Hawkeye
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FEBRUARY 2022 | 5
WA sues for alleged fake COVID testing By Nico Francois
CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & GRAPHICS EDITOR
A lawsuit has been filed against the Center for COVID Control by Washington State for allegations of improperly handled COVID tests and false test results. The company had previously opened over 300 testing sites around the nation without a license, with sites open in Lynnwood, Tacoma and Everett. The lawsuit was filed by Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson on Jan. 31, who stated that the company didn’t deliver accurate COVID test results and that the tests were not properly stored in refrigerators before processing. In addition to this, the lawsuit describes how the company took advantage of communities across the nation by providing false test results during a time when the need for testing was rapidly NICO FRANCOIS | HAWKEYE increasing along with cases due to factors such as the holidays and the emergence of the highly transmissible omicron variant. Some residents across the state reported receiving negative results from the company, despite beginning to have COVID symptoms mere days after the results were reported. When going to the Department of Health for a test however, the tests came back in a timely manner, stating that the patients tested positive for COVID. Other families reported having received no results from their tests at all, which began to raise suspicion against the company. Citizens and officials alike began to protest the company, as they stated the company was posing a major public health safety hazard, potentially putting lives in danger by providing patients with false negative COVID results. Before the lawsuit was filed, the company claimed that they would release the results of COVID rapid tests within 15 minutes and the results of PCR tests within two days, which soon became a false statement, as testing samples became invalid after sitting in garbage bags for days on end, waiting for processing. H
Russia banned from Olympics
• the update •
A lot happens in a month. From fashion to finance, we are constantly bombarded by headlines from around the world. Here are the Hawkeye’s picks for what you need to know. stories bystories nico francois by nico and francois maggie o’hara graphics by nico francois
New COVID-19 omicron variant spreads
International
Just mere months after the discovery of the highly contagious COVID omicon variant, another “stealth” variant known as omicron BA.2 has been detected in various countries across the globe. The omicron variant, which was initially detected in South Africa, was found to have 53 new mutations that set it apart from the original COVID-19 strain. The BA.2 branch shares the same ancestor as the original omicron variant, and has so far shown similar levels of illness. Although vaccines have shown to be just as effective against BA.2 as BA.1, the BA.2 omicron variant may be roughly 1.5 times more transmissible than the original variant. H
GLSEN elects first black, nonbinary president National GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network, an organization devoted to ending the harassment of LGBTQ+ youth and increasing inclusionary education, has appointed Melanie Willingham-Jaggers as the new executive director. Willingham-Jaggers is the first black and non-binary individual to run the organization since its establishment in 1990. Prior to their position as executive director, Willingham-Jaggers joined GLSEN as deputy executive director. While leading the group, Willingham-Jaggers hopes to emphasize the creation of a safe environment for LGBTQ+ students in schools. H
Bomb threats during Black History Month
National
COMPILED BY NICO FRANCOIS
The ongoing Winter Olympics, held in Beijing, China from Feb. 4 to 20, marks the third Olympic Games that Russia has been banned from. In December 2019, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) banned Russia from competing in any international sporting events for four years. With evidence that Russian authorities interfered with and manipulated competitors’ data from the Russian AntiDoping Agency as part of a state-sponsored doping scheme, any representation of Russia as a country in international games, including the Olympics, was disallowed. Later, Russia made an appeal of the WADA decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the decision easing the restrictions. After the appeal, the ban was reduced from four to two years, and competitors from Russia were permitted to compete in events under the condition that they were confirmed to not have been involved in the doping scheme. Russian competitors have competed NICO FRANCOIS | HAWKEYE in the Olympics since then as the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC). While they’re allowed to compete, the ban maintains that the Russian flag isn’t allowed to be shown and the national anthem isn’t allowed to be played at the event. Instead, the ROC acts as a neutral team, and the only patriotism they can show is in the form of colors from the flag and “Russia” written the same size or smaller as the “neutral team” label. On top of that, senior Russian government officials are now allowed to attend the games if invited by the head of the host country. Because of this, Russian President Vladimir Putin was allowed to attend the opening ceremony after being invited by Chinese President Xi Jinping, and will be allowed to attend the rest of the games. The ban will be officially lifted at the end of this year on Dec. 16, 2022. H
Multiple historically black colleges and universities have had to postpone classes or place campuses under lockdown due to various bomb threats made on the Feb. 1, the first day of Black History Month. At least 14 bomb threats were made to different colleges in the South and on the East Coast, with some university administration admitting that the threats were more widespread than ever before. It is unclear who made the bomb threats at many of the universities, but nonetheless, investigations have been launched and officials are prioritizing the safety of students and staff. H
Five teens escape Echo Glen Children’s Center
Local
Five teens made their escape from the Echo Glen Children’s Center, a detention center in King County, in late January, using a stolen vehicle to make their getaway. During their escape, the perpetrators locked two of the institution’s staff members into different cells, injuring a third staff member’s hand with a knife. Four of the five teens have been captured and put into custody. Prosecutors have charged the four teens with first-degree kidnapping, first-degree escape, unlawful imprisonment and vehicle theft. Since their detainment, the stolen car has been found and police are still searching for the fifth escapee. H
Free accessibility ramps for Snohomish County
Local
The Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish counties, a non-profit home-builders association headquartered in Bellevue, has opened applications to build free ramps for residents in the area with mobility issues. The group, which has hosted an annual “Rampathon” event since 1993, has built over 500 accessibility ramps for disabled citizens all around King and Snohomish counties in the name of making the area a more equitable place to live by giving citizens the same freedoms as their able-bodied peers. H
