid-19 outbreaks at Seattle shelters
Interrupting the transmission of Covid-19 in homeless shelters can be challenging. Like long-term care sites, shelters are densely populated, which can amplify infectious disease outbreaks. A new report from the Centers for Disease Control looks at an outbreak in three affiliated Seattle shelters in early April, and the public health response that followed.